http://shatteredsoapbox.blogspot.com/2008/02/spring-break-shark-attack-review.html

Today I went to this big block party at the Big Top.

There were like 15 bands, most of them fantastic, but the one who stuck out the most to me was the one who played the second slot on the bill: Spring Break Shark Attack of Baton Rouge, LA.

This band transcends all expectations of what a local band can sound like, but first I'll just explain that they're an instrumental surf rock band. Right off the bat, that's something you don't often see, but something more rare is their ability to take an old style and modify it for a modern audience. This isn't a carbon copy of the Ventures we're talking about, this is a truly unique band who doesn't deserve my pigeon-holing them into the surf rock genre.

Most of their song titles have to do with shark attacks (like "Red Tide" and my personal favorite, "Army of Sharkness"), but these comical touches are just icing on top of the rich cake of pure talent that these guys possess. At times their songs transitioned to fast-beat punk sections, but without actually playing power chords (an impressive feat all it's own). At other times they had more metal sounding riffs, which made sense later when I saw one of SBSA's guitarists, Andy, playing with a down-tempo and severely down-tuned (drop F to be exact) hardcore band called Thou (I tried to hate them but I just couldn't, I sincerely dug that band in spite of my general disgust with modern "hardcore").

SB Shark Attack also had something of a progressive quality. As a trained guitarist, I can say that both their guitarists rival and possibly excel the picking technique of their well known predecessor, Dick Dale. Their songs are well thought-out as well, and I suspect that these guys are former band nerds (takes one to know one, I guess).

Being a surf rock band, they could have easily written a bunch of songs that all sounded alike, but once again they impress in that area as well: each song really holds it's own, while sticking to the surf rock vibe. Not a task easily accomplished, hell the Ventures themselves could barely do it.

I truly cannot express how much this band's mere existence makes me hopeful of rock 'n roll's future in America.

Maybe we don't have to grow jet black bangs that cover one eye; maybe we can wear jeans that fit properly; maybe bands can actually not suck! Check out Spring Break Shark Attack today and see for yourself (myspace.com/sharkattacksurf).

Published: Jul 20, 2007

Shark Attack!

What a great name for a surf-rock band. So Andy Gibbs naturally named the Baton Rouge surf band that he and fellow guitarist Eric Johns, bassist Peter Cagnolatti and drummer Patrick Quilter formed in 2004 — Shark Attack!

Unfortunately, dozens of other bands were calling themselves Shark Attack!, too. Many of these other Shark Attacks! — including a punk band and an all-girl rap group — didn't even play surf rock.

Baton Rouge's Shark Attack!, in fact, played a show with Houston's Shark Attack!, a rock-reggae band along the lines of Sublime. Performing at the beachside Balinese Room nightclub in Galveston, the bands were accompanied by very apropos views of the Gulf of Mexico.

But something had to be done about that too-common name. So the local Shark Attack! guys adjusted their moniker to something even more explicit — Spring Break Shark Attack!

Gibbs got the idea for forming a surf band when he saw a band playing psycho-surf rock at a party above the Electric Ladyland tattoo parlor on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans.

"They were dressed up in costumes," Gibbs recalled during an interview on the patio of the LSU-adjacent Highland Coffees. "One dude was in a wheelchair playing guitar. I never heard anything before or after about them, but it looked like a lot of fun. I figured if we could just do that, play parties and stuff, it would be awesome. We didn't set out with a whole lot of ambition or anything."

Prior to forming Shark Attack!, Gibbs had only recently learned about surf rock and horror-surf music through a friend in New Orleans.

"I didn't sit at home playing surf music," he said. "I just was like, well, all you do is turn up the reverb, pick really fast and put the right drum beat behind."

Eric Johns, on the other hand, grew up with his dad's vinyl surf-rock discs by Dick Dale, the Ventures, the Safaris and the Raybeats.

The newly formed Shark Attack! immediately composed four instrumentals, "Red Surf," "A Shark Ate My Baby," "Theme" and "Army of Sharkness."

"It's not really a rule," Gibbs said, "but pretty much every song title has something to do with sharks or water."

Except for occasional vocal outbursts, Spring Break Shark Attack! is an instrumental act.

"Nobody wants to hear us sing," Johns said. "And I would find it very difficult to sing with our music."

"It's a lot of fun writing songs, because we don't have to worry about lyrics," Gibbs said. "I'll bring a riff and play it, someone will come up with another part and we'll just put them all together."

Gibbs and Johns, the band's twin-guitar attack, have distinctive styles.

Echoing Dick Dale, the godfather of surf, "Andy's playing is very Arabic sounding," Johns said. "To break it down in a nerdy music way, lots of harmonic minor and diminished stuff. And I'm a little bit more straightforward. The really cheesy melodies are normally me."

"Our tone is different," Gibbs said, "especially when we play live. I usually kick up the distortion more than I should. Of course, Eric always uses the reverb tank."

