ShiSho

In the basement of a well-kept, unassuming bi-level home in Kent, ”Vivian Ramone” and her little sister, ”Midge Ramone,” are wearing matching black pantsuits and standing in front of a homemade green screen, singing a gentle, almost folky original song, I Miss You Now, Pop.

Vivian, a lanky 14-year-old accenting her smart suit with well-worn black Chuck Taylors and mismatched shoelaces, is singing and strumming some chords on a Telecaster through a tiny Orange brand amp. Her chubby-cheeked sibling, 10-year-old Midge (going shoeless with bright blue toenail polish) stands next to her with a mike in her hand, swaying gently, providing backing vocals and generally looking cute.

Sydnie "Vivian" Ramone, 14, (left) and her sister Kreigh "Midge" Ramone, 10, are the band Shisho The band has submitted songs for Bernsen's derby movie, "25 Hill.". (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal)
The girls are singing to a video camera with a homemade drawing of actor/director Corbin Bernsen taped just below the lens to remind them for whom they are singing.

But this isn’t some random fan video made by a couple of young hard-core L.A. Law or Psych fans, this is potential business. Vivian and Midge Ramone (aka Sydnie and Kreigh Barnette) are ShiSho, a teen/tween duo of budding musicians and songwriters. They’ve been making colorful
and often humorous music for much of their young lives, with the help of their proud father/producer/manager/roadie, Kris Barnette, supportive mom, Tangela, and karate-loving 6-year-old brother Mattox, who dubbed the home studio ”Miggle Fingie’s Goblet of Rawk Studio.”
The video is for one of three songs ShiSho will submit to Bernsen’s Team Cherokee productions for possible inclusion in 25 Hill, his upcoming feature film about the Soap Box Derby that was shot partially in the Akron area last year. As with many aspects of their growing music career, the opportunity came about thanks to a mix of serendipity and good, old-fashioned chutzpah.

”We were extras in the movie, and they had a meet-and-greet with Corbin Bernsen and some of the other actors,” Sydnie said, sitting on top of a speaker cabinet in the small part of the crowded basement not dedicated to being a music and video studio. ”And I just walked up to him and said ‘Hey, I’m in a band called ShiSho. Can we submit some songs for the movie?’ And he said, ‘Sure.’ ”

So the girls set about writing some new songs that adroitly referenced the derby. ”We figured just sending MP3s was so impersonal, we thought it would be better to send some videos,” Sydnie said.
Roots in rock

ShiSho (pronounced ”Shy-Show,” officially a martial-arts master, colloquially something cool and indescribable) began on a backyard trampoline way back in 2004, but the girls’ musical education by way of their parents began before their feet touched earth.

From the safety of her mother’s womb, Sydnie experienced They Might Be Giants and Soul Coughing, and as a toddler she saw her first punk show featuring MXPX and other bands. Kreigh’s first show was maverick Christian indie rocker Mike Knott, whose punk tune Daddy’s Womp ShiSho would eventually record. Even their stage names are a tribute to the Ramones.

”We warped them young,” said Kris, a jovial man who works by day as a marketing communications manager for SageQuest. ”We’d listen to a lot of stuff in the car, Beastie Boys, Ween, Atom and His Package, a lot of silly stuff,” he said.

”We’d always been inspired by people like They Might Be Giants, Weird Al, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players,” which featured now 17-year-old drummer/singer/ShiSho hero Rachel Trachtenburg, said Sydnie.

While jumping on a trampoline, Sydnie had an idea. ”And I was like, ‘Hey, Dad,’ and he said ‘What?’ and I was like, ‘I think I want to be in a band when I’m older.’ And he’s like, ‘When you’re older?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, when I’m a teenager,’ and he - Akron Beacon Journal

In the basement of a well-kept, unassuming bi-level home in Kent, ”Vivian Ramone” and her little sister, ”Midge Ramone,” are wearing matching black pantsuits and standing in front of a homemade green screen, singing a gentle, almost folky original song, I Miss You Now, Pop.

Vivian, a lanky 14-year-old accenting her smart suit with well-worn black Chuck Taylors and mismatched shoelaces, is singing and strumming some chords on a Telecaster through a tiny Orange brand amp. Her chubby-cheeked sibling, 10-year-old Midge (going shoeless with bright blue toenail polish) stands next to her with a mike in her hand, swaying gently, providing backing vocals and generally looking cute.

Sydnie "Vivian" Ramone, 14, (left) and her sister Kreigh "Midge" Ramone, 10, are the band Shisho The band has submitted songs for Bernsen's derby movie, "25 Hill.". (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal)
The girls are singing to a video camera with a homemade drawing of actor/director Corbin Bernsen taped just below the lens to remind them for whom they are singing.

But this isn’t some random fan video made by a couple of young hard-core L.A. Law or Psych fans, this is potential business. Vivian and Midge Ramone (aka Sydnie and Kreigh Barnette) are ShiSho, a teen/tween duo of budding musicians and songwriters. They’ve been making colorful
and often humorous music for much of their young lives, with the help of their proud father/producer/manager/roadie, Kris Barnette, supportive mom, Tangela, and karate-loving 6-year-old brother Mattox, who dubbed the home studio ”Miggle Fingie’s Goblet of Rawk Studio.”
The video is for one of three songs ShiSho will submit to Bernsen’s Team Cherokee productions for possible inclusion in 25 Hill, his upcoming feature film about the Soap Box Derby that was shot partially in the Akron area last year. As with many aspects of their growing music career, the opportunity came about thanks to a mix of serendipity and good, old-fashioned chutzpah.

”We were extras in the movie, and they had a meet-and-greet with Corbin Bernsen and some of the other actors,” Sydnie said, sitting on top of a speaker cabinet in the small part of the crowded basement not dedicated to being a music and video studio. ”And I just walked up to him and said ‘Hey, I’m in a band called ShiSho. Can we submit some songs for the movie?’ And he said, ‘Sure.’ ”

So the girls set about writing some new songs that adroitly referenced the derby. ”We figured just sending MP3s was so impersonal, we thought it would be better to send some videos,” Sydnie said.
Roots in rock

ShiSho (pronounced ”Shy-Show,” officially a martial-arts master, colloquially something cool and indescribable) began on a backyard trampoline way back in 2004, but the girls’ musical education by way of their parents began before their feet touched earth.

From the safety of her mother’s womb, Sydnie experienced They Might Be Giants and Soul Coughing, and as a toddler she saw her first punk show featuring MXPX and other bands. Kreigh’s first show was maverick Christian indie rocker Mike Knott, whose punk tune Daddy’s Womp ShiSho would eventually record. Even their stage names are a tribute to the Ramones.

”We warped them young,” said Kris, a jovial man who works by day as a marketing communications manager for SageQuest. ”We’d listen to a lot of stuff in the car, Beastie Boys, Ween, Atom and His Package, a lot of silly stuff,” he said.

”We’d always been inspired by people like They Might Be Giants, Weird Al, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players,” which featured now 17-year-old drummer/singer/ShiSho hero Rachel Trachtenburg, said Sydnie.

While jumping on a trampoline, Sydnie had an idea. ”And I was like, ‘Hey, Dad,’ and he said ‘What?’ and I was like, ‘I think I want to be in a band when I’m older.’ And he’s like, ‘When you’re older?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, when I’m a teenager,’ and he - Akron Beacon Journal

Stanton Middle School eighth-grader Vivian Ramone and her little sister Midge, a Franklin Elementary School fourth-grader's rock band ShiSho was awarded 5th place today as best local band.

"We're really honored; there have been a lot of great musicians and bands from Akron," Vivian Ramone said. "You'll be hearing more and more from us as we work to become the next Chrissie (Hynde) or Devo. I hope this means more gigs for ShiSho now."

The competition was sponsored by the Akron Beacon Journal.

ShiSho performs in venues in Kent, Akron, Youngstown, Columbus and have been regulars at the Cornerstone Festival in Illinois, and Gratis Fest in Indiana since 2005.

