edited by courtney marie
photos by Jacob Greenan
Just in time for what is arguably the most-summer month of the year, we’ve got a hot new track to share today fresh from Shiny Sound Recording Studio!
Spiderweb Salon’s newest Songwriting Scholarship recipient, DFW-based artist (we mean it: musician, photographer, educator, creator, and all-around badass) Shelby Orr, seized the opportunity to try something she’s been wanting to do for a long time: record a track of Kitbashes, her rollicking and rocking musical project with co-creator, M. The two came ready to party with gear in tow, completely open to experimenting and collaborating. They were joined by their talented friend Mike Thornberry on the drums and the usual suspects of the Shiny Sound Recording crew: Corbin Childs, Jacob Greenan, and Conor Wallace, who puts his seal of approval on this track being a “certified banger.” Hear for yourself and check out our exclusive interview with Shelby Orr, a long-time Spiderfriend and collaborator of the ‘web. No sandwiches were harmed in the making of this piece (but we did break a few eggs).
Tell us a little bit about your journey with music.
I got started late. Actually, my first public music performance was at Spiderweb Salon. I had been noodling with music and sound for a long time but Spiderweb gave me the outlet I needed to perform on my own. Since then I’ve been in a few bands and Kitbashes has been my longest standing and favorite project. I happen to be married to the other person in Kitbashes, M, so getting together for band practice is pretty easy.
When you knew you'd have a half-day at Shiny Sound to record this song, how did you feel about it?
My first thought was “Yess!!” but my next thought was, “Oh crap, what/how should we record?”
What were your anticipations for recording?
Since we are still deciding how to record Kitbashes in general, this opportunity offered a different way to think about the finished product. We have always performed with a structured, albeit loose, armature based on the particular equipment we are using at the time. Most notably, it has been two identical rigs of pedal loops and samplers. This setup is constantly evolving and super finicky so each performance is designed for the moment. Having something completely prepared for the studio would have been out of character for us.
When M and I were going through some recorded sketches, we tripped over a real chuggy synth sequence that sounded too dumb not to use. We both got excited and M said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could get Mike Throneberry to play drums on this?!” We humbly inquired and turned out that he was up for it. After we sent Mike a sample, he came back with tons of input. He’s a super-talented music machine.
What was the recording process like for you?
Having never actually played with Mike, recorded with Shiny Sound, and understanding our own musical limitations, the idea of collaboration was paramount. Establishing a connection with all involved was important and not hard to do. Everyone was super open to experimentation and provided well-founded input. Our greatest concern was capturing the raw, immediate sound.
Can you give us a little background about your song, "Wrong Article"?
Musically, "Wrong Article" came together in the studio. Lyrically, I wanted to present a scene with no apparent answers. I’ve been watching a lot of Murder, She Wrote.
What are your interests and passions outside of music?
Whether I’m taking a photograph, drawing a picture, reading a book, or studying German, everything I do or see informs everything else. It’s all connected.
What or who are some of your influences as a musician/artist/writer?
I watch a lot of movies. Imagery and sound can be transcendent — Like when I watch Manhunter.
What would you like to accomplish creatively in the coming year?
Right now we’re working towards establishing a place to be creative by building out a studio behind our house. In my experience, having things set up around you all the time is much more conducive to actualizing creative projects.
If you loved the concept of this project, YOU'RE IN LUCK! We got to wondering, why don’t we do this all the time, with many different musicians, to create a whole catalog of new songs and sounds? With that simple idea, Spiderweb Salon’s Songwriting Scholarship has been born! We’ll be working with Shiny Sound Recording Studios, a lineup of professional studio musicians, and a new musician every month to record an original piece of music to share with the world. If you’re looking to get involved, send along a submission, and if you just need an awesome place to record your next project, look no further than Shiny Sound.