When I interviewed Cosmic Shakedown, there was snow on the ground. I met up with them in February just before the first round of BOOM, the Battle of Original Music hosted by Artvoice. Though the band did not progress to the next round of the competition, Cosmic Shakedown has remained extremely active and is currently in the process of recording two new double EP’s.
The band is united around some unique ideas: atheism/pantheism, “dirty” rock and roll, and their namesake, the concept of a “cosmic shakedown.” As the band explained during their interview:
Larry: "We all come from stardust. Our influences are life—we generalize that, but when you think cosmic, you think of life. The stars, the universe everything—we’re just trying to create a ripple."
Tony: "When you center it down, we’re on this rock floating through shit. Religion and shit—it’s all a what-if—we’re smaller than a speck. It makes you want to put more in—to put the best in. We’re just earthlings, whether it’s nothing, or whether it’s everything, we don’t know. Zoom in, we’re guys making music. That’s the name. It’s cosmic, but shake it all down, and it’s small."
Shea: "And here I thought it just sounded cool…"
Tony: "Well, that too—"
Brought together, these themes create a very pure rock sound; the Hendrix influence is very strong in their music, channeling the essence of sixties rock and roll. When I watched them practice in February, you would have thought they were playing for a crowd of ten thousand at a huge outdoor arena, instead of for one person in a cramped basement room in Orchard Park. The entire band was all smiles and intensity, thoroughly enjoying the moment even though the audience was literally one person and a cat. (and I have reason to believe the cat wasn’t listening)
The new EP’s are four songs each and are being recorded separately—one by the band, and the other by Joe Orlando at Mammoth Recording Studios. Orlando calls the music, “…high energy, played by four guys who seem like brothers.” The EP’s are due out in early May, but the band will also be performing at Nietches with the B-Side Dubs on April 26th. Cosmic Shakedown is the epitome of blue-collar music—funky and vital sounds, elements that are both groovy and hard-hitting, but occasionally light and refreshing. Much like Buffalo, the music is dirty, fun, and familiar. In three words: rust belt rock.
~ Melanie Donofrio
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