Inspired by young musician, Rachel Trachtenburg of the Trachtenburg Family Slide Show Players and wizard rockers, Harry and the Potters, Vivian and Midge have been performing original and cover material for five years. "We like indie music, like Wavves, Sleigh Bells and Super Cute, not stuff like Camp Rock or whatever, like Justin Bieber," said little sister Midge. "The only way that we're like Hanna Montana is that like in her TV show, it's a secret that she's a rock star. Nobody in my school knows that I'm in a band. Midge isn't even my real name. So it's like I have a double life when I play a show in a place like Northside Bar and then the next day I'm a little well-behaved, A-student fourth grader."

In 2004, their underground breakout, a cover of the Dead Milkmen song; "Punk Rock Girl" was voted one of the best songs of 2004 on WCSB 89.3 FM in Cleveland. Following that success, Vivian had the opportunity to meet the Dead Milkmen at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia during their reunion show in November of 2004.

ShiSho's first original song, "Get Behind Me Santa," inspired by the White Stripes was released through their myspace page on Christmas 2005. Within days it received a viral flurry of attention through music blogs worldwide.

Filthy Little Angels Records in Nelson, England, heard it and added ShiSho to their roster. Over the course of 5 years Filthy Little Angels has released 12 ShiSho songs including crowd favorite; "Rocks and Penalties" on a bubble gum pink vinyl split single with Texas electronic pop duo Hyperbubble.

"Through ShiSho, we've gotten to do a lot of great stuff, like start Magnetic Bunny records for kid bands... but that didn't last long. We got into a fun battle with Sufjan Steven's after he released his song "Get Behind Me, Santa." We are trying to break the world record zombie party in Akron and make it the Undead Capital of the World. We were featured in a comic book by Chris Yambar, creator of Suicide Blonde and writer for the Simpson's Bongo Comics." said Vivian. "Our favorite thing to do is perform. We use to just perform to music tracks on an iPod but now I'm playing guitar, thanks to Kurt Reed, my guitar coach at Jam Sessions in Kent, so that's pretty cool," Vivian said.

Vivian and Midge spoke directly with actor/director, Corbin Bernsen about submitting an original ShiSho track for the 25 Hill movie sound track, a movie partially filmed in Akron. "Mister Bernsen lit up at the idea," said Vivian. "He said that he likes the enterprising spirit of the kids that he's met through 25 Hill. After we talked, he called his assistant in to meet me. I don't know if he'll use our song, but we'll try."

This past Saturday ShiSho performed along side Radio Disney for the Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts Convention in Macedonia. On Oct. 9, they'll headline LAWN-CON Comic Book Convention in Youngstown.

ShiSho is currently booking shows for Christmas. For more information about ShiSho, visit - Record Courier

Stanton Middle School eighth-grader Vivian Ramone and her little sister Midge, a Franklin Elementary School fourth-grader's rock band ShiSho was awarded 5th place today as best local band.

"We're really honored; there have been a lot of great musicians and bands from Akron," Vivian Ramone said. "You'll be hearing more and more from us as we work to become the next Chrissie (Hynde) or Devo. I hope this means more gigs for ShiSho now."

The competition was sponsored by the Akron Beacon Journal.

ShiSho performs in venues in Kent, Akron, Youngstown, Columbus and have been regulars at the Cornerstone Festival in Illinois, and Gratis Fest in Indiana since 2005.

Inspired by young musician, Rachel Trachtenburg of the Trachtenburg Family Slide Show Players and wizard rockers, Harry and the Potters, Vivian and Midge have been performing original and cover material for five years. "We like indie music, like Wavves, Sleigh Bells and Super Cute, not stuff like Camp Rock or whatever, like Justin Bieber," said little sister Midge. "The only way that we're like Hanna Montana is that like in her TV show, it's a secret that she's a rock star. Nobody in my school knows that I'm in a band. Midge isn't even my real name. So it's like I have a double life when I play a show in a place like Northside Bar and then the next day I'm a little well-behaved, A-student fourth grader."

In 2004, their underground breakout, a cover of the Dead Milkmen song; "Punk Rock Girl" was voted one of the best songs of 2004 on WCSB 89.3 FM in Cleveland. Following that success, Vivian had the opportunity to meet the Dead Milkmen at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia during their reunion show in November of 2004.

ShiSho's first original song, "Get Behind Me Santa," inspired by the White Stripes was released through their myspace page on Christmas 2005. Within days it received a viral flurry of attention through music blogs worldwide.

Filthy Little Angels Records in Nelson, England, heard it and added ShiSho to their roster. Over the course of 5 years Filthy Little Angels has released 12 ShiSho songs including crowd favorite; "Rocks and Penalties" on a bubble gum pink vinyl split single with Texas electronic pop duo Hyperbubble.

"Through ShiSho, we've gotten to do a lot of great stuff, like start Magnetic Bunny records for kid bands... but that didn't last long. We got into a fun battle with Sufjan Steven's after he released his song "Get Behind Me, Santa." We are trying to break the world record zombie party in Akron and make it the Undead Capital of the World. We were featured in a comic book by Chris Yambar, creator of Suicide Blonde and writer for the Simpson's Bongo Comics." said Vivian. "Our favorite thing to do is perform. We use to just perform to music tracks on an iPod but now I'm playing guitar, thanks to Kurt Reed, my guitar coach at Jam Sessions in Kent, so that's pretty cool," Vivian said.

Vivian and Midge spoke directly with actor/director, Corbin Bernsen about submitting an original ShiSho track for the 25 Hill movie sound track, a movie partially filmed in Akron. "Mister Bernsen lit up at the idea," said Vivian. "He said that he likes the enterprising spirit of the kids that he's met through 25 Hill. After we talked, he called his assistant in to meet me. I don't know if he'll use our song, but we'll try."

This past Saturday ShiSho performed along side Radio Disney for the Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts Convention in Macedonia. On Oct. 9, they'll headline LAWN-CON Comic Book Convention in Youngstown.

ShiSho is currently booking shows for Christmas. For more information about ShiSho, visit - Record Courier

Anyone who tells you young folks today are aimless, shiftless, ADD-infected and cell phone- and Facebook-addicted lay-a-bouts should have a talk with the ladies of sister duo act ShiSho.

Vivian and Midge Ramone of Kent have been gigging and hustling for six years (they’re 14 and 10 now), putting out records on their Magnetic Bunny Records, being rendered artistically in comic books and getting praise from famous folk such as Kimya Dawson and Jackyl (you remember them, the hard rock band with chainsaw solos).

Sydnie "Vivian" Ramone, 14, (left) and her sister Kreigh "Midge" Ramone, 10, are the band Shisho in their basement studio Monday, Jan. 17, 2011 in Monday in Kent, Ohio. (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal)

Well, now the duo is trying to spread its hustle to other ”youngwave” bands (they’ve even made up their own marketing lingo!) in the area with the launch of ”Rock the Tradition,” a music competition and All-American Soap Box Derby music compilation fundraiser.

It’s in conjunction with the locally shot Corbin Bernsen-produced soap box derby film 25 Hill.

ShiSho hooked up with Bernsen and the 25 Hill gang through good old-fashioned youthful chutzpah.

The girls were extras in the film and during a meet and greet with the stars, Vivian simply walked up to Bernsen and said ”I’m in a band called ShiSho and we’d like to submit a song for your movie.”

Bernsen was suitably impressed and told the girls to write a couple of derby/movie-related tunes, which they did.

While most bands would be satisfied with creating their own opportunity, the girls then got the idea to help out other young bands with a contest that will end with a Rock the Tradition compilation with all the proceeds from sales of CDs and/or digital content going to help keep the derby going.

The basic rules of the contest are participating bands must have at least one member under the age of 18. They must submit an original, CD-quality song with a lyrical focus on any of the following subjects: any aspect, directly or indirectly related to the soap box derby, the spirit of sportsmanship, the excitement of the race or the value of tradition.
The deadline for entries is May 21. You can download an entry form and further details at http://rockthetradition.com. The $25 entry fee will be used to cover costs of the CD and promotion.

The culmination of all of this young music making will be the nationally distributed compilation CD/mp3s and a Rock the Tradition concert to be held in Akron in late July coinciding with the local screening of 25 Hill.
I sure didn’t know what synergy was, corporate, marketing or otherwise, when I was 14 years old, so good luck ladies. - Akron Beacon Journal

Anyone who tells you young folks today are aimless, shiftless, ADD-infected and cell phone- and Facebook-addicted lay-a-bouts should have a talk with the ladies of sister duo act ShiSho.

