Ray Dafrico - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Davis - Drums
Katy Graves- Bass, Vocals
Influences
The Rolling Stones, The Clash, The Who, The Kinks, The Pretenders, The Lyres, Rank and File, Sam & Dave, Bob Dylan, Small Faces and The Faces, The Flamin' Groovies,Television, The English Beat, Selecter, The Seeds, Rich Kids, The Animals, Chuck Berry, Big Audio Dynamite, Rufus Thomas, The Band, Cheap Trick, The Troggs, Nick Cave, Willie Nile, Pink Floyd, The Wonderstuff, NRBQ, The Attractions, The Nazz, Slade, The Move, The Only Ones, The Records, Yardbirds, Ian Mc Glagan's Bump Band,The Attractions, Pretty Things, The Soft Boys, Booker T and The MG's, Paper Lace, The Jam, Patti Smith,The Downliners Sect, Jimmy Cliff, Ramones, Count Basie, The Byrds, Les Paul, Gram Parsons, DEVO, MC5, Generation X, Thin Lizzy, Gene Vincent, Mott The Hoople, Jackie Mitoo, Tom Waits, Gram Parker, The Rascals, The Moving Sidewalks,Queen, Sweet, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Bay City Rollers, The Beatles, Glen Branca, Partridge Family, Dusty Springfield, Johnathan Richman, The Standells, Moby Grape, The Shadows of Knight, Howlin Wolf, Heptones,The Experience, The Count Five, Bob Marley, Iggy, Jimmy Smith, Neil Young, Chuck Berry, Richard Thompson, Bo Diddley, Al Stewart, Andy Kim, Jon Jett, The Rasberries, The Replacements, Ohio Express,Toots and the Maytals, Fountains Of Wayne, Blondie, X, The Old and New Barbarians, ZZ Top, Tom Jones, Holy and The Italians,The Paley Brothers, The Rutles, The Jam, ? and the Mysterians, Sly Stone, Tenpole Tutor, The Rutles, Badfinger, Big Star, Screamin Jay Hawkins
The Shanghai Gesture is the latest band from Atlanta guitarist/singer/songwriter Ray Dafrico. As founding member of The Nightporters, Shades of Shame, Kathleen Turner Overdrive and Kickstand, he has years of experience, opening for bands as diverse as The Clash, REM, The Ramones, The Replacements, Joan Jett, Bo Diddley, Rancid, The Flaming Lips, Lene Lovich, The English Beat, Lords of The New Church, Richard Hell, The Long Ryders, Johnathan Richman, The Offspring, Rocket From The Tombs, The Feelies, Peter Case, The Fleshtones, Jason and The Scorchers, Nikki Sudden, Peter Tork of The Monkees and many others. Side projects have included touring guitarist with 90’s undergound band “Snatches of Pink” and was the original bass player in Atlanta singer/songwriter Michelle Malone’s band “Drag The River”. He has also recorded with Peter Buck of REM, Rob Fraboni (The Rolling Stones, The Band, Ian McGlagan, Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt) and Brendan O' Brian, (Bruce Springsteen, Black Crowes) and has earned himself a reputation for writing upbeat, hook filled, to the point pop songs that still maintain an edge and are deeply rooted in rock and roll tradition. One review described Dafrico's songs and performance "like Keith Richards fronting The Kinks and a little Brian Wilson thrown in as a sweetener. He has also been called by one Atlanta writer as a "Nose on a stick"... Pretty deep stuff.
Atlanta native and drummer Mike "Scoop" Davis has been playing with drums alongside Dafrico in Kickstand since 1999. A Bob Dylan, Doors and Tom Petty fan, Davis provides a foundation for the band via his old/new
gold sparkling Ludwig kit. He was also recently awarded the prized position
of official band T-shirt printer, which he is truly thrilled about
Bassist Katy Graves, who was in Atlanta's all-girl sensations, and one of Little Steven ‘s favorite bands- Catfight, comes equipped with brand new groove tubes for her giant SVT, and carries a very sharp pair of knitting needles at all times.
The Shanghai Gesture's combination of influences from various 60s British invasion bands, punk,, psychedelia, soul, 70s rock, glam and folk, topped with great musicianship and a sense of humor make them a unique creative rock and roll band in a time when it seems like that is getting to be few and far between.
Come celebrate Angela's B-Day with us!!! Dropsonic is the greatest rock and roll assault squad in the world. Don't fall asleep at the wheel and miss this chance to catch them live!!!
Yo Ray - What do you think about my track "My Journey"... I can hear you doing something to it and replacing a sound that may already be there... It really could use a lead guitar solo at the end... Also, my artist Yadi needs a track done that requires an accoustic guitar lead to start off and be the main bread and butta... Then I'll lace to latter end of the track. Kinda a country vibe, but then let's Rock it at the end... some of that "I wasn't expecting that"
Gabba gabba hey! Teddy.
