The Shackeltons
Encyclopedia
The Shackeltons are a post-punk
band from Chambersburg
, Pennsylvania
. Despite the spelling, they are named after the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton
.
They received some of their first non-local attention from Seattle, Washington
radio station KEXP
, which led to shows in several major cities and a contract with Seattle's Loveless Records. They received favorable write-ups in Spin
, Rolling Stone
and the online music blog New Rock News 43 and appeared at SXSW in Austin
, Texas
. Their self-titled Loveless debut was released January 29, 2008.
at a local church with Michael Mateer as recording engineer. This netted them an opportunity to play the basement of New York City
's Knitting Factory
. They met Brooklyn
based instrumental band Skeletonbreath
, who joined them for numerous shows in a Chambersburg Homeless Shelter warehouse.
In March 2005 the Shackeltons played a live radio broadcast on WEEO-FM
, at that time "103.7 the Revolution". The 9-song session netted six tracks for their second release. In October 2005, they returned with Mateer to the same church where they had recorded their first EP, to do a full-length 10-song CD Red; the song "Yellow Cadillac" brought them to the attention of Chris Walla
of Death Cab for Cutie
. In December they recorded a live show in Pittsburgh with a slightly new lineup (Justin McDaniel replaced older brother Josh McDaniel on bass, and 14-year-old Sean Hallock replaced Jonathan Slick on drums).
In spring of 2006, the band tried (and failed) to gain the attention of several New York labels. Meanwhile, Red had gained the attention of Seattle station KEXP. In November of that year, during CMJ
's annual New York festival, the Shackeltons played a live session on KEXP and a performance at New York's Sin-e
. These led to them being signed to Seattle's Loveless Records. Meanwhile, a few months earlier, they had recorded another EP—the Creme EP—with Mateer.
In March 2007 the Shackeltons played at Neumos in Seattle to an audience of nearly 1,000, and headed for Los Angeles
to record for Loveless with producers Sam Jones and Tom Biller.
As that CD circulated before its January 29, 2008 release date, the band continued to gain notice. In November 2007 they became a Myspace
feature band for a week, averaging 15,000 plays a day during that time. They were Spin
's featured artist of the day on January 18, 2008, and on December 11, 2007 Rolling Stone
s Rock & Roll Daily blog described them as "brilliant".
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band from Chambersburg
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Despite the spelling, they are named after the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
.
They received some of their first non-local attention from Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
radio station KEXP
KEXP
KEXP-FM is a public radio station based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys. Its broadcasting license is owned by the University of Washington, which operates the station in a partnership with Paul Allen's Experience Music Project...
, which led to shows in several major cities and a contract with Seattle's Loveless Records. They received favorable write-ups in Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
and the online music blog New Rock News 43 and appeared at SXSW in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Their self-titled Loveless debut was released January 29, 2008.
History
According to the band's website, the band formed in June 2004 and began performing publicly the following September. They recorded a 5-song EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
at a local church with Michael Mateer as recording engineer. This netted them an opportunity to play the basement of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Knitting Factory
Knitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
. They met Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
based instrumental band Skeletonbreath
Skeletonbreath
Skeletonbreath is a Brooklyn, New York based Instrumental rock trio signed to Ernest Jenning Records. Their music has been self-described as "Transylvanian Surf Rock" and "Halloween party music." The band is composed of Andrew Platt on electric bass, Bob Pycior on electric violin, and Tris...
, who joined them for numerous shows in a Chambersburg Homeless Shelter warehouse.
In March 2005 the Shackeltons played a live radio broadcast on WEEO-FM
WEEO-FM
WEEO-FM is a talk radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, serving the McConnellsburg/Chambersburg area. WEEO has had several previous formats including CHR and alternative rock as "Hot 103.7" and "Revolution 103.7"...
, at that time "103.7 the Revolution". The 9-song session netted six tracks for their second release. In October 2005, they returned with Mateer to the same church where they had recorded their first EP, to do a full-length 10-song CD Red; the song "Yellow Cadillac" brought them to the attention of Chris Walla
Chris Walla
Christopher Walla is an American musician and music producer, most notable for being the guitarist for the band Death Cab for Cutie. He is also a former DJ of KCWU, 88.1 The Burg...
of Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
. In December they recorded a live show in Pittsburgh with a slightly new lineup (Justin McDaniel replaced older brother Josh McDaniel on bass, and 14-year-old Sean Hallock replaced Jonathan Slick on drums).
In spring of 2006, the band tried (and failed) to gain the attention of several New York labels. Meanwhile, Red had gained the attention of Seattle station KEXP. In November of that year, during CMJ
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
's annual New York festival, the Shackeltons played a live session on KEXP and a performance at New York's Sin-e
Sin-é
Sin-é was the name of a music venue in New York City which helped launch the careers of several noted musicians in the early 1990s.-Original café:...
. These led to them being signed to Seattle's Loveless Records. Meanwhile, a few months earlier, they had recorded another EP—the Creme EP—with Mateer.
In March 2007 the Shackeltons played at Neumos in Seattle to an audience of nearly 1,000, and headed for Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to record for Loveless with producers Sam Jones and Tom Biller.
As that CD circulated before its January 29, 2008 release date, the band continued to gain notice. In November 2007 they became a Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
feature band for a week, averaging 15,000 plays a day during that time. They were Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
's featured artist of the day on January 18, 2008, and on December 11, 2007 Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s Rock & Roll Daily blog described them as "brilliant".
Members
- Mark Redding (vocals)
- Eric Fisak (guitar)
- Ryan Egolf (guitar since Summer 2009 )
- Justin McDaniel (bass since late 2005)
- Sean Hallock (drums since late 2005)
- Source for members and dates:
Former members
- Dan Schuchman (guitar until Summer 2009)
- Josh McDaniel (bass through Red in late 2005)
- Jonathan Slick (drums through Red in late 2005)
Discography
- Five Army (EP, self-released, 2005)
- Live on 103.7 (self-released, 2005)
- Red (self-released, 2005)
- Live in Pittsburg (self-released, 2006)
- Green (EP, self-released, 2006)
- Creme EP (EP, self-released, 2006)
- "Your Movement" on Live at KEXP Volume Three (2007)
- The Shackeltons - Loveless Records (2008)
- Sources for discography:
External links
- Official site
- Live broadcast on KEXP March 9, 2007.
- Live broadcast on KEXP April 10, 2008