*shels
Encyclopedia
*shels are a British / American rock
group, formed in 2003. The band have been described as a supergroup
of the British underground music scene, as they have, at various times, featured former members of bands including Mahumodo
, Devil Sold His Soul
, Eden Maine
and Fireappple Red.
, WIngsfortheirsmiles, in 2004 on Shelsmusic, a record label founded by Safa in 2002. The band released their debut full length studio album
, Sea of the Dying Dhow
on June 18, 2007, in partnership with Undergroove records. The album attracted positive reviews from critics, culminating in it being named one of the top albums of 2007 by Rock Sound
magazine. The band toured the UK in June and July of the same year in support of the album, performing with various groups such as Bossk and The Ghost of a Thousand
. The tour included a performance at GuilFest
, where the band share a stage with My Vitriol
and Zico Chain
.
The band's second EP, Laurentian's Atoll, was then released in November 2007. This was composed of remastered versions of the three tracks from Wingsfortheirsmiles, four new recordings and an extended version of "water", from Sea of the Dying Dhow. The band embarked on a second UK tour in November 2008, which included a performance at Damnation Festival
, where they shared a stage with the likes of Cathedral
and Devil Sold His Soul
. Their second full-length, entitled Plains of the Purple Buffalo, was released on June 27, 2011.
Orchestra. It has a core but the line-up changes around that core".
The line-up for the band's 2007 tour included:
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group, formed in 2003. The band have been described as a supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
of the British underground music scene, as they have, at various times, featured former members of bands including Mahumodo
Mahumodo
Mahumodo was an experimental hardcore/post-hardcore band from the UK formed in 1997. By the time they split in 2003, had a cult underground following...
, Devil Sold His Soul
Devil Sold His Soul
Devil Sold His Soul are an ambient influenced progressive metal/post-hardcore band from the South of England signed to Century Media. Three of the band joined from Mahumodo, thought to be a pioneer of the British hardcore scene...
, Eden Maine
Eden Maine
Eden Maine were a metalcore/avant garde metal band from Saint Albans, Hertfordshire, England, formed in 1999. As of September 2005, they are on an indefinite hiatus.-Biography:Eden Maine was formed in 1999 by vocalist Adam Symonds and bassist Nick Brown...
and Fireappple Red.
History
The band was formed in 2003 by vocalist Mehdi Safa and drummer Tom Harriman, after the break-up of their former band Mahumodo. *shels took their name from the 1999 Mahumodo EP, entitled Shels. They released an 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...
, WIngsfortheirsmiles, in 2004 on Shelsmusic, a record label founded by Safa in 2002. The band released their debut full length studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Sea of the Dying Dhow
Sea of the Dying Dhow
Sea of the Dying Dhow, released in June 2007, is the first studio album by *shels.-Track listing:# "The Conference of the Birds" - 9:13# "Indian 1" - 4:40# "The White Umbrella Intro" - 1:53# "The White Umbrella" - 8:42# "Water" - 3:26...
on June 18, 2007, in partnership with Undergroove records. The album attracted positive reviews from critics, culminating in it being named one of the top albums of 2007 by Rock Sound
Rock Sound
Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
magazine. The band toured the UK in June and July of the same year in support of the album, performing with various groups such as Bossk and The Ghost of a Thousand
The Ghost of a Thousand
The Ghost Of A Thousand was an English five-piece punk rock band from Brighton, UK.-Career:The Ghost Of A Thousand confirmed on 31 March 2011 that they were as a band after 7 years together. After signing with Undergroove Records in 2007 the band toured extensively, playing alongside Gallows,...
. The tour included a performance at GuilFest
GuilFest
GuilFest, formerly the Guildford Festival of Folk and Blues is a music festival held in Stoke Park, Guildford, England each July. The festival, like the larger Glastonbury Festival, features a range of genres including rock, folk, blues, and in recent years pop...
, where the band share a stage with My Vitriol
My Vitriol
My Vitriol are an alternative rock band from London, England. The band name, which is often misinterpreted, is taken from the novel Brighton Rock by Graham Greene...
and Zico Chain
Zico Chain
Zico Chain are a rock band from London, United Kingdom, formed in 2002. To date, they have released one full album entitled Food and one self titled EP. The band opened the main stage at the Download Festival on 8 June 2007...
.
The band's second EP, Laurentian's Atoll, was then released in November 2007. This was composed of remastered versions of the three tracks from Wingsfortheirsmiles, four new recordings and an extended version of "water", from Sea of the Dying Dhow. The band embarked on a second UK tour in November 2008, which included a performance at Damnation Festival
Damnation Festival
The Damnation Festival is a one day music festival currently held annually at Leeds University, Leeds, England and organised by Gavin McInally. The 2011 edition of the festival will be held on November 5...
, where they shared a stage with the likes of Cathedral
Cathedral (band)
Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
and Devil Sold His Soul
Devil Sold His Soul
Devil Sold His Soul are an ambient influenced progressive metal/post-hardcore band from the South of England signed to Century Media. Three of the band joined from Mahumodo, thought to be a pioneer of the British hardcore scene...
. Their second full-length, entitled Plains of the Purple Buffalo, was released on June 27, 2011.
Band members
While the previous releases have been written predominantly by Mehdi Safa and Tom Harriman, live performances have featured a number of different artists performing with the band. Vocalist Mehdi Safa said in an interview with Rock Sound, "The whole point of *shels is that it is very free, It is not really a band in the traditional sense, we can have people from other bands come in and play certain shows. It is set up to be a very free vehicle. There is a core of who is involved, but you can compare it to The John WilliamsJohn Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
Orchestra. It has a core but the line-up changes around that core".
The line-up for the band's 2007 tour included:
- Mehdi Safa - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Tom Harriman - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Simon Maine - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Green Dave - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Phil Maine - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Red Dave - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ed Mathews - atmospherics
- Arif Driessen - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
Studio albums
- Sea of the Dying DhowSea of the Dying DhowSea of the Dying Dhow, released in June 2007, is the first studio album by *shels.-Track listing:# "The Conference of the Birds" - 9:13# "Indian 1" - 4:40# "The White Umbrella Intro" - 1:53# "The White Umbrella" - 8:42# "Water" - 3:26...
(2007) - Plains of the Purple Buffalo (2011)