Shake My Hand ~ The Vanrays | Including 5 Questions 5 Answers w/ Lead Singer Spencer McKinnon

What inspired this song/video?

Shake My Hand was written during the Trump/pandemic and seemed like the perfect “Vanrays Covid Isolation” video as the idea of human contact, high fives , hugging or hand shakes is now a distant memory. The horns were actually recorded with the laptop video and the vocals were scratch because we were in mid-recording when quarantine struck. Just an attempt to get something out there when it’s impossible to get 8 people crammed into a windowless basement. 8 isn’t a pandemically friendly number.

Who are the The Vanrays?

The Vanrays are: Spencer McKinnon, vocals, lyrics. Gord Rempel, keyboards. Phil Addington, bass. Eric Lowe, drums. Brian Barr, guitar. The Vanrays horns are: Neil Bliss, trombone. Jose Blanco, trumpet and Melissa Lee, tenor sax.

How are you and your band-mates dealing getting your music out there during this pandemic?

Both the Survivors and Shake My Hand videos are just an attempt to get something out there when it’s impossible to get 8 people crammed into a windowless basement. We tried unsuccessfully to use Jamulus and other “jamming “ sites but there are too many latency issues.
8 isn’t exactly a pandemically friendly number these days so practicing is on hold.

Has Covids & this pandemic affected the way you approach your writing?

I’m not sure if Covids has changed my initial approach to writing said Spencer as I write the songs at home and record rough demos for the band to hear. What has changed is that the band is not getting together to interpret the songs, to add parts and personality, to make the songs uniquely Vanrays. It is the social interactions of the band that we really miss, and that has us frustrated and a little down.
We have been recording 17 new songs using Covid Safety Protocols and are nearing completion but with the current lock-down things like horn sections and backup vocals are impossible.

What message would you like to get out to the public to help during these uncertain times?

The Vanrays message during these uncertain times is always the same: “stay safe, stay sharp, stay sane, and keep your head up, your eyes peeled, your lid on and support the arts, especially local music. We’ll see you on the other side of this.
Let me know if there’s anything else you need.