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The Swinging Fingers


Band: The Swinging Fingers

Members: Jacob Hammill (guitar, keys), Eric Long (vocals, guitar), Dylan Hammill (bass, keys), Charlie Alcorn (drums)

Who we talked to: Jacob, 17

Where'd the name come from? We got this organ for free on Craigslist. When we got it back, and put it in the basement and were checking it out, it said on one of the buttons "Swinging Fingers," and we're like, "That's the craziest thing we've ever heard. We're going with it."

Describe your sound/style: We like to say if Mick Jagger sang for The Strokes. . . . Eric the singer, he actually does have a little bit of a Mick Jagger flair to him.

Who are your influences? We all like Led Zeppelin, of course. Charlie is really into jazz, so it kind of brings a neat concept on drums to have a not-typical rock drummer. All I've been listening to is The Strokes, and all Eric listens to is The (Rolling) Stones, and Dylan. He's pretty varied.

How did you guys go from organizing a band in August to winning the York Jewish Community Center's battle of the bands in February? It was like our third show. A lot of people have this idea that we just kind of came together and there we were, but we put our time in and worked out songs together for a while. Hard work, I guess.

Who is your biggest musical guilty pleasure? I really like listening to Natasha Bedingfield. Her voice is soothing, I guess. I'm into chicks that do acoustic, mellow, poppy stuff. . . . We listen to Lily Allen as a band.

What songs do you or would you like to cover? We do "Start Me Up" by the Stones, and we've done Tom Petty before, "American Girl." We've also done "American Woman" by The Guess Who. I really like playing "American Girl." Something about it, when there's that little solo at the end, I love that. It goes easily on the fingers.

Who would win in a fight: The Strokes or The Rolling Stones (in their prime)? Oh, man, that might be the most difficult question anyone's asked me. I'm going to go with The Strokes, though. I have to, because New York boys, I think those dudes would give anyone a tough fight.

Shoutouts: I've got to give a shoutout and thanks to all the people who help us. We have our own little security group, TSF Security. . . . I've got to give a shoutout to Dana Alexandra, a local favorite, and I have to give a shoutout all the way in Arizona and Texas to our boys The Vibes. They're kind of an up-and-coming band, and there's some rumors of an upcoming Vibes and Swinging Fingers tour this summer.

- JASON COX, FLIPSIDE STAFF