It's been ages since I have posted anything on one of these wee introduction posts, mainly because I no longer have the time to check out new music, out-with Scotland (no bad thing in my eyes). I was introduced to The Shivers by Johnny 'Pictish Trail' back in September when I was helping to do Kid Canaveral's merch at King Tuts. The duo who are based in Queens, New York, had recently signed up to his label Fence Records and he was looking to book some shows for their UK tour and he wondered if I might be up for putting on their Glasgow show. He duly sent me over their new album. I thought it was great and the next thing I knew I was hunting round venues in Glasgow to put them on. So as I am sure that most of you who visit this site on a regular basis will already know, next Monday (the 7th of November), The Shivers will be hitting up Mono for their first ever appearance in sunny Glasgow. Ahead of the gig I caught up with Jo and Keith to tell you a bit more about themselves and to tell me a bit more about how a band from New York ended up on a Scottish label...
Would you care you to introduce yourself to the Peenko readers?
I am Jo Schornikow, keyboardist.
I am Keith Zarriello, guitarist, singer.
What three little words would best describe the sound of The Shivers?
Raw honest beautiful
Have you met your initial ambitions for the band? And what are your aspirations for the future?
Jo: the only ambition i have anymore is to make good music. so yes, because I believe in what we've done, and also no, because there's so much more to do.
Keith: My aspirations are finally to reach the point where we're no longer really called a band who is clearly influenced by certain artists of the past but we have our own sound that is completely unique and although it would of course draw from the past, it makes something wholly original and new. This is why the direction we are heading incorporates elements of hip hop, electronic and film music to go along with our clear influences of rock, soul and folk. I have a sound in my head that sounds both new and fresh and yet doesn't lose any of the soulfulness of all the music from the past that I love.
You’ve just released your new album, ‘More’ in the UK through those lovely folk at Fence, how did that come about then?
Jo: did you ever see the movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow?
You must spent a lot of time in the studio and on the road touring, which of the two do you prefer?
Jo: whichever one we are not presently doing.
Keith: I would have to say the studio just because I love the idea of creating documents to mark a period of time and last into the future and because I get incredibly nervous and sick whenever we play live. Although, when we do have one of those really good live shows absolutely nothing in the world can compare. When we have a triumph on the stage, which is not every time, it makes me realize why I do this. The part that gets to me with playing live is that if we do a bad show, I dwell and dwell and beat myself up about it. It makes me disgusted so it's a difficult thing.
I’m always on the hunt for something new that I have never heard before, are there any bands from your neck of the woods that you would suggest my readers check out?
Keith & Jo: RACES from LA, Cameron Hull from NYC, Ainslie Wills from Melbourne Australia. Trash Gut from Providence, RI. Viking Moses from USA.
How excited are you about your forthcoming UK tour? And more importantly how much are you looking forward to the Glasgow date (that I am putting on coincidently)?
Jo: I am especially looking forward to Glasgow because I want to hunt down Frances McKee (who lives there I believe) and do yoga with her. that would be a million dreams come true at once.
And also because I heard no one throws down harder than a Glaswegian at a folk love song show.
Keith: I am extremely excited to come to the UK. I've always thought if we had any chance to ever have a wider audience it'd be over there because you guys have different (and I think better) taste in music. Glasgow in particular excites me because growing up I listened to Arab Strap, Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian and other great Glasgow bands and that gave me a romanticized view of your city and its music scene. And we've never been there so we're psyched.
The Shivers - Irrational Love
'More', The Shivers’ sixth album is out now through Fence Records, you can catch the band live in Glasgow on the 7th of November at Mono with support from Randolph's Leap and Where We Lay Our Heads. Tickets are available through Tickets Scotland, they're £5 in advance and £6 on the door. As always it would be great to see some of your beautiful faces coming along for the evening.
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