Gold Shoes

Gold Shoes is ready for platinum sales and legions of fans … and might just get it.

People about to change the world rarely look like people about to change the world. Take Gold Shoes — central casting didn’t assemble a new millennium Monkees to storm the music world with calculated precision. Gold Shoes is comprised of oddly yet perfectly meshed parts, disparate musical personalities contributing unique flavors to their fascinating Indie Rock/Jazz/Hip Hop mix as evidenced on their debut full length, The Gold Shoes LP.
“All of us are on the same page on achieving a common goal,” drummer Tony Kuchma says at the Over-the-Rhine apartment he shares with guitarist/vocalist Archie Neibuhr. “When we started, we were in the band for different reasons and we got to jump on some cool bills where most local bands wouldn’t have the opportunity, and it was, ‘Wow, we really have talent, let’s take this to the next level.’ ”

Gold Shoes’ organic mindset dates to the band’s 2009 formation. Local Hip Hop scenester Buggs Tha Rocka wanted recording assistance and, being a fan of Neibuhr and Kuchma’s work in Madeline’s Day Off, contacted Neibuhr through MySpace. The trio produced the track “Back and Forth” and the result inspired them to form Gold Shoes.

“I was doing solo music around that time and I went to see these guys at the Blue Bar (in Covington). I thought they was tight,” Buggs says. “They was going in and I liked it. We’ve been a band ever since.”

Gold Shoes solidified with the addition of original guitarist Brian Kittrell, bassist Kevin Johnson and keyboardist Mike Weigand, debuting at Urban Outfitters in April and releasing The Gold Shoes EP that fall. Gig offers poured in and fans showed up in increasingly large numbers.

“We dove right in,” Neibuhr says. “We started practicing immediately, two days a week. When we dropped our EP, we thought we were going to be famous. We’re done, said that, let it ride. We dropped the ball. We got handed a lot of stuff and when that stopped, we realized it’s time to work.”

The rigors of routine band maintenance became readily apparent. Gold Shoes remained productive but was largely inactive in a public sense for most of 2010; the year ended with Kittrell’s departure to study overseas.

Buggs says, succinctly, “2010 was a rough year.”

The band’s fortunes improved in January 2011 when former Where They Landed/Young Heirlooms guitarist Steven Shaefer fit into the group dynamic like a missing puzzle piece.

Gigs resumed and work accelerated on The Gold Shoes LP, the release of which was celebrated with a capacity crowd last month at The Drinkery in Over-the-Rhine.
Gold Shoes’ most distinctive characteristic is the sextet’s malleable sonic profile, represented on the new album by the Steely Dan/Indie Rock swing of “Stylin’ on ’Em,” the Santanaesque sway of “Complex Love” and the Radiohead-meets-Fleetwood Mac blip-and-burn of “Trade Your Wings,” all of it tinted with Buggs’ considerable Hip Hop genius.

“We got together as a band and as friends who love good music to make music that feels good,” Buggs says. “From the first song to the last song, every song is different. I think that’s what people appreciate about Gold Shoes. They might not like everything, but they’re gonna like something and that’s better than not liking anything.”

The band’s growth since the EP has been remarkable given the shift in guitarists was the only structural change. The significant difference might be the organic way Gold Shoes’ members seamlessly lock into each other’s grooves.

“Somebody brings in the basic element of the song; if you think in terms of spices, whatever the strongest spice is goes in first, then everybody else is like, ‘Here’s what I have to offer,’ ” Shaefer says. “Everybody plugs in. It’s like Tetris.”

“All the Autobots get together and make Megatron, you feel me?” Buggs says with a smile. “That’s how it is with us.”

“I think the songwriting is way above the EP,” Weigan - CityBeat

Tonight at The Drinkery on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine, excellent local Pop/Hip Hop/Rock crew Gold Shoes release its first long-player in conjunction with a free performance (the album is conveniently titled The Gold Shoes LP). The band was formed in 2009 and features MC vocals from rapper Buggs Tha Rocka (a great solo artist as well), Steven Shaefer on guitar/sax, Mike Weigand (keys), Kevin Johnson (bass), Tony Kuchma (drums/percussion) and singer/guitarist Archie Niebuhr.
Gold Shoes has a magnetic, endearing sound that mixes Hip Hop and Rock with great hooks and touches of Jazz and Blues. Fun, cool stuff. You can purchase or give the album a preview spin online here.
Tonight's show starts at 9 p.m. and also features Vito Emmanuel, The Zoo Crew and DJ Sinceer.

Late last year, the band released the album's first single and video, "Trade Your Wings." More recently, they unveiled another great music video for the track "Barely Alive." Check 'em both out below. - CityBeat

(post only) - Vintage Media Group

(post only) - Vintage Media Group

This is the first single “Trade your Wings” off up-coming Gold Shoes debut album to be released late spring. Dope Visual! - Hip$ocietyNews

Be sure to be on the look out for the Cincinnati bread group, big things coming in the spring of 2012! - FASHODOEMUSIC

Check out the new video by the homies Gold Shoes; “Trade Your Wings.” Peep the OTR joint in the end of the video #FTW

Great job ya’ll!!! - Original Thought Required

Check out the new video by the homies Gold Shoes; “Trade Your Wings.” Peep the OTR joint in the end of the video #FTW

Great job ya’ll!!! - Original Thought Required

Cincinnati band Gold Shoes (@goldshoesmusic) released a new video for their current single “Trade Your Wings” , check it out! – Massive shout outs to the homie Buggs(@ROCKABOY) - Cash & Caviar

Cincinnati's Gold Shoes bringing some heat with the new visuals. - Donuts & Milk

Cincinnati's Gold Shoes bringing some heat with the new visuals. - Donuts & Milk

Buggs Tha Rocka’s band ”GOLD SHOES” drops it first single - Tha DoubleO

Buggs Tha Rocka’s band ”GOLD SHOES” drops it first single - Tha DoubleO

"I know that some of you guys are familiar with the dude Buggz Tha Rocka.. well, this is the group that he is apart of. I really like and enjoy this group. They were introduced to my ears by the homie Dennis Cummings & quickly found their way into my daily rotation. I don’t wanna influence you by telling you what I think they sound like… I just ask that you give them a fair chance " - Tha DoubleO

I’ll be left scratching my head if “Trade Your Wings” by Gold Shoes doesn’t get picked up and receive some heavy rotation. With this quality music video, the addition of a dope emcee (Buggs Tha Rocka), and a well meshed indie/hip-hop fusion, Gold Shoes have alot going for them. Now they need your support. - Break On A Cloud