RAMONES, STOOGES, NEW YORK DOLLS, DEAD BOYS, DICTATORS, SUICIDE, ROKY ERICKSON, RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS, DICKIES, REPLACEMENTS, HUSKER DU, fIREHOSE, LURKERS, ONLY ONES, CLASH, GENERATION X, SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK, ELVIS, PUNK MAGAZINE, JAMES KING AND THE LONEWOLVES, HANK WILLIAMS, CHARLES BUKOWSKI, DAN FANTE, MICKEY SPILLANE
Sounds Like
RAMONES, STOOGES, NEW YORK DOLLS, DEAD BOYS, DICTATORS, SUICIDE, ROKY ERICKSON, RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS, DICKIES, REPLACEMENTS, HUSKER DU, fIREHOSE, LURKERS, ONLY ONES, CLASH, GENERATION X, SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK, ELVIS, PUNK MAGAZINE, JAMES KING AND THE LONEWOLVES, HANK WILLIAMS, CHARLES BUKOWSKI, DAN FANTE, MICKEY SPILLANE
Shock and Awe are an Edinburgh based guitar band with a lineup of
Bobby Awe - Vocals/Guitar
Tommy Shock - Bass/Vocals
Pedro And - Drums.
They've been continually gigging on a regular basis since their first gig in January 2005 not only in their native Edinburgh but also all over Scotland - Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk and of course several times in Glasgow where they co-headlined the recent NoT in the Park festival at Firewater
They released their debut Album "School For Scoundrels" in October 2005 and their second album, "Shock and Awe Go Home" in April 2006 at jam packed partys in the Subway Cowgate, with a very special guest appearance from
In 2007 and 2008 they've been gigging constantly with the likes of Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby (an acoustic set), Richard Bacchus (ex D-Genertaion), The Dangerfields, Hyperbubble (an electro set) and writing their 3rd album and are currently recording it with guest musicians from around the world adding something to every track - because of the nature of international collaborations this is taking a lot longer than the band are used to so in the interim they've brought out an acoustic album featuring a few previously released songs and a whole lot more that may or may not be recorded for the next 'proper' album which will be out in early 2009 - the acoustic album is available to download for free at www.myspace.com/shockandaweaccoustic
They've been played on the radio worldwide from
San Pedro California (several times courtesy of fan and friend Mike Watt from the Stooges/fIREHOSE/minutemen) to Japan
They have a reputation for consistently stunning live shows and their recent appearance with those veterans of the 1976 100 club Punk festival the Vibrators, was quite apt for a band whose slogans include "Punk Rock like 1977 never happened" - theres no mohawks or dogs on a string here, just fast, passionate, guitar driven FUN songs written about the real world.
The songs are short and snappy, they get to the point and then leave, each ones a shooting star
Bobby Awe - "I was sick of turning on the TV, seeing an interesting looking guitar band and turning up the volume only to hear some dirge with the guitars submerged under the rest of the instruments, I wanted to hear big guitars and a chorus that was instantly memorable"
Tommy Shock - "There's nothing worse than going along to see a band that play well and have a good sound and not being able to remember a tune after its over - no hooks either lyrically or musically - what a waste of an opportunity - why bother? How do they expect people to get into them if they don't even have a chorus? You don't have that problem with Shock and Awe, the problem is getting it out of your head when you're on the bus the next morning"
The subject matters
Bobby Awe - "Someone asked me if I thought I could get away with having a song that had a title that was the same as the chorus and no verses. I said 'YES' - people get hung up on padding songs out to try and improve them and end up ruining the simplicity. If you get an extra hook that fits, don't just stick it on for the sake of it, make a new song out of it. If you've said everything you need to say well in the first verse, its better to repeat it than write a poor second verse"
Tommy Shock - "We're not teenagers, but we're writing for the eternal teenager that's stuck inside all of us - I know if I'd heard 'Shock and Awe' when I was a teenager they'd be my favourite band"
Fun Fast Fresh
Bobby Awe - "You have to have a sense of humour, it's a pretty ridiculous world we live in and we have to reflect that. Tommy Shock understands that, that's why he had to be in the band. That and the fact that he's called Tommy Shock"
Tommy Shock - "We've got the advantage over other bands in the fact that because our songs sound simple people are singing along with us by the time the song finishes, even if they've never heard it before. We did a gig recently where the band before us had 40 minutes to play and managed 8 songs to polite applause. They were pretty good and they knew how to play. We came on and did over 20 songs and had plenty to say between each of them and still managed to hit the 40 minute mark. Rapturous applause followed and the promoter asked us to play an encore. We know we're doing it right"
What is so special about Shock And Awe ?
Bobby Awe - "You can say there's nothing original in what we do - it's the 21st century, maybe you're right. You can say there's little subtlety in what we do. You'd probably be right. But there's no-one else doing what we do right now so we cant help but stand out from the crowd"
Tommy Shock - "We've got a special gimmick. The gimmick is that the songs are fucking great. Not many bands have that these days. Add to that two front men and a wall of sound. What is there not to like?"
hey, Murray, that's awesome that you got the single. If you want a couple more free copies let us know. Thinking back today about recording that track at your flat...Sunday morning with the choir from the church down the road bleeding through my headphones and blending with the dance beatz! The track it a bit of a nod to Citrus, as well.
HEY MAN HOW ARE YOU?......ME AND WILL MISSED YOU LAST WEEK MAN.......WE RECORDED DISCONATOR IN PRACTISE ROOM......WE HOPED YOU WOULD RECORD SOME PUNK ROCK GUITAR ON IT!!!....BE SAFE...BABYLON OOT
Yee haa man!. i dunno what day were playing these guys are taking ages to decide! use staying the full weekend!??. Pedro on geetar!? what are you gonna do bobby!?
WE DONT KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO PLAY PUNKROCK SHAKER SONG......IT WILL CAUSE A RIOT MAN!!!!!......AND THE 12'' INCH DISCO VERSION WAS BANNED IN THE UK 1999.......ITS SO CONTROVERSIAL MAN WE WILL HAVE TO GIVE IT A LOT OF THOUGHT......CHEERS DUDE BABYLON OUT
CHEERS MAN THATS GREAT.........IM ENJOYING PLAYING.......LOOKIN FORWARD TO THAT FESTIVAL SHOULD BE PUNK N ROCK MAN.......LETS GO MENTAL!!!!!......BABYLON OUT
HEY MAN HOPE YOU GOT HOME OK....THAT WAS GREAT DUDE....YOUR GUITAR WAS BRAW....send me a copy o the recording soon as ye kin....paw broon oot michty me
poptastic beat happenings in bannermans on saturday Joe Viterbo, The Axidents, The Fnords n sinister Flynn bring yer wee tapey thing cos it's like history in the making or something
Hi man the Damned gig in Edinburgh was actually the best sounding and actual gigs outa the three in scotland just back from inverness only 350 tickets sold for the gig in the ironworks. They must have sorted the sound in the picture house it was a really good sound mate. same in the ironworks.