Had Sandy today announce that their self-titled debut album will be released 26 February 2027 via Brighton indie Sugar-Free Records. The DIY emo punks, also based in Brighton, have coupled this announcement with the release of another emotive and motivating track ‘Cracking Skulls’. Watch the music video now. “Our first time playing this song live was when we supported Anxious at the DIE Fest aftershow in 2025,” says vocalist and guitarist Jude Allenby. “It probably wasn’t quite ready to be performed, but we love this song so much and couldn’t wait to show it to people, and it hasn’t left our setlist since.
It’s definitely about looking inside to calm down after experiencing the chaos of the world around you. The song talks about staying true to yourself, and noticing and loving the things that make you unique. Jarred (Mascot Graveyard) told us to put the sample from Breakfast Club into it. It’s one of our favourite movies but we hadn’t made the connection, and it just completed it. I especially love the correlation between the themes of the movie (finding yourself, finding differences between yourself and others and learning to appreciate them), and the motivation behind this song.”
‘Had Sandy’ is truly an album about self-discovery and growing up, continuously circling back to this theme of choosing different paths and learning to deal with what’s put in front of you, while keeping in mind that things happen for a reason. “Maybe this setback isn’t a setback, but a sign that it isn’t the right time,” reasons Jude. The whole album, from conception, through to writing, production and mastering is totally DIY, with the band taking on every single role themselves.
Barely two years old, Had Sandy’s sound harks back to the frenetic but impassioned energy of second wave emo – think Sunny Day Real Estate, Texas Is The Reason and Mineral with a touch of The Movielife and The Anniversary thrown in for good measure. Initially inspired majorly by Tigers Jaw (especially with the keys element), Had Sandy have grown to incorporate influences such as Citizen, Title Fight, and Drug Church as they’ve honed in on the sounds that flow most freely through them as a unit.
Had Sandy’s emotive passion truly comes across in their live performances where they create that space for everyone to feel 16 again. They’ve already played shows with Gaffa Tape Sandy, Prom, Other Half, Greet Death, snake eyes, Turn Of Phrase and the aforementioned Anxious, all self-booked. Stay tuned for more live dates.
Had Sandy are:
Jude Allenby – Guitar/Vocals
Louis Tong – Bass/Vocals
Natasha O’Flynn – Keys
Elliott Scambler – Drums
Connect with Had Sandy:
Linktree | YouTube | Spotify | Instagram