Vivian and Midge Ramone of Kent have been gigging and hustling for six years (they’re 14 and 10 now), putting out records on their Magnetic Bunny Records, being rendered artistically in comic books and getting praise from famous folk such as Kimya Dawson and Jackyl (you remember them, the hard rock band with chainsaw solos).

Sydnie "Vivian" Ramone, 14, (left) and her sister Kreigh "Midge" Ramone, 10, are the band Shisho in their basement studio Monday, Jan. 17, 2011 in Monday in Kent, Ohio. (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal)

Well, now the duo is trying to spread its hustle to other ”youngwave” bands (they’ve even made up their own marketing lingo!) in the area with the launch of ”Rock the Tradition,” a music competition and All-American Soap Box Derby music compilation fundraiser.

It’s in conjunction with the locally shot Corbin Bernsen-produced soap box derby film 25 Hill.

ShiSho hooked up with Bernsen and the 25 Hill gang through good old-fashioned youthful chutzpah.

The girls were extras in the film and during a meet and greet with the stars, Vivian simply walked up to Bernsen and said ”I’m in a band called ShiSho and we’d like to submit a song for your movie.”

Bernsen was suitably impressed and told the girls to write a couple of derby/movie-related tunes, which they did.

While most bands would be satisfied with creating their own opportunity, the girls then got the idea to help out other young bands with a contest that will end with a Rock the Tradition compilation with all the proceeds from sales of CDs and/or digital content going to help keep the derby going.

The basic rules of the contest are participating bands must have at least one member under the age of 18. They must submit an original, CD-quality song with a lyrical focus on any of the following subjects: any aspect, directly or indirectly related to the soap box derby, the spirit of sportsmanship, the excitement of the race or the value of tradition.
The deadline for entries is May 21. You can download an entry form and further details at http://rockthetradition.com. The $25 entry fee will be used to cover costs of the CD and promotion.

The culmination of all of this young music making will be the nationally distributed compilation CD/mp3s and a Rock the Tradition concert to be held in Akron in late July coinciding with the local screening of 25 Hill.
I sure didn’t know what synergy was, corporate, marketing or otherwise, when I was 14 years old, so good luck ladies. - Akron Beacon Journal

OK, I don’t know when these young ladies’ next Akron gig is happening, but if you see the name ShiSho on an area rock club/outdoor festival bill you should check them out because they are guaranteed to make you smile.

For those not in the know (and that included me up until a few days ago, but trust me there will be a story coming in the near future), ShiSho is the duo of Vivian and Midge Ramone of Kent who are 13 and 10, respectively.

They started ShiSho five years ago after Vivian attended a Dead Milkmen reunion show at the age of 8 and when Midge signed autographs with her original artwork.

Yeah, two little girls singing original songs is inherently cute, but the pair, both honor students, are also genuinely talented, witty and just plain funny.

Case in point is the opening verse from their song Rocks N Penalties from their Demo Rainbow Jumpin. Over a hard rock beat and some jaunty acoustic guitar chords, the girls narrate the following verse with considerable flair and energy:

Vivian: I knew the consequences; The old lady pegleg curses anyone who takes her precious lava rocks from the island.

Midge: She’s one sorry Mama Jama!

Vivian: But, don’t take my word for it.

Together: Check Wikipedia!

Vivian: Anyway, I pocketed her rocks and at that moment a coconut hit my head like a double-decker bus, and I saw a rainbow and unicorns and the Smiths reunited. It was wonderful! They were playing Girlfriend in a Coma.

Midge: How ironic!

Vivian: That was when the unicorns started eating the rainbow!

Midge: No, no — unicorns don’t eat the rainbow!

The imaginatively odd song ends with Morrissey flying away to help the sick unicorns (apparently rainbows are poisonous) get to the clinic, which is on the other side of the half-eaten rainbow.

The girls, who placed fifth in the recent Beacon’s Best contest, write their own songs and have a homemade video for their song America Will Punch You. They have also recorded a couple of Christmas EPs for English label Filthy Little Angels including a song called Get Behind Me, Santa that started a friendly beef with indie rocker Sufjan Stevens, who has a song of the same name released after the girls’ recording.

They responded by covering his song. They’ve also covered the Dead Milkmen’s Punk Rawk Girl and New Order’s True Faith as well as Danny and the Juniors’ Rock N Roll Is Here to Stay.

If the notion of young girls playing rock music conjures up audio images of the Shaggs, the quartet of musically inept and innocent Wiggins sisters whose 1969 album Philosophy of the World became a beloved example of ”outsider rock,” you’d be underestimating the talent of the Ramone sisters.

They aren’t young Christina Aguileras or anything but Vivian can carry a tune and you can’t deny Midge’s energy.

The girls are getting some attention having recently played alongside Radio Disney for the Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts Convention in Macedonia, despite Vivian’s assertion that ”we’re pretty much the anti-Disney-type band.” And Corbin Bernsen asked them to submit a song for 25 Hill, his upcoming Soap Box Derby movie shot partially in Akron.
If you’re in Youngstown on Oct. 9, you can check them out at Chris Yambar’s LAWN-CON Comic Book Convention.

As a side project, the girls would like to make Akron the Zombie capital of the world and have dedicated a Facebook page to the endeavor at http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-need-10000-people-to-make-Akron-Ohio-the-Zombie-Capital-of-the-world/137788936250097?ref=ts.SHISHO. - Akron Beacon Journal

OK, I don’t know when these young ladies’ next Akron gig is happening, but if you see the name ShiSho on an area rock club/outdoor festival bill you should check them out because they are guaranteed to make you smile.

For those not in the know (and that included me up until a few days ago, but trust me there will be a story coming in the near future), ShiSho is the duo of Vivian and Midge Ramone of Kent who are 13 and 10, respectively.

They started ShiSho five years ago after Vivian attended a Dead Milkmen reunion show at the age of 8 and when Midge signed autographs with her original artwork.

Yeah, two little girls singing original songs is inherently cute, but the pair, both honor students, are also genuinely talented, witty and just plain funny.

Case in point is the opening verse from their song Rocks N Penalties from their Demo Rainbow Jumpin. Over a hard rock beat and some jaunty acoustic guitar chords, the girls narrate the following verse with considerable flair and energy:

Vivian: I knew the consequences; The old lady pegleg curses anyone who takes her precious lava rocks from the island.

Midge: She’s one sorry Mama Jama!

Vivian: But, don’t take my word for it.

Together: Check Wikipedia!

Vivian: Anyway, I pocketed her rocks and at that moment a coconut hit my head like a double-decker bus, and I saw a rainbow and unicorns and the Smiths reunited. It was wonderful! They were playing Girlfriend in a Coma.

Midge: How ironic!

Vivian: That was when the unicorns started eating the rainbow!

Midge: No, no — unicorns don’t eat the rainbow!

The imaginatively odd song ends with Morrissey flying away to help the sick unicorns (apparently rainbows are poisonous) get to the clinic, which is on the other side of the half-eaten rainbow.

The girls, who placed fifth in the recent Beacon’s Best contest, write their own songs and have a homemade video for their song America Will Punch You. They have also recorded a couple of Christmas EPs for English label Filthy Little Angels including a song called Get Behind Me, Santa that started a friendly beef with indie rocker Sufjan Stevens, who has a song of the same name released after the girls’ recording.

They responded by covering his song. They’ve also covered the Dead Milkmen’s Punk Rawk Girl and New Order’s True Faith as well as Danny and the Juniors’ Rock N Roll Is Here to Stay.

If the notion of young girls playing rock music conjures up audio images of the Shaggs, the quartet of musically inept and innocent Wiggins sisters whose 1969 album Philosophy of the World became a beloved example of ”outsider rock,” you’d be underestimating the talent of the Ramone sisters.

They aren’t young Christina Aguileras or anything but Vivian can carry a tune and you can’t deny Midge’s energy.

