The Shako. Who are they? The Shako is the new project for ex Instant Agony founder and bassist/guitarist Tabby. For those who are unaware, like I was a Shako is a cylindrical or conical military hat with a peak and a plume or pom-pom. Tabby takes up the story:
"The line up is Tabby - Vocals/Guitar, Jimmy - Drums, Aggi - Guitar and John - Bass.
I've been trying to get this band off the ground for quite a few years now but eventually in 2018 I was introduced to Jimmy the drummer. We jammed the songs for a little while then Aggi joined and we were nearly there, John completed the line up not long after. Covid then hit and like everyone, we were put on hold.
We managed to get into the studio in July of 2021 and recorded four songs for our own limited edition CD, Born Again EP. This will be available in a month or so mainly for promotion. We're all born and bred on the Wirral and we all have a varied and eclectic taste in music. The songs are melodic punk with catchy choruses, we want to get people up dancing and singing along to the songs at gigs. We are already planning to get back into the studio before the end of this year 2022 to record some more songs."
‘Born Again’ opens up with a nifty little guitar riff before the band come in and back it up, launching into the chorus riff and from the onset, it is indeed catchy, very catchy. The sound is clean, crisp and precise and reminiscent of the first wave of punk from the late 70's. It will take you back to the heady days of listening to The Boys, Chelsea, The Cortinas, Suburban Studs and many many more bands of a similar ilk. The song is mid-paced and drives along very nicely, enough to have your foot tapping and head nodding.
‘Where Were You?’ which is a song that stood out for me when I caught this band live recently. More on that at the end of this review. Another little lead riff by Aggi to introduce us to the second song. Tabby taking on the role of rhythm guitar is a perfect accompaniment to John's bass work as Jimmy provides the heart beat for the band. Again it has to be said that the chorus is very very catchy. A melodic riff runs through the track, taking us back to the onset of early punk. It had my head nodding anyway.
A staccato guitar intro delivers the opening chords to ‘Wrong Direction’. The pace is slightly quicker in this one. I don't know if it is/was a deliberate ploy to sound like a late 70s band or not but these guys do and I for one find it's a welcome breath of fresh air. Personally I find a lot of current bands on the scene all sounding too similar but The Shako have something different about them. It's like being welcomed back into your teenage years and re-living happy memories. Wrong Direction reminds me of the UK Subs, not so much with Tabby's vocals but musically, very much so. There is also an element of Dr Feelgood about their sound too.
‘On The Street’ closes the final page in this short teaser as to what The Shako have to offer. This is my personal fave on the EP. It's possibly the slowest on the EP but for me it carries the most powerful message. I interpret it to mean that you grow up, playing on the streets as kids and in later life due to unforeseen circumstances, you become homeless and end up back on the streets. It has the little riffs running through it and a sing-a-long chorus.
A few words about their gig in Birkenhead. The venue was The Swinging Arm and on the bill were also Bite Back and Kingsway Flyers. The place was busy, a lot of people had come to see The Shako took to the stage and almost from the opening notes, the captive audience were soon nodding their heads in unison. Despite Tabby's guitar being a bit low in the mix (technical issue I seem to recall) they delivered and delivered well. I can't remember all the songs they played (I'm old) but I do recall Where Were You as being one of the standouts!
What we had on stage was four seasoned musicians delivering a good old slice of classic punk rock to a very receptive and appreciative audience.
Words: Dave Whyte, Photos: Band Media
Links:
The Shako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shakoband/