The Shakedown
La Mirada, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
There’s a unique sound jamming throughout venues in Southern California with such a variety of genres it’s hard to put a label on it. La Mirada band The Shakedown embodies this variety.
What started out as a small folk project by guitarist and vocalist Mitch Crowder, 24, and bassist Matt Zwish, 24, developed into a folk jam band that caterers to more than one type of audience.
“Our music is a whole slide of old school music warped with what’s going on today,” Zwish said.
Growing up with a variety of musical genres, the members of The Shakedown have brought together their influences to make one exclusive sound. Crowder grew up listening to ‘60s and ‘70s rock artists. Mikee Ahrndt (vocals and guitar), 22, was brought up around ‘80s hair metal music and was drawn in by progressive post-hardcore bands. Keyboardist, Andy Heise, 21, was impacted by bands like Blink 182, while Zwish and drummer Brent Fullington, 21, have a strong influence of country music.
“I tell people our music is ‘60s and ‘70s rock ‘n’ roll with a lot of jamming. A lot of the Grateful Dead-type influence along with the Band and Bob Dylan. It’s a long explanation of what our music is all about and it’s hard to put a genre on it,” Fullington said.
Based on their psychedelic rock influence, The Shakedown has a strong audience that ranges in age, mainly from 40 to 65 years old. However, many of their fans also range from ages 20 to mid-30s. They seek to expand the following of people at the college age as a way to make their music last.
No matter the age of the audience, The Shakedown sound is based around the goal of experiencing positive vibes. Their lyrics contain pure human feelings of heartbreak, love and emotions pertaining to every day life. Whether it’s playing for an audience of 3,000 people or at small venues, The Shakedown’s motivation is to encourage everyone to have fun.
The strong relationship between the five members greatly affects their writing process as well as their stage presence. All members contribute to their creative process, but The Shakedown’s songs aren’t created in one practice session. It can take a couple months of experimenting with different riffs until the entire band is satisfied. This tight bond is also reflected on stage.
“We can look at each other and move the song somewhere else. It’s a crazy experience to feel that way with five people (on) stage,” Crowder said. “We’ll finish a song laughing because it was just so intense for us.”
The Shakedown shares this intensity with their audience members by inviting anyone who can play an instrument onstage to share the spotlight with them.
“We invite more musicians to play with us than any other band. We want to grow with these people and create empires of people,” Crowder said. “We want to build something together that’s more than just music.”
With the accomplishments of their first album, Knee Deep Limbo, playing at festivals such as Strawberry, and being the house band for the television show “Cannabis Planet,” The Shakedown is continuing to grow and spread their energy.
“The Shakedown wants to create music that can last a lifetime,” Crowder said. - The Daily Titan
Apart from the cannabis cooking segments, the show features collective profiles,cultivation tips, news stories and the jam band The Shakedown, the show's house band.
- Long Beach Press Telegram
All American Foot Stomping Rock and Roll - The Blue Cafe
The Shakedown is the show's house Rock Band - New York Times
Discography
Tumbleweed Space Wagon 2011
1. Whiskey Blues
2. He Know's
3. I've Been Feeling
4. Max and Lauren
5. Don't Leave ME Out To Dry
6. Mend It
7. Runnin
8. She's Moody
9. The Levy
10. Things To Do
11.Nothing Last Forever
12. The Haus
Sample This 2010
1. Max and Lauren
2.Things To Do
3.She's Moody
Knee Deep Limbo 2009
1. I Don't Mind
2. Call Me Crazy
3. Morning Brings Little Bears
4. Bulldogs
5. She's a Women
Photos
Bio
From a 1960’s psychedelic Rock n’ Roll background; The Shakedown established themselves with a few Folk songs as a rising act. They rapidly developed a solid sound that was recognizable and unique, as well as a lively show that captivated their audiences regardless where they played. After rocking Orange County with their fundamental and basic, yet technical and groovy music style, The Shakedown realized their significance to their family, friends, and fans. Slowly but surely, the band began to realize that they were a part of something special. The rockin’ energy and positive vibes only grew stronger as they continued playing shows. As they moved forward as a popular band who cared about their fans as well as their music, The Shakedown began their search for a producer who was not only professional at his trade, but someone who could relate to the music and to the members of the band. In regards to The Shakedown, Andrew Nast was the perfect man for the task. Nast became very good friends with The Shakedown and after vigorous hours of recording, the Shakedown’s five-song demo entitled ‘knee-Deep-Limbo,’ was finally released.
Immediately following the release of ‘Knee-Deep-Limbo,’ the band began writing new songs for their next album. At this point in time they have forty original songs either completed or in the works and have recorded a three-song demo titled ‘Sample this!’ to promote their first full-length album. The album was scheduled to be released in March of 2011. A month long tour to promote The Shakedown and their new album was being planned during the recording process. Not only would the band recruit a multitude of new fans from all over the country on this tour, they were also able to build a list of contacts. The Shakedown continued to move forward in a positive, successful, and exciting direction. With their fans eager and excited to hear what would come next, the band kept working hard to keep them happy and entertained, while keeping an optimistic disposition regarding the future of The Shakedown.
Finally on March 8th 2011, The Shakedown finished recording Tumbleweed Space Wagon, just in time to have enough copys printed to take with them on tour. On March 17th, the boys set out on their first tour. The Shakedown traveled all the way to texas and back making stops in places like Las Vegas, Dallas and Austin Texas, and several others along the way. When they arrived home, drained and exhausted, they regrouped and made a game plan for the steps ahead. there was much to be done and a lack of time and money. But The Shakedown kept moving foward and started putting their ideas together for their next album.
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