The girls are getting some attention having recently played alongside Radio Disney for the Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts Convention in Macedonia, despite Vivian’s assertion that ”we’re pretty much the anti-Disney-type band.” And Corbin Bernsen asked them to submit a song for 25 Hill, his upcoming Soap Box Derby movie shot partially in Akron.
If you’re in Youngstown on Oct. 9, you can check them out at Chris Yambar’s LAWN-CON Comic Book Convention.

As a side project, the girls would like to make Akron the Zombie capital of the world and have dedicated a Facebook page to the endeavor at http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-need-10000-people-to-make-Akron-Ohio-the-Zombie-Capital-of-the-world/137788936250097?ref=ts.SHISHO. - Akron Beacon Journal

Although most of the Silver Oaks residents have moved elsewhere, the fight isn’t over yet, according to neighborhood activists.

Resident at the Respect Your Elders Rally

Video by Megan Moore
A crowd of more than 80 people attended the Respect Your Elders Rally at the Home Savings Plaza in downtown Kent Friday evening to support the residents’ fight against eviction.

In late July, 250 residents of the 55 and older housing complex were informed they have until Oct. 1 — 60 days — to move out before Capstone Development Corporation, a Birmingham, Ala. company, repurposes the property for student housing.

“I think they’re being — for a lack of a better word — screwed,” said Tim Thompson. “People have been living there for 25 to 30 years and I don’t see the problem with continuing to let them live there.”

On Thursday, Capstone Development, who won’t officially own the property until the end of the year, stated on its website that less than 20 Silver Oaks Place residents remain at the complex without a scheduled move-out date.

“I think Capstone is making up the numbers,” said Avery Friedman, a legal counselor for the residents. “Not only is that statement to the media not true, my fear is that it’s going to be printed as if it were true.”




Students at the Respect Your Elders Rally

Video by Loren Thomas
Speakers at the rally included Kent City Council members Robin Turner and Tracy Wallach; Chris Yambar, an activist and writer for the Simpsons comic books; Arlyne Habeeb, a community organizer for the Community Action Council of Portage County; and Maj Ragain, a poet and son of a Silver Oaks resident.

Not everyone at the Respect Your Elders Rally had a personal or professional connection to Silver Oaks residents, including the two major organizers who came up with the idea for the five-hour event.

Ramone, a freshman at Theodore Roosevelt High School, said she and her sister Midge, a fifth grader, came up with the idea for the rally after hearing about the situation through their father.





SAM VERBULECZ | DAILY KENT STATER
Jack Williams, Silver Oaks resident of 16 years, attended the concert held on Friday, Sept. 2nd to raise money and awareness for the senior citizens being forced out of their homes. The rose in his shoe symbolizes love, and was one of many that passed out at the concert.
“This is something happening in my community and I don’t want Kent to have a bad name for it,” Ramone said.

The sisters performed during the event under their band name ShiSho.

On Thursday, Ramone sent an open letter to the leaders of Capstone Development, encouraging the company to reverse its eviction plans and convert Silver Oaks Place to a “mixed generational housing complex,” which would allow current residents to stay and welcome students to fill the complex’s vacancies.

“Capstone would still make their profit,” Ramone wrote in her open letter posted on the Facebook pages for Respect Your Elders Rally and ShiSho.

“The City of Kent would still get increased tax money. Kent State University would still get extra housing while setting an example for campus generational diversity. And Capstone would generate goodwill for being a considerate new member of Kent, Ohio.”

Molly Taggart, a communication studies graduate, said she thinks the eviction was harsher than it needed to be.

“It could’ve been a phased-in, phased-out project,” she said. “Chances are if you did this over multiple years you’d find students who would want to live there and you’d also find some of our elderly people who would not want to live there in the end. But it can be a more gradual, calm process.”


Contact Simon Husted at shusted1@kent.edu. - Kent Wired, University Newspaper (Video in Link)

Although most of the Silver Oaks residents have moved elsewhere, the fight isn’t over yet, according to neighborhood activists.

Resident at the Respect Your Elders Rally

Video by Megan Moore
A crowd of more than 80 people attended the Respect Your Elders Rally at the Home Savings Plaza in downtown Kent Friday evening to support the residents’ fight against eviction.

In late July, 250 residents of the 55 and older housing complex were informed they have until Oct. 1 — 60 days — to move out before Capstone Development Corporation, a Birmingham, Ala. company, repurposes the property for student housing.

“I think they’re being — for a lack of a better word — screwed,” said Tim Thompson. “People have been living there for 25 to 30 years and I don’t see the problem with continuing to let them live there.”

On Thursday, Capstone Development, who won’t officially own the property until the end of the year, stated on its website that less than 20 Silver Oaks Place residents remain at the complex without a scheduled move-out date.

“I think Capstone is making up the numbers,” said Avery Friedman, a legal counselor for the residents. “Not only is that statement to the media not true, my fear is that it’s going to be printed as if it were true.”




Students at the Respect Your Elders Rally

Video by Loren Thomas
Speakers at the rally included Kent City Council members Robin Turner and Tracy Wallach; Chris Yambar, an activist and writer for the Simpsons comic books; Arlyne Habeeb, a community organizer for the Community Action Council of Portage County; and Maj Ragain, a poet and son of a Silver Oaks resident.

Not everyone at the Respect Your Elders Rally had a personal or professional connection to Silver Oaks residents, including the two major organizers who came up with the idea for the five-hour event.

Ramone, a freshman at Theodore Roosevelt High School, said she and her sister Midge, a fifth grader, came up with the idea for the rally after hearing about the situation through their father.





SAM VERBULECZ | DAILY KENT STATER
Jack Williams, Silver Oaks resident of 16 years, attended the concert held on Friday, Sept. 2nd to raise money and awareness for the senior citizens being forced out of their homes. The rose in his shoe symbolizes love, and was one of many that passed out at the concert.
“This is something happening in my community and I don’t want Kent to have a bad name for it,” Ramone said.

The sisters performed during the event under their band name ShiSho.

On Thursday, Ramone sent an open letter to the leaders of Capstone Development, encouraging the company to reverse its eviction plans and convert Silver Oaks Place to a “mixed generational housing complex,” which would allow current residents to stay and welcome students to fill the complex’s vacancies.

“Capstone would still make their profit,” Ramone wrote in her open letter posted on the Facebook pages for Respect Your Elders Rally and ShiSho.

“The City of Kent would still get increased tax money. Kent State University would still get extra housing while setting an example for campus generational diversity. And Capstone would generate goodwill for being a considerate new member of Kent, Ohio.”

Molly Taggart, a communication studies graduate, said she thinks the eviction was harsher than it needed to be.

“It could’ve been a phased-in, phased-out project,” she said. “Chances are if you did this over multiple years you’d find students who would want to live there and you’d also find some of our elderly people who would not want to live there in the end. But it can be a more gradual, calm process.”


Contact Simon Husted at shusted1@kent.edu. - Kent Wired, University Newspaper (Video in Link)

You may have recently read in the Beacon about the harsh plight of 250 seniors living at Silver Oaks Place retirement community in Kent who are set to be evicted by their complex’s new owners, Capstone Development Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 1 to make way for student housing. (All together now, “BOOOOOOO!”)

From left: Midge and Vivian Ramone of Kent sister band ShiSho. credit: Kris Barnette

Unless you are stone-hearted, chances are you shook your head sympathetically or tsked, tsked about how easy it is to discard human beings in the name of free enterprise.

But two local girls are trying to do something tangible to help. Sisters Vivian and Midge Ramone, also known as the cheeky band ShiSho, are hastily trying to organize a rally to support the residents of Silver Oaks Retirement Community to help raise money for their legal counsel, Avery Friedman, to get the ball rolling in a compressed time frame.
The event, set to take place 5-10 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Home Saving Plaza at West Main and South Water streets in Kent, is called (take a deep breath) the RYE (Respect Your Elders) Rally and Fundraiser to support the residents of Silver Oaks Retirement Community. Arlyne Habeeb of the Community Action Council of Portage County is opening a bank account on behalf of the residents. All funds raised through the rally will be deposited into the account.

