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The Shake Ups
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What are your names and what instruments do you play?
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How did you come up with your band name?
Patrick: Kathie and I formed the band in early 2005 in Indianapolis, and took the name from a Midwestern beverage called a lemon shakeup. I wanted to go for a sound that had a lot of melodic hooks, harmonies and energetic playing, but with distorted guitars and slightly darker lyrics to give the music more of an edge. It seemed like a nice parallel to name the band after this beverage that’s made up of water, lemons and tons of sugar. Since people here aren’t as aware of the drink, we tell them we named ourselves The Shake Ups due to the prominent earthquakes. The concept and artwork behind our new album, Breathing The Flood, reflects that.
Which venue in San Diego is your favorite and why?
Albert: I really like the Belly Up Tavern. They have great sound, and the venue itself isn't too big so it still has a really nice, intimate quality.
Eve: I think I'd have to agree with Albert and say the Belly Up, though I haven't been there many times. It reminds me of the El Rey in LA, which is my favorite venue I've been to.
Patrick: Of the venues we’ve played in San Diego, I like the Casbah. It’s a hip little dive bar in the best sense of the term. They have a good band playing pretty much any night of the week.
Kathie: I like O’Connell’s, especially since they upgraded their PA, and because the bartenders there are outstanding.
In the next 5 yrs where do you each see the band?
Albert: Hopefully on top of the charts around the world.
Kathie: I would like to see us move towards touring more.
Eve: I honestly haven’t thought about anything in my life that far ahead at this point! Hopefully we'll still be rockin' the eff out though.
Patrick: I try to focus on enjoying it for what it is now rather than what it could be in five years. That way, whether it ends up being successful in the long term or not, I enjoyed the journey.
Who are your favorite bands/biggest influences on the music you write?
Patrick: The Beatles, Queen, XTC, Elvis Costello, The Pixies, Radiohead, The Shins, The New Pornographers... They Might Be Giants. I’ve been doing this long enough that I’ve developed my own songwriting style. You may hear little bits of those other bands from time to time, but really I’m not emulating anyone at this point, just doing what I do. But by the same token, if you like any of those bands, you’d also probably like us.
Eve: I'm not sure of any influences as far as "I want to write music like this person." I definitely need to get inspired before I start writing though, and artists like Talking Heads, Bjork, Sonic Youth, and HUM give me a lot of creative energy.
Patrick: That’s a good way to put it... Inspiration can come from almost anywhere but certainly there are bands I hear that inspire me more than other bands. I tend to throw out the melodies and chord progressions very quickly, but it takes me a bit longer to come up with lyrics that I like.
What CD’s are in your each of your cars right now?
Patrick: David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, Matthew Sweet – Sunshine Lies, Black Kids – Partie Traumatic, The Pernice Brothers – Discover A Lovlier You, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog original soundtrack.
Albert: Tilly and the Wall – O, Sahara Hotnights - What if Leaving is a Loving Thing, Wheatus - Suck Fony, Panic at the Disco - Pretty. Odd., She and Him - Volume One
Eve: I have a bunch, including The Cars, Eels, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Echo and the Bunnymen, Pixies, Sparklehorse, and National Skyline.
Kathie: I share a car with Patrick…
How do you describe your sound?
Patrick: It’s like the best thing you’ve ever heard, but better.
Albert: Indie-power-pop-rock.
Kathie: Melodic rock ‘n roll.
Eve: I usually say we're poppy, fun, and we rock out a lot. Then I hope they don't get the wrong idea when I say we're poppy because "pop music" has a negative connotation... like music that comes out of a music mill just to make money.
Patrick: I agree that the term “pop music” has a negative connotation, but I don’t think of it that way. For instance, power pop to me is about great melodies and great songwriting with a nice guitar edge to it, rather than the latest top 40 crap to hit teeny-bopper playlists. Maybe I’m alone there…
How do you feel about the local San Diego music scene?
Eve: I have a newfound respect for it now that I'm in a band myself. There are a lot of great musicians who happen to be really nice as well, which was unexpected for me.
Patrick: As with any local music scene, there’s a lot of potential and also room for improvement. I would like to see more local bands with great original songs and fewer tribute bands regurgitating the hits, but otherwise I feel pretty positive about the scene.
Kathie: We need more all ages clubs!
What is the biggest thing about the band that you want to improve?
Kathie: Spending more time practicing on our own in order to further develop our individual musical talents. That can only help the band get tighter.
Patrick: Kathie and I have been playing together for a really long time, while only about a year-and-a-half with Eve and Albert. So I hope we can continue to develop and further explore the unique aspects that each person brings to the band.
Eve: This isn't for the band as a whole, but I really want to get my ass in gear and start writing more songs!
Patrick: I guess that’s kind of what I meant…
Albert: I'm one of those guys who thinks nothing is ever perfect and there's always room for improvement, so I hope we just keep getting better.
Any last words?
Kathie: Thanks for making us the band of the month!
Patrick: Yes, thank you! Please check out our new album, and visit us online at theshakeups.net or myspace.com/theshakeups.
Eve: If I say something now does that mean I'm going to be dead soon? I'd rather save my last words for that moment right before I overdose on heroin... You know, when we're all huge rock stars.
Some upcoming shows in October…
Thursday, October 2nd @ The Kensington Club
(4079 Adams Avenue, San Diego)
THE SHAKE UPS w/SECRET APOLLO, SOMEDAY ASSASSIN
21+ 9:30 p.m.
Friday, October 3rd @ The Merc
(42051 Main Street, Temecula, CA)
THE SHAKE UPS w/PEACHCAKE, PETER PUFFINGTON AND THE ROCKETSHIP EXPLOSION
All ages. 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 17th @ O'Connell's
(1310 Morena Blvd., San Diego, CA)
POWER POP NIGHT featuring
THE SHAKE UPS w/THE WELLINGTONS (Austrailia), BLEU (LA) & TRUE STORIES
21+ 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 25th @ The Secret Location
(28401 Rancho California Road, Temecula, CA)
HALLOWEEN SHOW w/THE SHAKE UPS,
PETER PUFFINGTON AND THE ROCKETSHIP EXPLOSION, MOUTHFUL OF SNOW
All ages. 7 p.m.
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