Now, I’m all for going out West, but there’s something that irks at my soul when I hear, “LA,” and then I get introduced to a band called The Shrine.
When I think of the Los Angeles that this three-piece psychedelic thrash band hails from, I see broken laces shredding a backyard pool beside a cooler stocked with 24-oz cans; I hear Sabbath playing in a bodega down the road; I smell sweat and lotion from a blond wearing a neon bikini with a ripped Maiden shirt. It is a beach-scape of sand-blasted concrete slabs tagged up and crackling in the sun.
The Shrine have been killing it on the road, playing alongside their good friends Graveyard, and are about to stop at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on January 27th. I wanted to talk to them before they came into town, hear any road stories, and get to know a bit more about the wall of sound they create.
Tell me about your tour.
We’re about to leave for this US tour with Graveyard from Sweden–27 shows. Pretty awesome, because it came about through this dude Smod Mike in Gothenburg, Sweden. We were just over in Europe with Fu Manchu, and this guy Mike comes to the merch table to buy an album and he’s wearing a Bones Brigade shirt. I tell him, “sick shirt,” and we start talking. I let him know we need a place to crash. He’s like, “Oh totally! I’ve got a spot where the van will be safe, and at my home I have a motorcycle garage, an English pub and a silkscreen studio.” It was insane, sickest spot! So we ended up staying up till 9 am printing shirts, drinking with this Mike and listening to tunes—it was fucking awesome. It was as though we were bros for years. He’d grown up on hardcore and skate punk too. It just happened that this random guy Mike we met who offered us a place to stay was Graveyard’s artist—like their family. We couldn’t believe it! A month later, we got a call asking if we wanted to get on their tour bus and go around the USA.
What’s a typical day in the life of Shrine?
I live in Mar Vista, which is right near Venice Beach. We usually jam at night at my spot, like 4-5 times a week. During the day, I just work on shit for the band, play guitar, and walk my dog. I get out of the house and skate when I can. I used to search out a lot more pools and skate more than I do now, but we’ve been touring a bunch and super busy. When I’ve got time, I like to cruise Beverly Hills and search for pools. I’ve been skating the bowl at Supreme a bit lately…that shit rules! Everyone there is fucking awesome!
I love the Primitive Blast! What’s next?
Thanks dude! We’ve got a tour-only 7″ for this Graveyard trip, an Australian 7″ coming out on Tym Guitar’s label, and a split on Volcom’s label with our bros Zig Zags. But the real next thing is going to be these 10 songs we recorded in Den Haag, Holland at Motorwolf Studios with Guy Tavares. We were isolated in his crazy dungeon of amps and analog recording gear for five nights, without phone service or anything. The only place to piss was like a block away. It was really sick because we got to focus and jam. He was so fucking awesome and insane producing us. Madness!
Talk to me about being a three-piece.
We hadn’t intended on being a three-piece. I was trying to get something together because I was really frustrated. I wanted to play shows and get out there—there weren’t any bands I was stoked on in LA at the time. I was jamming with a couple people, and the first time Jeff, Court, and I jammed it was like, “Holy shit! These dudes are gnarly—best bassist and drummer I’ve ever jammed with. I’ve got to convince these guys to keep coming back!”
We had a lot of amps, and Jeff was a real loud drummer, so I thought we could make a decent racket as just the three of us. I had just read a Hendrix biography, and it goes on and on about how much he thought he sucked as a singer, and got confidence from Bob Dylan because he was so amazing and people talked shit on his voice too, which rules. So I just went for it. It’s sick having only three people: only three schedules, three opinions, three assholes.
Are there spots in Brooklyn that you always hit up when you’re on the East Coast?
The BQE! That spot is sick! Our brothers Dirty Fences are building some ‘crete in their backyard right now. It’s insane–like a corner straight into a wall—but it looks like it’s going to turn into something killer. I just like skating through the traffic and down the sidewalk through people in New York.
That’s the best. I had way more fun skating across Manhattan to the Chelsea Piers than I did once I got to the park.
I’m a gear head. Tell me about you’re equipment.
Rad. Our buddy Magic makes us these fuzz pedals that Court and I both use. A version of an old big muff–they’re awesome, The Shrine Fuzz.
I always record with this Peavy PA head that Chuck Dukowski gave me—it belonged to Greg Ginn—and has this fucking hair raising sound that I just can’t get out of my Marshall. I don’t want to risk anything happening, so I just play my Marshall live, which I do like a lot—it’s a ’71 Super Lead.
Court uses an old Acoustic 470 solid-state bass head, which sounds awesome. He just got a 370, which is even gnarlier, but it’s having some fucked up problems. That sucks, because when it was working, it sounded really killer.
Jeff uses a custom Pearl set that some weirdo in the Valley made for him. It’s got a big 26″ kick drum that just blasts.
What’s for breakfast?
Shitload of coffee and pool dust!
Favorite skate companies?
Six Stair, our bros, makes the sickest movies. I’ve been nerding out over their videos Fruit of The Vine and Tent City since before I’ve seen them. I run our own skate company called Eliminator, and we make skateboards and put out records, ‘zines, and stuff. I want to do more of that.
Working with Anti Hero would rule! All of the Baker dudes are fucking rad! We jam with a bunch of them and their bands. I’m riding a Creature board right now, they hooked up my little brother Jason who’s a ripper!
Look for a tune of ours in the video coming out with Thrasher soon, I think!? Also Crap Eyewear, a sick company here in Venice, makes us sick shades with The Shrine on ‘em.
Be sure to head to the Music Hall of Williamsburg this Sunday to see The Shrine and Graveyard!
Story by Timothy Robbins
Photos courtesy of The Shrine