They have a distinctive, minimalist sound based on unusual and urgent time signatures, repetitive heavy rhythms, an angular guitar sound, and Albini's surreal, bitingly sarcastic lyrics. Songs typically do not have traditional verse/chorus/verse structure and the arrangements are sparse, to the point where some describe them as "amelodic". Shellac's signature sound is often associated with their enthusiasm for vintage Travis Bean guitars, a rare brand of aluminium-based instruments. Albini is also known to use copper plectrums and unique guitar straps that fit around the waist rather than over the shoulder. The band prefers the intimacy of smaller clubs, and live appearances are sporadic.
Both Weston and Albini are renowned recording engineers, and use their preferred methods with Shellac: Albini prefers a very clean, analogue recording sound with little or no overdubbing, and he is meticulous about microphone placings and equipment - this is reflected in Shellac's no nonsense approach to their own music, both in the studio and live.
Shellac are also renowned for their unconventional modus operandi. Touring is often an excuse for the band to take time away from their day jobs (Albini and Weston are both recording engineers; Trainer works at a commercial photographer's studio in Minneapolis) instead of being used to promote a recent record or even for financial gain. Indeed, Shellac do not have a "fixed fee" for performances like most bands, instead preferring to take the door charge minus expenses such as promotion, running costs and venue fees. They have also been known to ask venues to remove ticket charges they regard as unnecessary, which have become common in Europe and America.
An early claim from the band was that all of their songs were about two of Albini's favourite subjects: Baseball and Canada. In actuality, Albini and Weston's songs can refer to a broad range of topics, from the highly emotional to examinations of everyday minutiae. However, regardless of the subject, each song is presented in the same deadpan, occasionally violent manner. An example can be found in the concluding tracks from the band's album 1000 Hurts. Although both songs have a title referring to a mundane house-hold object, these items are in actuality symbolic of a larger theme. Weston's "Shoe Song" deals with the realisation of love and its subsequent loss, whereas Albini's "Watch Song" details irrational anger and aggression. Shoe Song also heavily references post-rock band Slint, who were produced by Albini.
Shellac are known for their mercurial nature, which has produced some interesting records and events. Most notably, they recorded an instrumental album known as The Futurist for a modern dance troupe. Unwilling to grant what the band considered a sub-par recording a wider audience, they pressed approximately 700 vinyl LP copies of the music and gave them away as gifts to friends. The front cover was a list of the recipients, with the relevant name encircled. Shellac also played a Halloween show as the anarchic British punk group The Sex Pistols, featuring former The Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid singer David Yow as Johnny Rotten. Both of the aforementioned can now be found on several file-sharing networks.
In 2002, the band was also responsible for curating the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Camber Sands, England. Amongst fans of independent rock, these weekends have achieved legendary status and featured performances from some of the world's finest groups. Knowing that most of the audience had come specifically to see Shellac, the band went on first every morning as an incentive for the festival-goers to be up in time to see the other acts. An album of live tracks from this festival was also released on ATP Records.
In December 2004, Shellac recorded a final BBC Session dedicated their longtime fan John Peel. Peel had been an ardent supporter of the band and his death earlier in the year came as a great shock to the independent music community. In 2005, Shellac were recorded playing 'Steady As She Goes' in an abandoned house as part of a film project called Burn To Shine, organised by Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty and film-maker Christoph Green. This is the only available recorded video footage of the band playing live.
Riding Bikes
Shellac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And riding bikes along the wall,
Stealing things and breaking things.
I had my back, he had his,
Each one had the other's.
Doing things that made us whole,
And somethings close to brothers.
Have become matters of contention;
Some of things we've had to do,
I'm not about to mention.
I won't second-guess something
Done in the panic of the moment.
I'll admit, the scare requires
Something like atonement.
The men I answer to require
Answers of this town
Get your folks together, Ted
The shit is coming down when
I'm riding bikes, ah!
I'm riding bikes, ah!
