Interview with Shaka from O.K.C.

                                              

    So i love checking out new bands or coming across recordings from bands that i have seen or had heard of before , so a big Thank you to Zach Green (Inferna) for posting a link to this other Oklahoma band . Listening to them reminds me of going to gigs in the mid 80's at The Skate Palace or the Oxnard Community Center , especially in fact  they remind me of R.K.L. .  It is so great to hear something new and especially from somewhere you wouldn't really expect except for country hee haa music , but Oklahoma was treated to the Sex Pistols when they played Cain's Ballroom in nearby Tulsa in 1978 and that was it . 40 years later and the bug is still there , between Tulsa and O.K.C. there was N.OT.A. , Brother Inferior , Subsanity , Drunk On Sunday , No Man's Slave , Uranium Death Crow and so many more and there still is and the bands from all over Oklahoma (i know I'm missing many bands but this is just a small example) . You have E.I.N.O.K. (Everything Is Not OK fest) in Oklahoma City and F.Y.W.R.O.K. (Fuck You We Rule OK fest) in Tulsa , The Norman Music festival in Norman . I see these youngsters being able to hold there own and can't wait to hear more from them . So I'm starting to do band interviews and there are others planned and in the works , so for now check it , out and if your around O.K.C. and get a chance go check them out and go support them .

 

                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

UTR&BF -  So you guys are from Bomb City/Freak City (Oklahoma City) and surrounding area , whats it like living in the 3.2.alcohol content bible belt ?                                                                                                                                                                                                             SHAKA -  "Better than you might think, but only if you know how to have fun. A wise man once said 'Oklahoma is boring if YOU'RE boring.' You learn to deal with everything after a while."

     -PB

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       UTR&BF - Ok , so who's in the band and how long you been together and what god awful music influences made you guys play this style music , you can answer individual or as a group ?          

                                                                                                                                                   SHAKA - "There's JoeBo, our main howler. There's Ian, our fresh meat guitarist. There's PB, our bass boy. Finally, there's Jet, our skin banger. We've all known each other for at least 2 years, we met through school."

     -Everyone

     "As for music taste I've grown up with bands such as Minor Threat, Fugazi and Suicidal Tendencies but lately I've been getting into newer bands such as Armor and Recide."

     -Jet

     "I grew up with a lot of different styles and bands. I was a huge Cursive, Alkaline Trio, and even Green Day fan, but my taste has changed a lot since then. Really into Good Riddance, Fugazi, The Distillers, Pinback,              and Spazz to name a few."

     -Ian

     "My main influences at first were bands like Queen and a lot of classical orchestral stuff, cause I'm naturally a classical musician. I still keep all that, but I now I take MAJOR inspiration from bands like Primus and                    GWAR. Primus is the main reason I wanted to pick up bass, so they're real important to me. I also really love listening to local bands, that usually gives me a kick."

     -PB

     "It changes too often for me, but anything with heart. <3"

     -Joe

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      UTR&BF - On your Bandcamp page , it says your from OKC , MWC and Mustang , I lived in Oklahoma and know Mustang is not that far from OKC . But It's like a completely small town look/feel to it , well it did when i lived there about 10 years ago . Who's from there and what's it like living there ?       

                                                                                                                                                  SHAKA - "I'm Joe and I'm from Mustang. It's not a nice town and the people aren't all that nice either. All I look forward to is moving somewhere interesting someday. And also the police suck."

     -Who do you think

                                                                                                                                                                     UTR&BF - I've been lucky enough to see a few bands when i lived there , Brother Inferior , Subsanity , N.O.T.A. , Drunk On Sunday , Snotrokitz , Uranium Death Crow , No Man's Slave , The Kids Who Never Learned To Color Inside The Lines , Larkin , Bob Of Tribes and a few others . And I know there seems to be connection between O.K.C. , Norman and Tulsa ,  What's up with all that ?        

                                                                                                                                                        SHAKA - "The connection is purely geographical."

     -Ian

    "I've heard that some of the Tulsa punks are pretty toxic but then again, there's people like that everywhere."

     -Jet

     "People with similar interests that live in different places will create some sort of connection, it's purely natural."

     -PB

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         UTR&BF - How's the reaction been toward the band , did you play in other bands before this ?         

                                                                                                                                                  SHAKA - "My mom didn't like our album cover."

     -Jet

     

     "Reaction seems good. I was in two bands before this, neither lasted past three practices."

     -Ian

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          UTR&BF - Listening to your songs reminds me of going to gigs back in the early/mid 80's in the Ventura 805 area ( Nardcore ) ,and there is something in the music and vocals reminds me seeing R.K.L. , but i hear little hints of jazz , funk and surf music  , did the songs just come out that way ?              

                                                                                                                                                  SHAKA - "I've been getting more into jazz lately. I'm also the drummer for my school jazz band."

     -Jet

     

     "As far as I can tell we don't go into any song with a plan. We either start with a drum part, a bass line, a guitar riff or some vocals and build. Whatever happens happens."

     -Ian

     "I guess my stuff tends to come out a little surfy at first, it's always been like that. I love slap bass, so I use it whenever I can (when it's appropriate). Though usually we just see what happens."

     -PB

                                                                                                                                                                       UTR&BF - So what's up next for the band , new recordings , shows coming up , any merch ?         

                                                                                                                                                   SHAKA -  "Some shows coming up, working on a tour. I don't know how official it is, but we might be working on a split with a badass band: Z.E.R.T. We also got some shirts coming."

     -Ian

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              UTR&BF - Oklahoma bands don't really be seem to be know around other places to much , are there any other bands that people should keep an ear out for ?                                                                                                                                                SHAKA -  "Z.E.R.T. is red hot, watch out, they're comin' for ya."

     -Joe

     

     "I'm soooooo Zersty. Thirsty for Z.E.R.T."

     -Jet

      "Inferna has got to be my favorite local band at the moment. They're absolute beasts! Amenaza and End On End are both some of my favorites too. Definitely keep an ear out for these fuckers."

     -PB

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               UTR&BF - Any last words or fuck offs to say ?  

                                                                                                                                                   SHAKA -  "The world is full of jerks and I mean full of em. Just try not to be a jerk.

     -Jet

     "A wise man once said 'Yes, my cum tastes like battery acid.' I gotta say, that has really given me a lot of hope ever since I learned that..."

     -PB

     "Have fun then die. Also fuck cops."

     -Ian

                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                              I don't  know if they have a Facebook or Instagram or whatever but here is the link to their Bandcamp page , so go check them out  https://shaka-405.bandcamp.com/
                                                                                                                                        
Here are their 2 recordings , but better yet go to their Bandcamp page and float them some cash to make some more music     

                                                                                                                                                           2019 - Demo  https://mega.nz/#F!sOgAgAwQ!F4LPWaYY1RnQjxEj7-CH0Ahttps://mega.nz/#F!sOgAgAwQ!F4LPWaYY1RnQjxEj7-CH0A                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                                              2020 - S Is For  https://mega.nz/#F!9axikYCI!anCefNWdcK-16N7IhgZgbQ
                                                                                                                                                             So check out out what other people are posting about music or bands , you'll never know what you'll find . I know i have heard of a lot of bands this way especially international bands , so a big thank you again to Zach from Inferna otherwise i would have not known about SHAKA , I hope you all enjoy and there will be more to come interviews and music , some Rez Metal bands will be coming soon .                                                                                                                                       Cheers to SHAKA for doing the interview and to FREAK CITY for creating all this OKIE NOISE