John Shipe: Singer, Songwriter, Teacher, Traveler » Treasures & Found Objects

Last Drags cover Shipe

shipe — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:51:05 +0000

One of Eugene’s steadiest bands is The Last Drags, fronted and led by my friend Pat Kavaney. Pat consistently works a ton of songs into their set. A wealth of originals & covers. What’s really cool is the way he covers songs of his friends and regional colleagues–including yours truly (below).

I have been a part time member of The Last Drags. Pat loves jamming with friends and he knows how to make them comfortable sitting in.

Here’s a tasty morsel from Portland where he has none other than the great Al Toribio joining at The White Eagle, playing on my song “Waiting on You.” It’s appropos, as Al played the original lead guitar on the album from which this came–Sudden & Merciless Joy (1999)

They do emphasize the funky-friendly side of the tune. (This surely comes from Pat’s love of Steely Dan.)

Renegade Saints & Crazy 8′s

shipe — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:36:50 +0000

This just appeared outta nowhere: a satisfying indulgence by my other band–The Renegade Saints–in a great Rolling Stones number. Live at the Portland Bite Festival (2008). We were joined by none other than the Crazy 8′s horn section. Love the twin trombone attack, and love Al Toribio’s excitable arrangement.

Renegade Saints play “Justice” big.

shipe — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:53:46 +0000

There are a lot of versions of my song “Justice” floating around. My other band–The Renegade Saints–took a liking to it; it suits our excitability. Prior versions, in early Shipe Bands, would lean on a Middle Eastern element. (Sudden & Merciless drummer Rich Sellars called it “Egyptian Funk.”) But the Saints are pure Americana–going all out classic rock style. This is from Portland Bite Fest 2008–courtesy of Al Toribio, who takes no prisoners in his guitar solos.

Dyson & Crackerjack Highway

shipe — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:50:31 +0000

My old drummer, Dyson, from the Pollyanna Loves Cassandra days, has been working in San Francisco with Crackerjack Highway. He tells me that they’re touring the Northwest in late March. (I’m down for their Luckey’s show in Eugene on the 26th.

Back when Dyson joined up with Shipe Band in 2000, he came from a hot Eugene local progressive funk band (with Olem Alves, Asher Fulero & Zak Johnson). Shipe music didn’t exactly scratch that prog-funk itch, so it’s good to see him returning to it. I hasten to add that he has the super-evolved chops to meet the prog agenda. And he’s singing, to boot.

Renegade Saints cover on You Tube

shipe — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:18:40 +0000

I was doing a little work on my You Tube channel, when I discovered a rare gem: Smooth Audio Flow covering my old Renegade Saints song, “Deep End,” at Lollapotato.

Over the years, I gather this song has seen a good bit of action. I know of a church band that plays it at their services. (Which, by the way, I think is wonderful, in spite of the fact that its origin lay in a more secular variety of epiphany… sort of Edgar Alan Poe on peyote.)

S.A.F. did a fine job on this. It makes me want to get my ass back in the studio and write another song.

Shipe Ebbage Videos

shipe — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:57:46 +0000

My lovely wife took some footage of my latest gigs with Ehren Ebbage. She has starting posting. Here’s two new vids, a fun one and a serious one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfOfVuEL3bQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8mnHkgjicQ