The young ladies (Vivian, 14, and Midge, 11) have got the venue thanks to the Home Saving Bank and they have a public address system donated by Woodsy’s music store in Kent. Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center has also pledged campus support and several speakers. And Friedman is set to speak. However, they are having trouble getting bands to donate their time.

So far they have confirmed singer/songwriter Hal Walker, who wrote the surprisingly catchy tune My State, Ohio — a song that incorporates the state’s 88 counties in geographical order.

Again, the ladies realize the time frame is compressed and many bands already have gigs booked for that Friday evening but Vivian says she’s come across another problem when it comes to corralling bands to play, that I’ll let her explain.

“It’s a little tougher for us I think because we are so young,’’ she said. ‘‘I mean, musicians have notoriously massive egos. Even the sweetest of bands carry that monster inside. The idea of supporting the vision of a 14- and 11-year-old is a bitter pill for some to swallow.

‘‘After six years, we’ve paid our dues and proven that we can rock with the best of them and successfully see big projects through, but we’re still kids. Sadly that’s hard for some people to accept.

‘‘The reality that these people are losing their homes is more important. This is about respect, dignity, compassion, loving our neighbors, respecting our elders — the people who risked their lives, who watched their friends [get] blown up all around them in military and domestic service for the same American freedoms that are irresponsibly being used to evict them from their retirement homes and community of friends and loved ones.

‘‘I hope that we see a time when America looks back at our history of irresponsible behavior in disgust and disbelief. But it will take people to drop our egos, act on our disbelief together to change things right.”
So there.

OK, hip and happening bands of Summit and Stark County who don’t have gigs on Sept. 2. Please, citizen up and lend your talents to a good cause. If you’re willing to pile your crap into a van and drive a couple of hours to Mount Lebanon, Pa., to play for eight people, $150 and a handful of drink tickets in a dive bar, hopefully you and your band mates are willing to rock (or whatever it is you do) to help defend seniors from being discourteously booted from the homes they’ve known for years.
There are two early 20-minute slots, two prime-time 30-minute slots and one 45-minute headliner slot (ShiSho is - The Akron Beacon Journal

You may have recently read in the Beacon about the harsh plight of 250 seniors living at Silver Oaks Place retirement community in Kent who are set to be evicted by their complex’s new owners, Capstone Development Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 1 to make way for student housing. (All together now, “BOOOOOOO!”)

From left: Midge and Vivian Ramone of Kent sister band ShiSho. credit: Kris Barnette

Unless you are stone-hearted, chances are you shook your head sympathetically or tsked, tsked about how easy it is to discard human beings in the name of free enterprise.

But two local girls are trying to do something tangible to help. Sisters Vivian and Midge Ramone, also known as the cheeky band ShiSho, are hastily trying to organize a rally to support the residents of Silver Oaks Retirement Community to help raise money for their legal counsel, Avery Friedman, to get the ball rolling in a compressed time frame.
The event, set to take place 5-10 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Home Saving Plaza at West Main and South Water streets in Kent, is called (take a deep breath) the RYE (Respect Your Elders) Rally and Fundraiser to support the residents of Silver Oaks Retirement Community. Arlyne Habeeb of the Community Action Council of Portage County is opening a bank account on behalf of the residents. All funds raised through the rally will be deposited into the account.

The young ladies (Vivian, 14, and Midge, 11) have got the venue thanks to the Home Saving Bank and they have a public address system donated by Woodsy’s music store in Kent. Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center has also pledged campus support and several speakers. And Friedman is set to speak. However, they are having trouble getting bands to donate their time.

So far they have confirmed singer/songwriter Hal Walker, who wrote the surprisingly catchy tune My State, Ohio — a song that incorporates the state’s 88 counties in geographical order.

Again, the ladies realize the time frame is compressed and many bands already have gigs booked for that Friday evening but Vivian says she’s come across another problem when it comes to corralling bands to play, that I’ll let her explain.

“It’s a little tougher for us I think because we are so young,’’ she said. ‘‘I mean, musicians have notoriously massive egos. Even the sweetest of bands carry that monster inside. The idea of supporting the vision of a 14- and 11-year-old is a bitter pill for some to swallow.

‘‘After six years, we’ve paid our dues and proven that we can rock with the best of them and successfully see big projects through, but we’re still kids. Sadly that’s hard for some people to accept.

‘‘The reality that these people are losing their homes is more important. This is about respect, dignity, compassion, loving our neighbors, respecting our elders — the people who risked their lives, who watched their friends [get] blown up all around them in military and domestic service for the same American freedoms that are irresponsibly being used to evict them from their retirement homes and community of friends and loved ones.

‘‘I hope that we see a time when America looks back at our history of irresponsible behavior in disgust and disbelief. But it will take people to drop our egos, act on our disbelief together to change things right.”
So there.

OK, hip and happening bands of Summit and Stark County who don’t have gigs on Sept. 2. Please, citizen up and lend your talents to a good cause. If you’re willing to pile your crap into a van and drive a couple of hours to Mount Lebanon, Pa., to play for eight people, $150 and a handful of drink tickets in a dive bar, hopefully you and your band mates are willing to rock (or whatever it is you do) to help defend seniors from being discourteously booted from the homes they’ve known for years.
There are two early 20-minute slots, two prime-time 30-minute slots and one 45-minute headliner slot (ShiSho is - The Akron Beacon Journal

You Said What About Us?!?
Current mood:bouncy
Shisho are cute yet badly sung. Their track "Courtney sat on a rock" is described as "rainbow jumpin' kid core!" and features the lyrics "Courtney got bit on the butt and she cried and she cried". Albeit possibly the coolest kids in school, the two girls that perform herein, Midge and Vivian, are led by the mysterious Professor Peushu which is just wrong if you ask me. They are working on an under-18s record label and download site, bless them. Adorable, if a little irritating – Repeat Fanzine

Two kid sisters singing to a background track, and simple as it sounds, they blow my mind. Nick stumbled upon their show at Cornerstone and got their demo and I swear, it almost made me cry how hard I was laughing at how brilliant and funny their lyrics are. These kids are geniouses. If they ever put it on their myspace, check out the song "Rocks n' Penalties". It's a gem. – Day Tripper

Shisho, While their name sounds like a Buddhist chant, these goofballs offer crazy mixes that are awesome, fun, mega-silly. They cover the Mike Knott tune, "Daddy's Womp" and do a "basement Mash-Up" mix called "Disco Brandtson." I told you they were crazy.. - HM Magazine

Shisho are an amazing pair of pre-teens from Ohio whose lo-fi keyboard kidpop is literally fantastic on 'Rocks and Penalties' where a blow on the head sends them riffing about unicorns eating rainbows at a Smiths reunion concert. - SOUNDS XP

have released an online single called "Get Behind me Santa". The title song is wonderful, but even better is their cover version of The Dead Milkmen's "Punk Rock Girl", though it's not a christmas song. With influences like The Dead Milkmen I'm sure they'll grow up to make lots more great music in the future. Thanks to Mira El Péndulo for pointing them out to me. – Indie mp3

…cute and not in a too annoying way. I love the squeaky voice in the middle telling the "jokes. – Small Ages Blog

Saturday night-Toledo Indie POP festival: this was lots of fun. a great collection of bands from the midwest played. my favorite band and the highlight of my tour so far was Shi Sho--a two piece kid band. imagine two adorable girls in cool sunglasses singing along to an ipod (run by dad i think). my favorite song was "courtney sat on a rock" it was about how she got bit on the butt by a spider. i also liked their last song about unicorns eating a rainbow but the rainbow was poisonous so they got sick. they couldnt take the unicorns to the clinic because the clinic was on the other side of the rainbow and the rainbow was half eaten. luckily the smiths reunited in this song so morrisey took the unicorns to the clinic with his magical flight powers. stellar song. -Arrah

Laid back pop grooves, out of tune teenage-girly-vocals and silly lyrics. Catchy and annoying in equal measures. Eminently slappable, yet subversively endearing. There should be laws against this sort of thing...oh, there are! – The Mag UK

Ok, there is a band in Columbus, very obscure..they are 2 little girls..you have to listen to their song "rocks n penalties", seems to be inspired by the smiths/moz. I caught it on a local college radio show… Oh, the band is called "shisho". – Desmoface

