Album Notes

"You guys are the best DC band we've heard in ten years" Legendary
DC roots musicians Billy Hancock and Dave Elliott

The Shambells are a DC All-Star band with a unique sound and approach to Roots Rock. For one, while many bands can lay claim to a blues based sound, The Shambells have real blues and roots music backgrounds that run very deep indeed. Guitarist Pete Kanaras served a nine year stint in the Nighthawks, adding his talents to the guitar legacy of that venerable band. Before arriving in DC he spent many years performing with blues bands exclusively, including three years with Philly harmonica virtuoso Steve Guyger. Pete was also instrumental in the re-emergence of Little Sam Davis in 1993, who later won the WC Handy Comeback Artist of the Year award in 1996. Drummer Clark Matthews logged in many miles and years in the excellent bands of Carey Bell, Bob Margolin and Tom Principato, as well as countless DC/Baltimore roots bands. Bassist and Texas native Tommy Hannigan spent years touring the Dallas/Fort Worth/Austin blues triangle with many stellar bands, and was also next door neighbors with Texas bass legend Keith Ferguson. He also performs locally with the one and only Catfish Hodge. Guitarist Dave Goodfriend and vocalist Russ Beeker met in England in the early 70's and have been performing together ever since. Their band Goin' Goin' Gone was a DC roots rock mainstay in the 80's, and they performed many shows with as well as recorded with guitar masters Danny Gatton and Bill Kirchen. In the late 90's their band The Original Sinners had their cover of "No Other Girl" chosen for the Blasters tribute CD "Blastered". But the blues are not their only love. On their debut CD "Exit Wounds", The Shambells have brought together all of their collective influences for a sound that truly sets them apart; from the big guitar pop of "Evidence of Faith" and the beautiful south of the border ballad "Maureen" to the raw as an open scab groove of "You'll Never Get Me Up". "Exit Wounds" features the superb original songs of Dave Goodfriend and Russ Beeker and some quite obscure covers as well. Recorded in analog with heart and soul by Phillip Stevenson and mastered by the legendary Bob Olhsson of Motown Records fame, "Exit Wounds" is the sound of a real band playing and sweating together in the same room.

This is the sound of District Rock and Roll

www.theshambells.com