Fake Shark

We love sharks: Noisey editor Kyle Kramer is our very own left shark, and it's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, so it seems only appropriate to premiere Fake Shark's new video "Cheap Thrills." Formerly Fake Shark-Real Zombie! the oddball trio have cycled through various sonic incarnations since their 2005 inception. Like, it's hard to believe the day-glo, hip-hop, odd-pop of "Get Weird" was created by the same people who penned this new single, but having chopped their name in half the band have tightened their focus, to make upcoming record, Faux Real —which also features Kool Keith—a less genre-skippy affair.

"With the name change, I was inspired to try writing from a perspective that was less whimsical," explains singer Kevvy. "I wrote and recorded over half the album in Hollywood at Kat Von D's house, where I was surrounded by gothic and religious literature and I allowed it to influence my words, which I think you can hear."

"Cheap Thrills" is, like it says in the title, cheaply shot on green screen so the look is very public access TV In the 90s. Or The Word—for you British aficionados. It's also very punk-funk with plenty of clanging cowbell (or is that the rim of the snare?) and fuzzy hip-swivelling bass (think Radio 4). Oh and the video it was directed by Steve Bays—singer of Hot Hot Heat—who's also responsible for producing the song. This may be less whimsical than previous efforts, but there's still plenty of hooks lurking here. - Noisey

Vancouver's Fake Shark haven't quite announced the details behind the full-length follow-up to 2013's Liar, but the band are about to take some new tunes on the road. Ahead of the spring trek, they're premiering a grooved-up single called "Something Special" through Exclaim!

While Fake Shark began as a spazzy hardcore band, the project continue to evolve towards a more swerve-centric funk-and-pop sound. A steady four-on-the-floor slam supports guitarist Louis Wu's mirror ball-spangle six-string plink, while vocalist Kevvy shows a finesse for tuneful, motor-mouthed wordplay.

Here's what Kevvy had to say about the song:

I wrote this song making fun of the fact that social media has given everybody a voice, and how a lot of people feel they deserve fame and popularity, regardless of talent. It's just real sarcastic, commenting on a world where even your grandma is hash tagging her instagrams (instagrandma), hoping to get more followers, but why?

Produced by Hot Hot Heat/Mounties member Steve Bays, "Something Special" can be heard down below. Fake Shark are still working on their next LP but had previously been teased the release in the summer of 2015 with their "Cheap Thrills."

Fake Shark's tour schedule, which includes dates with Royal Tusk, can also be found below.

Tour dates:

05/16 Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha
05/17 Kingston, ON - the Mansion *
05/18 Ottawa, ON - House of Targ
05/19 Ste Therese, QC - Bar le Cha Cha
05/20 Quebec City, QC - Le Sous-Sol de Cercle
05/21 Timmins, ON - Working Class *
05/24 Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid Cabaret
05/25 Regina, SK - the Exchange *
05/26 Saskatoon, SK -Vangelis Tavern
05/27 Lethbridge, AB - Studio Nightclub *
05/28 Calgary, AB - Ship & Anchor
05/29 Edmonton, AB - Mercury Room
06/22 Vancouver, BC - 604 Studios

* with Royal Tusk - Exclaim!

Kevin James Maher, better known as Kevvy Mental in freak-pop band Fake Shark Real Zombie, has had a rough couple of years. First it was bandmates not fessing up to having side projects, then it was management hassles, and when things seemed as if they couldn't get any worse, Mental found out his girl hadn’t quite broken up with her last boyfriend. Maybe this is why the new record is called Liar. Whatever the case, Liar comes packed with music bio popularity iTunes bizarre freak-pop concoctions, real punk smears and old-school hip-hop freestyle. Unhinged and unpredictable, Liar is a bizarre yet cohesive record that’s far apart from anything released by the band’s contemporaries. On “Service Announcement” Henry Rollins gives his approval to the antics of Fake Shark Real Zombie. Stand-out tracks – “Get Weird”, “Girls” (feat. Steve Bays), and “Yes Yes No No” (feat. Adaline). - New Canadian Music

It was Hunter S. Thompson who famously said, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” This still rings as true today as when he said it in 1974, especially in light of the newest video by Vancouver’s Fake Shark Real Zombie. Directed by Cole Walliser (Katy Perry, Pink) and choreographed by Lindsey B of Cee-Lo Green’s “Fuck You” video fame, “Get Weird” sees the freak-pop group hit Venice Beach with zombies, an army of blonde tie-dyeds aping lead singer Kevvy Mental, and anyone who happened to walk by and was willing to sign a release form. There is as much humor in the video as the song, which was taken from their upcoming album Liar. Due February 19th on Light Organ Records, Liar boasts such disparate guest stars as Henry Rollins and Adaline, showing how deeply their weirdness runs. This shit won’t rot your brain, but it might eat it. - Pop Matters

Kevvy Mental is a busy man.

The Vancouver-based frontman (real name: Kevin James Maher) for genre-bending weirdos Fake Shark also doubles as the new bassist for Toronto rawkers Die Mannequin—plus his production and recording duties for artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and Hannah Georgas.

That means Maher’s pulling double-duty in the upcoming Die Mannequin-Fake Shark cross-Canada tour, which is fine by him.

“For me, it fulfils many needs: I need as much attention as possible anyway, so it really works out that way,” says Maher as he walks the streets of Toronto. “But also, I love punk-rock music, and I think that Die Mannequin is essentially a punk-rock band that gets to do the occasional arena tour. [Die Mannequin] just toured with Marilyn Manson, who’s one of my heroes, and Fake Shark wouldn’t get to do that because of our genre.”

Music nerds may recognize Fake Shark from its previous moniker: the overly complicated Fake Shark – Real Zombie!. The 10-year-old band has changed its sound from aggressive hardcore to more funky, genre-defying music as seen on its recently released single, “Cheap Thrills.”

Produced by Hot Hot Heat’s Steve Bays, “Cheap Thrills” is the first salvo off the band’s newest album, Faux Real.

“The album, I mean, it’s not even mastered yet,” Maher says. “I wrote 55 songs for this record, and we whittled it down to about 12. And then we just sat with it for a couple months and decided we wanted to do one more, so we’re doing that with Steve Bays from Hot Hot Heat and Mounties. We did ‘Cheap Thrills’ with him as well, so we figured that worked so let’s get the team back together and do one more.”

The recent name change for the band is partly the product of no one actually being able to say its name. Business reasons were part of the decision, but when your fans (and musicians you’re a fan of) get your band’s name wrong, it’s time to change it up.

“For instance, growing up I was a big Black Flag fan and Henry Rollins liked the band,” Maher says. “Even he got interviewed and was like, ‘Yeah, I love this band Real Shark –Fake Zombie,’ so business-wise it just hurt us forever. Even our fanbase couldn’t remember.

“It was so annoying I wanted to change the name completely, but I got out-voted.”

Fri, Sep 25 (9 pm)
With Die Mannequin, Cygnets
Brixx, $15 - Vue Weekly