ShiSho are described as "kid-core". If The Lord exists, he knows how wrong this would be, and it is that wrong. But "Rocks and Penalties" is, simply, genius. More fully, it is a work of deeply wrong genius, and you owe it to yourself, to lil sis Midge, to big sis Vivian, to their mentor Professor PeuSheu- you probably aren't a made-up person but I'm not sure about the other three - to hear it. You get to find out how Morrissey saved the Unicorns. – Repeat Fanzine

twee electro of Shisho including the kindergarten sing a-long, 'Courtney Sat On A Rock' with its candy cute melody and lyrics of, "Courtney sat on a rock and she smiled and she smiled, Courtney got bit on the butt and she cried and she cried". It may be simple, but its bright beats mirr - Multiple

You Said What About Us?!?
Current mood:bouncy
Shisho are cute yet badly sung. Their track "Courtney sat on a rock" is described as "rainbow jumpin' kid core!" and features the lyrics "Courtney got bit on the butt and she cried and she cried". Albeit possibly the coolest kids in school, the two girls that perform herein, Midge and Vivian, are led by the mysterious Professor Peushu which is just wrong if you ask me. They are working on an under-18s record label and download site, bless them. Adorable, if a little irritating – Repeat Fanzine

Two kid sisters singing to a background track, and simple as it sounds, they blow my mind. Nick stumbled upon their show at Cornerstone and got their demo and I swear, it almost made me cry how hard I was laughing at how brilliant and funny their lyrics are. These kids are geniouses. If they ever put it on their myspace, check out the song "Rocks n' Penalties". It's a gem. – Day Tripper

Shisho, While their name sounds like a Buddhist chant, these goofballs offer crazy mixes that are awesome, fun, mega-silly. They cover the Mike Knott tune, "Daddy's Womp" and do a "basement Mash-Up" mix called "Disco Brandtson." I told you they were crazy.. - HM Magazine

Shisho are an amazing pair of pre-teens from Ohio whose lo-fi keyboard kidpop is literally fantastic on 'Rocks and Penalties' where a blow on the head sends them riffing about unicorns eating rainbows at a Smiths reunion concert. - SOUNDS XP

have released an online single called "Get Behind me Santa". The title song is wonderful, but even better is their cover version of The Dead Milkmen's "Punk Rock Girl", though it's not a christmas song. With influences like The Dead Milkmen I'm sure they'll grow up to make lots more great music in the future. Thanks to Mira El Péndulo for pointing them out to me. – Indie mp3

…cute and not in a too annoying way. I love the squeaky voice in the middle telling the "jokes. – Small Ages Blog

Saturday night-Toledo Indie POP festival: this was lots of fun. a great collection of bands from the midwest played. my favorite band and the highlight of my tour so far was Shi Sho--a two piece kid band. imagine two adorable girls in cool sunglasses singing along to an ipod (run by dad i think). my favorite song was "courtney sat on a rock" it was about how she got bit on the butt by a spider. i also liked their last song about unicorns eating a rainbow but the rainbow was poisonous so they got sick. they couldnt take the unicorns to the clinic because the clinic was on the other side of the rainbow and the rainbow was half eaten. luckily the smiths reunited in this song so morrisey took the unicorns to the clinic with his magical flight powers. stellar song. -Arrah

Laid back pop grooves, out of tune teenage-girly-vocals and silly lyrics. Catchy and annoying in equal measures. Eminently slappable, yet subversively endearing. There should be laws against this sort of thing...oh, there are! – The Mag UK

Ok, there is a band in Columbus, very obscure..they are 2 little girls..you have to listen to their song "rocks n penalties", seems to be inspired by the smiths/moz. I caught it on a local college radio show… Oh, the band is called "shisho". – Desmoface

ShiSho are described as "kid-core". If The Lord exists, he knows how wrong this would be, and it is that wrong. But "Rocks and Penalties" is, simply, genius. More fully, it is a work of deeply wrong genius, and you owe it to yourself, to lil sis Midge, to big sis Vivian, to their mentor Professor PeuSheu- you probably aren't a made-up person but I'm not sure about the other three - to hear it. You get to find out how Morrissey saved the Unicorns. – Repeat Fanzine

twee electro of Shisho including the kindergarten sing a-long, 'Courtney Sat On A Rock' with its candy cute melody and lyrics of, "Courtney sat on a rock and she smiled and she smiled, Courtney got bit on the butt and she cried and she cried". It may be simple, but its bright beats mirr - Multiple

Shisho, While their name sounds like a Buddhist chant, these goofballs offer crazy mixes that are awesome, fun, mega-silly. They cover the Mike Knott tune, "Daddy's Womp" and do a "basement Mash-Up" mix called "Disco Brandtson." I told you they were crazy. - HM Magazine

Shisho, While their name sounds like a Buddhist chant, these goofballs offer crazy mixes that are awesome, fun, mega-silly. They cover the Mike Knott tune, "Daddy's Womp" and do a "basement Mash-Up" mix called "Disco Brandtson." I told you they were crazy. - HM Magazine

SISTER ACT
The Kent-based indie-pop-folk-comedy duo ShiSho will perform at 7:30 tonight at the Buzzbin Art & Music Shop at 339 Cleveland Ave. NW in downtown Canton. Admission is free. The duo, which consists of sisters Vivian Ramone, 15, on guitar and vocals and Midge Ramone, 12, on accordion and vocals, has opened for They Might Be Giants and Dead Milkmen. Their songs include “Punk Rawk Girl,” “I Love the Police” and “Evil Clown Song.” “We’re cute, spunky, funny, confident and entertaining,” said Vivian. We play “silly, funny but more grown-up stuff, not nasty but we’re not a Nickelodeon kid band either. We’ve performed live at least 60 times from garages, bars and basements to festivals and respected (and not respected, haha) music venues. We know what we’re doing.” - Canton Repository

SISTER ACT
The Kent-based indie-pop-folk-comedy duo ShiSho will perform at 7:30 tonight at the Buzzbin Art & Music Shop at 339 Cleveland Ave. NW in downtown Canton. Admission is free. The duo, which consists of sisters Vivian Ramone, 15, on guitar and vocals and Midge Ramone, 12, on accordion and vocals, has opened for They Might Be Giants and Dead Milkmen. Their songs include “Punk Rawk Girl,” “I Love the Police” and “Evil Clown Song.” “We’re cute, spunky, funny, confident and entertaining,” said Vivian. We play “silly, funny but more grown-up stuff, not nasty but we’re not a Nickelodeon kid band either. We’ve performed live at least 60 times from garages, bars and basements to festivals and respected (and not respected, haha) music venues. We know what we’re doing.” - Canton Repository

What do Hanson, Oasis, and the Jackson Five have in common with local female duo ShiSho? It's all in the family with each of these bands.

ShiSho consists of sisters Vivian Ramone, 14, and Midge Ramone, 11. Vivian and Midge have been writing songs about the darnedest things and generating crowd laughter since 2004, and with a motto of "Why wait?" they have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Though still young, the sisters take themselves seriously, and it has paid off: they have been on TV and radio stations and have been featured in several music magazines. With song titles like "America Will Punch You" and "It's Coming to Get You (the Evil Clown Song)," ShiSho's music is light-hearted with a humorous angle. Influenced by They Might Be Giants, The Dead Milkmen, Harry and the Potters, and Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, they describe their acoustic-driven sound as "comedy-indie-folk-pop" and "really upbeat and fun."
Despite their successes, some are doubtful of ShiSho solely because of their age. "A lot of people don't take us seriously or think we're something of a novelty act," Vivian says, citing an interview with The Beacon's Malcolm X Abram, which "focused on [her] whining part of the interview." Though embarrassed at first, the interview was a blessing because it "made it easier to talk openly about the haters."

In celebration of the holiday season (and in honor of Vivian's 15th birthday the day before), ShiSho will be going Christmas caroling on Dec. 18. Joining them will be friends, family, and Johnny and the Applestompers, with whom ShiSho has shared the stage in the past. They've also just released a Christmas-themed EP, Christmas for Your Earhole, featuring songs recorded from 2005 to 2009. One of the tracks, "Get Behind Me Santa" (inspired by the White Stripes album "Get Behind Me Satan"), was released on Pitchfork in 2006, which got "a buttload of hits" for ShiSho's Myspace Page.