Patrick Quilter's high-velocity drumming is essential to Spring Break Shark Attack!, too. 

"We had an opportunity to play a gig while he was out of town," Gibbs said. "We ended up not even doing it."

"Every drummer we talked to was like, 'Yeah, I'll do it,' " Johns said. "And then they'd listen to the CD and say, 'I can't do that.' "

"It's not so much the technical stuff," Gibbs added. "He has a certain feel that's really bombastic, kind of Jon Bonham-ish."

Surf rock has always been quick-tempo music, but Spring Break Shark Attack!'s punk and metal influences, not to mention Quilter's furious drums, knock the pace even higher. 

"We didn't want to be just a throwback band," Gibbs explained.

Spring Break Shark Attack! fans everywhere can get a take-home bite out of the band via Sharkronomicon, the group's full-length CD debut. The disc's nine surf-rock voyages include "Feeding Frenzy," "Blood Ocean" and "Great White." It's available from local CD stores and Internet music outlets CD Baby, iTunes and Rhapsody.

Sharkronomicon also will be sold at gigs, including the band's CD release show, Saturday, July 21, at Spanish Moon. Spring Break Shark Attack! also performs July 27 at the Renaissance Niteclub in Lafayette.

Ever wish you could go back to the carefree days of the fifties and hang out on the beach with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon? Well, grab your surfboard and sun-block because the surf band Shark Attack! is in town. Don't think you are going to get the wholesome sound of The Beach Boys. Shark Attack! incorporates metal and thrash into their music and has influences such as Slayer, Man or Astro-Man?

The band started back when its members were in high school. The members came together and wrote four of their biggest hits in one night.

One thing that makes this band unique is their lack of lyrics. "We use a lot of reverb and a driving tempo," said Andy Gibbs. But don't be prepared for a boring show, Eric Johns said. "Just because it's instrumental doesn't mean it sucks," he laughed. Another unique aspect of Shark Attack! is their performance attire. Each member wears a full suit, complete with tie and coat. They chose this get up because this is what the surf bands of the fifties wore. They have been mistaken for certain religious sects. "We're not Mormons," confirmed graphic design major Peter Cagnolatti.

Shark Attack! regularly plays at Northgate Tavern, Spanish Moon, and Red Star. The band has already recorded a self-titled demo album, and is hoping to re-record a few of the tracks this summer.

As summer approaches, Shark Attack! is a great way to get yourself ready for those lazy sunny days. Feel the attack at www.myspace.com/sharkattacksurf.

You see the article for yourself along with a streaming song at:
http://www.lsulegacymag.com/issues/april2006/story6.html

You can now buy cds at shows for $5.  They include the songs Red Surf, Swim For Your Life, Theme, A Shark Ate My Baby, Eat People, and Army Of Sharkness.

There is a limited supply so get em while you can.

Shark Attack delivers surf rock to the bayou

[Comment Below]

By Iris Davis

Surf rock was one of the most popular forms of rock and roll in the early 1960s. Surf rock was a style of music that originated in the United States that mixed elements of surf music and rock music.

Surf rock is characterized by being nearly entirely instrumental and by heavy use of reverb on the guitars. The spring reverb featured in Fender amplifiers of the time period when cranked to its maximum volume helped to evoke surf and ocean imagery. While in the 1960s surf music and rock and roll were distinct styles, the development of rock music since then has built upon both styles.

Though you may think that you’d have to travel to the beaches of California or Florida to hear such music, you’re mistaken as Baton Rouge surf rock band, Shark Attack, gives you a healthy dose of surf rock with a bit of Louisiana flare at each show they play.

The band will be playing at Northgate Tavern Friday, Feb. 10 at 10 p.m., with special guest Pistols at Dawn.

The idea for Shark Attack was conceived by one of the band’s guitarists, Andy Gibbs, 3 years ago on Halloween when he heard a surf rock band in New Orleans.

The band consists of Andy Gibbs- guitar, Patrick Quilter- drums, Peter Cagnolati- bass, and Eric Johns- guitar. Shark Attack has been together as a band since October 2004. They have been playing shows since February 2005. Among Shark Attack’s top influences are surf rock legend Dick Dale, Man of Astro Man, and Flayer.

Though Shark Attack is still relatively new to the Baton Rouge music scene, they have big plans for themselves. Shark Attack is working on expanding their fan base, and are planning on playing more shows outside of the Red Stick. The band has upcoming shows in Lafayette, and parts of Texas as well. Shark Attack hopes to tour the southern region of the United States one day.

When asked why people should come to a Shark Attack show guitarist Eric Johns had this to say, “Shark Attack really caters (our music) to everyone. Our music is not offensive to anyone, because there are no words used. We have high energy shows with high amounts of energy coming from the crowd itself. We make fast rock music that makes you want to dance.”

You can pick Shark Attack’s music at one of their shows or you can check it out at http://www.myspace.com/sharkattacksurf.

http://www.tigerweekly.com/story.php?iidart=1866