Hey! I’m in The Shaky Hands now! Jake Morris left their drum throne a couple months ago, so with the lineup in flux anyway, they decided to bring on a jack-of-all-trades of sorts. I’m playing mostly keyboards, but also guitar on some songs. I’ll probably get to rock the floor tom at some point too. Basically, whatever is needed for a given song. The possumbilities are endless.
Here’s the story the Willamette Week music blog posted today about the line-up change with some quotes from my bandmate (three times over!) Mayhaw Hoons.
I’m completely excited. I’ve loved The Shaky Hands ever since Mondo Hollywood first played with them at the Shakies’ second ever show in Jeff’s basement in February 2004. I’ve wanted to be in the band for almost as long. Nick Delffs is the best songwriter in town (at the very least), and I feel superchuffed to be able to contribute to them songs both past and future.
Be sure to catch our shows coming up! We’re playing a house show this Saturday at an undisclosed (but not if you try to find it) location, and then June 12 at the Doug Fir. I’m freaking READY.
The new Weezer single (deep breath) “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” is out and I had to laugh at how much that riff sounds like the (dare I say) iconic bass riff in “Whales Sing” by The Shaky Hands. It’s exactly the same riff, except faster. Of course, it’s not the most original guitar phrase in the first place—I believe Otis Redding had a song with a very similar riff—but the two riffs are note-for-note the same! Of course, other than that the songs sound nothing like one another, but I thought it was worth noting. I can’t link to the Weezer song, but I’m sure you can easily find a stream of it on some music blog somewhere if you wanted to (I want you to).
Doesn’t it sound like just the thing for our boys to drum up some publicity for the new album… (kidding! …maybe)
Update 4:26 PM: I made a video comparing the riffs side by side.
Hey sirs and girls, the PDX Pop Now fest is taking requests for people to play this summer. You should request myself as well as any other favorites (The Shaky Hands, Mondo Hollywood maybe?). Click here to make it happen. I will promise insane tambourine action. Pleeze and thanks you!
In other news, I’m still slowly recording the next record. I have almost 7 songs done. No hurries man, let’s just go catch a gnarly curl instead. Oh, and don’t forget that I’m playing at the Lewis & Clark College Co-op next Thursday, the 12th. I hope to have Mayhaw Hoons covering the kunga factor again. Last week’s show at the Holocene was tons of fun with my backing band, The Rocky Balboa Constrictor (Mayhaw & Osha).
While I’ve been waiting for Applewine to be created from things I’ll never know, I wrote and recorded demos to eight (8) songs. At least two of them are hits: “Nuke Song” (written while watching too much CNN after North Korea tested their first nuke) and “Love Working Over Time.” Good musical notes, you see. But yeah, I should be getting the CDs in my grubby little mitts about a week from tomorrow. And shortly after that, Applewine will be available to order online.
Also, I will be co-recording the second Shaky Hands album along with Nathan Delffs, who has also recorded and played with The Castanets. That will be a fun album to make, like a unicorn party. I swear, homebrewed recordings are the best. WE’RE TAKING THE POWER BACK.
My next album is going to be called Missing Briefcase.
What news! The new album recording has begun in earnest. Yesterday I spent all day recording mostly bass, and some acoustic guitar. It’s all still very skeletal, but the most developed songs at this point are “Under Your Spell” and “Plains Of Mostly Still Life,” because I’m excited about them. I’m going to record more today, with some intense shaker and tambourine action in addition to more guitars. I’m also trying to think of an album title. How about Cousin Larry, Don’t Be Ridiculous?
Time for a hipster cool dude moment. I saw a heckubba good band last night. They’re called The Waxfire. I went to see my friends The Shaky Hands at the Towne Lounge last night, and these people from Olympia opened. They’re just girl vocals, acoustic guitar, cello, piano and drums. They were super tight and at near virtuoso level on their instruments. Good songs too (that’s the important part). Their set was… thunderous (hire me, Pitchfork). Definitely not your usual indie band. Especially considering they’re from Olympia, home of all your favorite four-track raggedy twee bands.
You know what’s way better than air guitar? Air shakers.