Q&A with sisters Vivian and Midge Ramone:

Molly Hudelson: What's it like playing music with your sister?

Vivian Ramone: Overall, it's fantastic. It's super nice because we don't have to try and schedule things for two families to be able to go and play shows. Because we're in the same family, we can just pick up and go without all this preliminary planning. However, there are some difficult things, with cooperation, control, and stuff, but all that basically works itself out.

Midge Ramone: It's really fun to play with my sister because it's more fun with someone that you're close to instead of people you might see once a week.

MH: Just for fun: if you were going to cover a Lady Gaga song, which one would you pick and why?

VR: I would definitely choose "Bad Romance." I mostly just want to be able to say "rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-roma-roma-ma-ga-ga-ooh-la-la" without being looked at funny.

MR: Oh my. Well, I would have to say "Born this Way" just because of a memory on the bus. My bus driver told a girl on my bus to quiet down because she was acting coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs, and she simply answered "I was born this way!" in her best Lady Gaga voice. It made my day.

MH: What goals do you have as a band for the future?

VR: In the future, I would like to put out a full-length album and hopefully get picked up by a label. If we could get on a cool label like Plan-It-X or Asthmatic Kitty or Magic Marker or K Records, that would be amazing, but mostly, to have fun is my main thing. We've experienced some sort of limited fame at a young age, but if it ends now we'll always have these memories. When it's not fun anymore, I'll quit and will be happy with the incredible memories that I have.

MR: To get a lifetime supply of cheese.
- Case Western Reserve University Observer

What do Hanson, Oasis, and the Jackson Five have in common with local female duo ShiSho? It's all in the family with each of these bands.

ShiSho consists of sisters Vivian Ramone, 14, and Midge Ramone, 11. Vivian and Midge have been writing songs about the darnedest things and generating crowd laughter since 2004, and with a motto of "Why wait?" they have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Though still young, the sisters take themselves seriously, and it has paid off: they have been on TV and radio stations and have been featured in several music magazines. With song titles like "America Will Punch You" and "It's Coming to Get You (the Evil Clown Song)," ShiSho's music is light-hearted with a humorous angle. Influenced by They Might Be Giants, The Dead Milkmen, Harry and the Potters, and Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, they describe their acoustic-driven sound as "comedy-indie-folk-pop" and "really upbeat and fun."
Despite their successes, some are doubtful of ShiSho solely because of their age. "A lot of people don't take us seriously or think we're something of a novelty act," Vivian says, citing an interview with The Beacon's Malcolm X Abram, which "focused on [her] whining part of the interview." Though embarrassed at first, the interview was a blessing because it "made it easier to talk openly about the haters."

In celebration of the holiday season (and in honor of Vivian's 15th birthday the day before), ShiSho will be going Christmas caroling on Dec. 18. Joining them will be friends, family, and Johnny and the Applestompers, with whom ShiSho has shared the stage in the past. They've also just released a Christmas-themed EP, Christmas for Your Earhole, featuring songs recorded from 2005 to 2009. One of the tracks, "Get Behind Me Santa" (inspired by the White Stripes album "Get Behind Me Satan"), was released on Pitchfork in 2006, which got "a buttload of hits" for ShiSho's Myspace Page.

Q&A with sisters Vivian and Midge Ramone:

Molly Hudelson: What's it like playing music with your sister?

Vivian Ramone: Overall, it's fantastic. It's super nice because we don't have to try and schedule things for two families to be able to go and play shows. Because we're in the same family, we can just pick up and go without all this preliminary planning. However, there are some difficult things, with cooperation, control, and stuff, but all that basically works itself out.

Midge Ramone: It's really fun to play with my sister because it's more fun with someone that you're close to instead of people you might see once a week.

MH: Just for fun: if you were going to cover a Lady Gaga song, which one would you pick and why?

VR: I would definitely choose "Bad Romance." I mostly just want to be able to say "rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-roma-roma-ma-ga-ga-ooh-la-la" without being looked at funny.

MR: Oh my. Well, I would have to say "Born this Way" just because of a memory on the bus. My bus driver told a girl on my bus to quiet down because she was acting coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs, and she simply answered "I was born this way!" in her best Lady Gaga voice. It made my day.

MH: What goals do you have as a band for the future?

VR: In the future, I would like to put out a full-length album and hopefully get picked up by a label. If we could get on a cool label like Plan-It-X or Asthmatic Kitty or Magic Marker or K Records, that would be amazing, but mostly, to have fun is my main thing. We've experienced some sort of limited fame at a young age, but if it ends now we'll always have these memories. When it's not fun anymore, I'll quit and will be happy with the incredible memories that I have.

MR: To get a lifetime supply of cheese.
- Case Western Reserve University Observer

Members of all ages gathered at the Home Savings Plaza Friday night to support those residents who are fighting against their recent eviction notice from Silver Oaks Place.

The RYE (Respect Your Elders) Rally hosted 20 diverse acts during the five hour event. From musicians to poets to powerful speakers, Kent showed its support in good old fashioned Kent form.

"You guys can get loud. We just ask that you do not overturn cars or set them on fire," event MC Chris Yamar said jokingly to kick off the event.

And while the rally didn't threaten violence, it did bring out a good deal of powerful voices speaking out against what they see as a great injustice.

These seniors are "victims of unfair, un-American housing discrimination," said civil rights attorney Avery Friedman, who has agreed to serve as legal counsel for the group.

Friedman asked us to remember that the people that Capstone Development and Tell Real Estate is forcing out are the very people who have served us for many years.

Vivian Ramone echoed that sentiment in prepared remarks. "The RYE Rally stands for dignity, compassion, loving our neighbors, and respecting our elders. These are people who cared for us. They grew business and industry. They educated us. They fought, bled, and suffered for our American freedom.

The same freedom, education, and industry twisted and turned against them in their senior years to evict them from their homes — from their community — from their friends and loved ones," she said.

These strong words come from a young woman of 14. She, along with her sister Midge, 11, and her family, organized the event.

"It's better than I could have thought," Vivian said of the turnout.

The sisters' band, Shisho, performed spunky songs like America Will Punch You and I Love the Police for the Silver Oaks residents.

Some other names on the bill were Wah-Chiu Lai, Dr. Bill Kenney, Rockin' Robin Montgomery & friends, Hal Walker, Ashley Brooke Toussant, Merle Mollenkopf, Maj Ragain, Halim El-Dabh and Arlyne Habeeb.

In addition, some Silver Oaks residents took to the stage to speak up about their situation. Lorraine Davis expressed the "immense need for affordable housing for seniors who want to live in Kent because it is our home."

A fund is being established at Home Savings Bank to continue to support residents fighting their forced removal.

If you would like to contribute, contact Home Savings Bank at 142 N. Water St. They can also be reached at 330-673-9827 or www.homesavingsbnk.?com/.

About this column: Local artist Elaine Hullihen provides a forum for highlighting the Kent arts scene here at Kent Patch. - Kent Patch Newspaper

Members of all ages gathered at the Home Savings Plaza Friday night to support those residents who are fighting against their recent eviction notice from Silver Oaks Place.

The RYE (Respect Your Elders) Rally hosted 20 diverse acts during the five hour event. From musicians to poets to powerful speakers, Kent showed its support in good old fashioned Kent form.

"You guys can get loud. We just ask that you do not overturn cars or set them on fire," event MC Chris Yamar said jokingly to kick off the event.

And while the rally didn't threaten violence, it did bring out a good deal of powerful voices speaking out against what they see as a great injustice.

These seniors are "victims of unfair, un-American housing discrimination," said civil rights attorney Avery Friedman, who has agreed to serve as legal counsel for the group.

Friedman asked us to remember that the people that Capstone Development and Tell Real Estate is forcing out are the very people who have served us for many years.

Vivian Ramone echoed that sentiment in prepared remarks. "The RYE Rally stands for dignity, compassion, loving our neighbors, and respecting our elders. These are people who cared for us. They grew business and industry. They educated us. They fought, bled, and suffered for our American freedom.