The lyrics of "Riding Bikes" by Shellac tell the story of two childhood friends, the singer and his friend Ted, who used to ride bikes and engage in mischief together. They stole and broke things, but had each other's backs and were like brothers. However, as time passed, they found themselves in situations where they had to do questionable things. The singer refuses to reveal the details, but admits that atonement might be necessary for some of their actions. He also mentions that he feels pressure from the men he answers to in the town, and tells Ted that "the shit is coming down" soon.
The theme of the lyrics seems to be the loss of innocence and the consequences of our actions. The singer remembers a time when he and Ted were carefree kids, but now they are faced with real-world problems and decisions that have repercussions. He expresses regret for some of their actions, but also acknowledges the reality of the situation and the need to take responsibility.
Overall, the lyrics are open to interpretation and can be seen as a commentary on growing up, facing consequences, and the complexities of friendship.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and Ted were small
Back when we were kids, Ted and I were small in size and probably in other ways too.
And riding bikes along the wall,
We used to ride our bikes alongside a wall, probably having fun and trying to go as fast as we could.
Stealing things and breaking things.
We weren't always doing the right thing - we would sometimes take things that weren't ours and damage stuff on purpose.
I had my back, he had his,
Despite our faults, we had each other's backs and supported one another.
Each one had the other's.
We were equals and looked out for each other.
Doing things that made us whole,
Our misbehavior and excitement in our youth made us feel alive and complete.
And somethings close to brothers.
We had a strong bond that was almost like that between brothers - we were family.
Time changed as strangest things
As we grew older, things changed and unexpected events occurred.
Have become matters of contention;
Some of these events led to disagreements and conflicts between us.
Some of things we've had to do,
We've had to do some questionable things in order to deal with these changes and issues.
I'm not about to mention.
I don't want to go into detail about what we did in order to protect myself and Ted.
I won't second-guess something
I'm not going to criticize or doubt what we did because we thought it was the best option at the time.
Done in the panic of the moment.
Our actions were taken under stressful circumstances and we didn't have time to think things through completely.
I'll admit, the scare requires
I do recognize that our situation was intense and needed to be dealt with in some way.
Something like atonement.
I feel a sense of guilt or responsibility for what we did and want to make up for it in some way.
The men I answer to require
There are people in charge of our town who expect answers about our actions.
Answers of this town
The people of our town want to know what happened and why.
Get your folks together, Ted
We need to meet up and discuss what we're going to say or do in response to the situation.
The shit is coming down when
Things are going to get bad if we don't do something to address the situation soon.
I'm riding bikes, ah!
Even amidst these issues and conflicts, I still find myself longing for the carefree days of youth when Ted and I would ride our bikes together.
I'm riding bikes, ah!
I'm trying to recapture that spirit and freedom, even as an adult dealing with more serious problems.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Un Wound
Me and Ted were small
And riding bikes along the wall,
Stealing things and breaking things.
I had my back, he had his,
Each one had the other's.
Doing things that made us whole,
And somethings close to brothers.
Time changed as strangest things
Have become matters of contention;
Some of things we've had to do,
I'm not about to mention.
I won't second-guess something
Done in the panic of the moment.
I'll admit, the scare requires
Something like atonement.
The men I answer to require
Answers of this town
Get your folks together, Ted
The shit is coming down when
I'm riding bikes, ah!
I'm riding bikes, ah!
Stuck Inside of Mobile
Sometimes I just scream out AHHHHH I'M RIDING BIKES. But no one feels me.
Smacksalad Productions
We're trying to have a society here!
Mhm Sure
We feel you.
Mat Voltron
Stuck Inside of Mobile same bro
Ethan
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHI'M RIDING BIKES.
Andrew Blake
I'M RIDING BIKES!!
diaablo777
They just keep getting better, album of the year!!!!!!!!!!! Shellac are creating music that casts shadows over everything else,
quite simply the world's best three piece bar none. FUCKING Fantastic
ThinkerOnTheBus
Gods amongst mere mortals!!!
wormpoo21
This is the best thing I ever heard.
ripoffrecords
I almost feel sorry for those that have never heard of Albini.