Sydney band The Shake Up have announced their 2011 Aus/NZ Tour.
 Mary Boukouvalas caught up with Tim Browning, the bands drummer, to learn more about them and their new album ...if you have no shame.

The Shake Up have been around for approximately five years – how did the band get together?

I replaced the original drummer in 2007, after the band had released a few EPs. We recorded our debut album in 2008, then Ben replaced the original bass player in 2009 as we toured the first single 'Makes Me Sick'.

Influences seem to be the old school punk styling of bands such as The Clash, The Buzzcocks, The Jam, The Saints. Who were your major influences?

Correct! Miles wrote our first album and he was very much influenced those bands. Lots of urgent, fist-shaking music from the late-70s. As a result, most of the songs from our first album deal are about conflict, internal and otherwise. For our second album, I've written all the music and I've worked with Miles on the lyrics. There's a definite pop slant this time and our subject matter is more optimistic -- a bit of PMA, à la Bad Brains.

What are you hoping you will bring to the old school punk sound? 


We just try to make our music as singable and danceable as we can, with as much grit as we see fit.

The reaction to your 2010 debut album '...if you have no shame' was extremely positive. Has this changed you in any way?

Positive feedback is like the ice cream van on a hot day -- you're happy if it comes, but there's no use sweating on it. Having said that, the reviews for our debut have certainly been encouraging. Now we have a point of reference for our next album, creatively and critically. We're determined to outdo ourselves!

Your touring schedule for the album was frantic – three national tours over 18 months. Were there any unforeseen pressures/situations? How did you remain grounded?

Doing all the booking, promoting and tour managing certainly keeps me grounded! Touring can be resource-intensive and humbling at the best of times, well before you've played the first show. There are always plenty of risks involved when conducting a six or seven-week tour, with plenty of balls to juggle. However with each trip round the country we've built lasting relationships and we've learned how to do things more efficiently. Unforeseen pressures have included car breakdowns, wild weather, unreliable support acts and venues shutting down -- but thankfully they've been the exception rather than the rule.

Your debut album was produced by Detroit's Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Electric Six, Dirtbombs) and mixed in New Jersey by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, The Hold Steady). LISTEN TO THE ALBUM HERE. How/where did this occur?

Jim mixed an early single of ours and soon after we flew him over to record our album. He left snowed-under Detroit for a week in sunny Sydney, tracking at Megaphon Studios, before jetting off to South America for his next session. Our singer/guitarist Miles then flew with the tapes to Hoboken, NJ for a ten-day mix with John at Water Music. Miles then flew to Melbourne to commence our national tour with Rocket Science, while John started work with Dinosaur Jr.

What was it like working with Diamond and Agnello?

Jim brought a direct, no-nonsense approach with him from Detroit -- we worked tight 8-hour days and tracked fifteen songs in a week. Overall Jim went for a dry, tough sound and he used his exotic old pedals to achieve some "ridiculous" guitar tones. He mostly left our song arrangements as they were, though he did make some valuable suggestions. We lengthened the intro for our opener 'She Read The Riot Act' and added a third verse for our single 'Makes Me Sick' and both songs were better as a result!

John brought a lot of energy to the mixing session, punctuated with regular fist-pumps and use of the word "nice". He shared many stories from his time working at The Record Plant in New York during the 80s. John works out of an amazing studio in Hoboken and offered to record our next album there -- though as tempting as that is, we've opted to set up our own studio in Sydney.

Your filmclips for 'Makes Me Sick' and 'Everybody Loves It'. Both, though unique in their own way, are energetic, dynamic and bold. Where did the ideas come from for the clips?

The concepts came from director Tony Davison. He worked with cinematographer Tony Luu on both clips and we're fortunate to have two distinctive results. Our producer Bushy wrangled the props -- gravitons, travelators, you name it, he knows someone! We've also recruited some very diligent actors, whose spewing, cross-dressing, dancing and nudity bring it all to life.

The tour you are embarking on now will allow punters the rare opportunity to hear the album live before its 2012 release. What can they expect?


Those familiar with our first album can expect more of a pop take on what we've done previously. More melodies and harmonies; more groove and less thrash. The uninitiated can go listen to our first album then re-read this response from the beginning.

You’ve spent this year writing and recording your second album. What/who inspires your writing –both lyrically and musically?

When it comes to this album, melody is king! Words, drums and guitar tones are all but humble servants. I've always favoured the power trio, getting more out of less, so bands like The Jam, The Police and Supergrass are handy references. Our shift away from a punk sound means our songs are arranged in a more complimentary way. Lyrically, Miles and I have endeavoured to take the 'show, don't tell' approach, alluding to a scenario without explicitly spelling it out. We've mostly taken inspiration from personal experiences -- you'll have to listen and interpret for yourself!

Who produced/mixed your latest offering?

We've produced this album ourselves, with Miles engineered and mixing. Having invested in our own studio, it's reassuring to know we can record often as we like from now on.

How was this second experience in comparison to the first?

It's been equally scary and liberating to record this album ourselves -- we have no one else to blame when something goes wrong, but we don't have many constraints. Aside from any technical hurdles, it's also a challenge to keep everything on track creatively, as opposed to hiring a producer who can apply their own aesthetic and oversee the project. However we've come into this album with plenty of experience playing and developing together creatively, which has made the experience very rewarding.

How do you think you have developed as a band, rising out of Triple J’s unearthed section and venturing out on your own?

Well since mid-2009 we've gradually developed the means to record, release, book, promote and manage ourselves. While these duties often cut into our music-making time, and there's been a lot of trial-and-error involved along the way, we've reached a point where have complete control over what we do.

What advice would you give new bands?

You're only as good as your next song!

Thank you for your time. Catch you on tour!