The same freedom, education, and industry twisted and turned against them in their senior years to evict them from their homes — from their community — from their friends and loved ones," she said.

These strong words come from a young woman of 14. She, along with her sister Midge, 11, and her family, organized the event.

"It's better than I could have thought," Vivian said of the turnout.

The sisters' band, Shisho, performed spunky songs like America Will Punch You and I Love the Police for the Silver Oaks residents.

Some other names on the bill were Wah-Chiu Lai, Dr. Bill Kenney, Rockin' Robin Montgomery & friends, Hal Walker, Ashley Brooke Toussant, Merle Mollenkopf, Maj Ragain, Halim El-Dabh and Arlyne Habeeb.

In addition, some Silver Oaks residents took to the stage to speak up about their situation. Lorraine Davis expressed the "immense need for affordable housing for seniors who want to live in Kent because it is our home."

A fund is being established at Home Savings Bank to continue to support residents fighting their forced removal.

If you would like to contribute, contact Home Savings Bank at 142 N. Water St. They can also be reached at 330-673-9827 or www.homesavingsbnk.?com/.

About this column: Local artist Elaine Hullihen provides a forum for highlighting the Kent arts scene here at Kent Patch. - Kent Patch Newspaper

The group ShiSho (pronounced “Shy Show”) defines “precocious” in every sense of the word. The two sisters, Vivian and Midge Ramone (otherwise known as Sydnie and Kreigh Barnette), are the local face of the Youth Wave movement, which refers to any musical act that contains one or more members below the age of 18. Midge, who sings backing vocals, is all of 10 years old and Vivian, the lead singer and guitar player, is at 14 the elder stateswoman of the duo.

ShiSho is the result of a lazy afternoon. “I was jumping on a trampoline, and I told my dad that when I grew up, I wanted to be in a rock band. And he asked me, ‘Why not start one now?’ So I did,” recalled Vivian. Midge’s explanation was much simpler; “She [Vivian] asked me if I wanted to join, and I said ‘Yeah.’”

The family went from owning a pair of bongos and a didgeridoo as their only musical instruments to having a studio in their basement. The transformation didn’t stop there. “It’s brought the entire family closer,” explained Kris, the girls’ father. During the songwriting process, Vivian said, “the entire family would collaborate.” They spent long car trips singing and writing songs together.

The group has been very successful, culminating in last year’s busy schedule and accolades. In September, following a full summer of playing concerts, ShiSho was voted one of Akron’s top 5 local bands in the Beacon Journal. They even have a European following, thanks to their former label, Filthy Little Angels, which was based in England. Since Filthy Little Angels closed its doors, ShiSho has been looking for a new label closer to home, in time to release a new album. “We are two to three songs away from having enough for a new CD,” said Vivian.

Currently the girls are calling upon their fellow Youth Wave musicians to write and submit songs to join them on a CD, being produced by the family. The girls are planning on taking submissions from other bands to create a fundraising compilation for Akron’s Soap Box Derby, titled “Rock the Tradition”. All the proceeds will go to the floundering iconic race organization.

The girls and their father have revived their record label, Magnetic Bunny, to produce “Rock the Tradition”. “We want the label to be there to provide support for kids and give them an outlet for their creativity,” said Vivian. “It’s a good match because the goals of the Soap Box Derby, giving kids a chance to see a project through, are the same as ours,” said Kris, who’s also the band and label manager.

This will be the second compilation that Magnetic Bunny has released. The first, “Seaside Summer Compilation”, came out in 2007 and featured such adolescent acts as Forestry Fighters and Jonas Murdock. ShiSho plans on asking several of their former collaborators to submit songs for “Rock the Tradition”.

To submit a song, aspiring bands can send a recording to the group through one of two websites, www.magneticbunny.com or www.rockthetradition.com. There’s a $25 fee for every song entered, to help cover the cost of production. As a Youth Wave album, at least one member of every band needs to be under 18. As the album is raising cash for the Soap Box Derby, bands who wish to have their songs considered should stick to a theme of either the Derby itself or summer fun in general. The deadline for songs to be entered is June 21. The CD is planned for release in early July, just in time for the Soap Box Derby and Corbin Bernsen’s movie on the Derby, “25 Hill”.

Incidentally, Vivian, Midge and Kris can all be seen in “25 Hill” as extras, and there’s a possibility that they may play at the movie’s premiere in Akron. ShiSho submitted a few songs to Bernsen for use in the movie, though they didn’t make the final cut. “He really liked them,” explained Vivian, “but they were looking for instrumentals. He gave us a ‘definite maybe’ to play at the premiere.”

When Vivian and Midge aren’t writing songs, performing concerts, acting in films, helping run a record - Buzzbin Magazine

The group ShiSho (pronounced “Shy Show”) defines “precocious” in every sense of the word. The two sisters, Vivian and Midge Ramone (otherwise known as Sydnie and Kreigh Barnette), are the local face of the Youth Wave movement, which refers to any musical act that contains one or more members below the age of 18. Midge, who sings backing vocals, is all of 10 years old and Vivian, the lead singer and guitar player, is at 14 the elder stateswoman of the duo.

ShiSho is the result of a lazy afternoon. “I was jumping on a trampoline, and I told my dad that when I grew up, I wanted to be in a rock band. And he asked me, ‘Why not start one now?’ So I did,” recalled Vivian. Midge’s explanation was much simpler; “She [Vivian] asked me if I wanted to join, and I said ‘Yeah.’”

The family went from owning a pair of bongos and a didgeridoo as their only musical instruments to having a studio in their basement. The transformation didn’t stop there. “It’s brought the entire family closer,” explained Kris, the girls’ father. During the songwriting process, Vivian said, “the entire family would collaborate.” They spent long car trips singing and writing songs together.

The group has been very successful, culminating in last year’s busy schedule and accolades. In September, following a full summer of playing concerts, ShiSho was voted one of Akron’s top 5 local bands in the Beacon Journal. They even have a European following, thanks to their former label, Filthy Little Angels, which was based in England. Since Filthy Little Angels closed its doors, ShiSho has been looking for a new label closer to home, in time to release a new album. “We are two to three songs away from having enough for a new CD,” said Vivian.

Currently the girls are calling upon their fellow Youth Wave musicians to write and submit songs to join them on a CD, being produced by the family. The girls are planning on taking submissions from other bands to create a fundraising compilation for Akron’s Soap Box Derby, titled “Rock the Tradition”. All the proceeds will go to the floundering iconic race organization.

The girls and their father have revived their record label, Magnetic Bunny, to produce “Rock the Tradition”. “We want the label to be there to provide support for kids and give them an outlet for their creativity,” said Vivian. “It’s a good match because the goals of the Soap Box Derby, giving kids a chance to see a project through, are the same as ours,” said Kris, who’s also the band and label manager.

This will be the second compilation that Magnetic Bunny has released. The first, “Seaside Summer Compilation”, came out in 2007 and featured such adolescent acts as Forestry Fighters and Jonas Murdock. ShiSho plans on asking several of their former collaborators to submit songs for “Rock the Tradition”.

To submit a song, aspiring bands can send a recording to the group through one of two websites, www.magneticbunny.com or www.rockthetradition.com. There’s a $25 fee for every song entered, to help cover the cost of production. As a Youth Wave album, at least one member of every band needs to be under 18. As the album is raising cash for the Soap Box Derby, bands who wish to have their songs considered should stick to a theme of either the Derby itself or summer fun in general. The deadline for songs to be entered is June 21. The CD is planned for release in early July, just in time for the Soap Box Derby and Corbin Bernsen’s movie on the Derby, “25 Hill”.

Incidentally, Vivian, Midge and Kris can all be seen in “25 Hill” as extras, and there’s a possibility that they may play at the movie’s premiere in Akron. ShiSho submitted a few songs to Bernsen for use in the movie, though they didn’t make the final cut. “He really liked them,” explained Vivian, “but they were looking for instrumentals. He gave us a ‘definite maybe’ to play at the premiere.”

When Vivian and Midge aren’t writing songs, performing concerts, acting in films, helping run a record - Buzzbin Magazine