Electric Touch has more than one British invasion to thank for its success.
Playing Pryor’s Rocklahoma festival this weekend, the five guys grew up listening to UK rock acts like Rolling Stones and The Kinks. Front man Shane Lawlor hails from Britain as well, which is peculiar considering the rest of the band is as American as can be, being based in Austin, Texas. Lawlor is the first to admit it’s a little odd, but it grants the group an edge.
“It’s something different. It’s a real British and American joint group, really,” he said. “It’s not what people may think. I don’t walk in with a bowler hat, quoting Shakespeare, and they don’t come in with cowboy boots doing John Wayne impersonations.”
In a lot of ways, Lawlor feels like the intersection actually makes a lot of sense.
“The one thing that is funny is I grew up listening to a lot of American music. The other guys in Electric Touch, they grew up quite often listening to a lot of British music,” he said. “They are all kind of the same, speaking the international language of rock ’n’ roll. Even though we talk a little differently, when it comes to the music, it’s the same language.”
Being in a band has been a lifelong desire for Lawlor, and it looks like the States was the perfect place to land.
“Growing up, I listened to Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, and dreamed of coming over here,” he said. “Rock ’n’ roll was made here, and jazz was
made here, and every day is a dream and a gift to me. It’s the greatest place in the world.”
The guys increasingly feel the need to pinch themselves to make sure they aren’t actually dreaming; they recently inked a deal with Island Records, and played to a massive crowd at this year’s Coachella. Electric Touch’s major-label debut is coming this summer as it works the festival circuit.
“When people see the lights in our eyes while we are playing onstage, they know that we are sincere and genuine, and really want to be there,” Lawlor said. “It’s a dream come true.”
ROCK ON!
Rocklahoma has tightened itself to three days in its fifth outing, but continues last year’s trend of bringing modern hard-rock acts in with hair-metal bands.
This year features the Michael Jordan and Larry Bird of ’80s glam rock, Mötley Crüe and Poison, headlining Sunday night, as well as Whitesnake and Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Staind headlines Saturday, with the likes of Papa Roach, Seether, Skillet and Drowning Pool appear throughout the weekend.
Oklahoma acts Hinder, Crooked X and Taddy Porter will play, as will up-and-coming national acts like All That Remains, Escape the Fate, Adelitas Way and Cavo.
This article appears in May 18-24, 2011.