Modern meets 60’s psychedelia: Shadow Show drops new single + video “Aunt Maizy” with ‘Fantasy Now!’ LP due out Feb. 16
Written by Tori Yeasky
Boasting Detroit roots, Shadow Show is known for their distinct spellbinding sound, one that contains elements of garage rock and 60’s psychedelia mixed with a modern pop twist. The magical power trio consists of guitarist Ava East, bassist Kate Derringer, and drummer Kerrigan Pearce. The band formed in August 2018, released their debut album, Silhouettes, in 2020, and have been touring since — all things leading up to the release of their upcoming LP Fantasy Now! on Feb. 16.
Best Left’s very own managing editor Tori Yeasky had the chance to ask Shadow Show some questions about their latest single + music video “Aunt Maizy,” their forthcoming LP Fantasy Now!, as well as future tour dates.
Photo Credit: Kyle Edmonds
Best Left Magazine: How are you feeling about the release of your recent single + music video, “Aunt Maizy”? How about your upcoming LP, ‘Fantasy Now!,’ which releases on Feb. 16?
Kerrigan: Indescribably ecstatic! It feels surreal to have the release date coming up so soon. We really put everything we have into this album, and took our time doing it. So after three years of writing, recording, and then rewriting, re-recording… we absolutely can’t wait to share it!
What is the significance of your single “Aunt Maizy”?
Ava: There is a lesson not to be ignored: if you refuse to let go of the past, you will never be enlightened by the future. The lyrics are about a stubborn and superficial old woman who identifies with her worst traits. The world, in its current state, is ruled by an older generation that is blinded by greed, selfishness, and foolishness. The youth of today, ourselves included, need change NOW! This is why we believe it is never too late to change your mind about how you see, behave in, and interact with the world.
Are there any specific lyrics or sounds that you’re most proud of?
Kate: The lyrics came together in a spontaneous way when a friend told us about her Aunt Maizy. “Crazy Aunt Maizy” was too good of a line to not use it in a song. I’m proud of the way we collectively imagined the character of a crazy Aunt Maizy. Our friend, Matthew Smith (Outrageous Cherry, The Volebeats), came to the studio and laid down the piano and organ tracks. He played the organ line on an old organ that was on its last legs; the solo came together right as the organ gave up the ghost and several keys stopped working. I think it’s the perfect organ solo. While mixing, I had gotten so close to finishing but felt something was missing. I called my co-engineer, Cameron Frank, in to lend their ears and help me figure out the finishing touch the song needed. They sat down and cranked the dirt on the drum mics and room mics. This was the missing piece to complete the sound of the song.
Can you talk about what the experience was like recording “Aunt Mazy” live in London, UK? How about the rest of the LP in Detroit?
Kate: We recorded at our friends’ studio, Act Cool Recordings, in London for a live video shoot. They made the experience so fun and comfortable and that comes through in the recording. When we did the video, we had not intended for the recording to be an album cut. We were so happy with the performance that we had them send us the stems, then we laid down the overdubs and vocals in Detroit.
The rest of the album was recorded mainly at High Bias Recordings, where I work as an engineer, as well as the Destroy Compound warehouse and our practice space. I was the lead engineer on the record and worked alongside co-engineers Cameron Frank and Evan Michals. Because we basically had unlimited recording time, much of this album came together in the studio. We had space and time to experiment, rework songs, and take big risks in the production.
How does this release compare to your earlier tracks + sound?
Kate: We joke that our first album was our “Please Please Me” and this one is our “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” While our first album represents us coming into our own as songwriters and producers, this one shows how much we have grown. This album showcases a matured songwriting and production style that we are really proud of. We took creative risks and pushed ourselves to write in a way that didn’t always feel comfortable in the moment but really paid off. We are so excited to reveal this new era of our band.
Where did you draw inspiration from for the music video for “Aunt Maizy”?
Ava: Taking everything we’ve absorbed from “A Hard Day’s Night,” we decided to humorously lean into the spectacle of ourselves that we create as performers. The song is so fun and cheeky, but also conveys a meaningful message. It was easy for us to harness its duality and energy to create a video where these alter egos clash ~in style~.
Can you talk about what it was like shooting the video?
Kate: Honestly, the music video came together pretty last minute – it was going to be an animated video, but Ava’s laptop died and we had to put something together fast. Our friend, Nyle Rosenbaum, stepped in to shoot the video. We ran around downtown Detroit dressed as our Aunt Maizy alter egos. Then, we went to Blend Studios in Ferndale. We painted our faces white and channeled the Monkees and got to goof around. This video is meant to be campy and fun, so we weren’t taking ourselves too seriously and were able to just have a good time making it.
How does the single connect to the tracks on your upcoming LP, ‘Fantasy Now!’?
Kerrigan: “Aunt Maizy” leans heavily into the influences of British Invasion era bands such as The Kinks, The Beatles, The Zombies… etc. I don’t think we could have a complete album without that reference. It’s also a great transition from our first single and the third track on the album “Mystic Spiral” into a much more rockin sound that follows. With “Aunt Maizy”, we’ve combined the classic 1960s English pop sound with the untouchable Motown beat, peppered in some Soft Machine-esque organ spells, and then topped it off with 5-part harmonies. In a nutshell, it showcases everything we set out to do with Fantasy Now!
Speaking of ‘Fantasy Now!,’ can you delve deeper into what your audience should expect out of this LP?
Ava: Expect the unexpected! This record represents something completely new for us. Anyone who may have thought they knew Shadow Show — brace yourselves. We worked nonstop since March 2020 to create something outside of ourselves that articulated our experience as a band. We laughed, cried, averted disaster several times… most importantly, we grew together by pushing beyond all limitations to give you our complete vision in Fantasy Now!
Fully rounded out in its eclectic sound, the record showcases our love of the past and determination to discover the future. There is a world in each song brought on by the listening experience, where fantasies roam wild and free. We hope everyone enjoys it as much as we did while making it!
How would you describe it in three words or feelings?
Ava: Hope, Wonder, and Possibility.
What was your creative process like while working on ‘Fantasy Now!’?
Kerrigan: We first began the writing process for Fantasy Now! during the early days of the pandemic. From the start, we had a very concrete idea of what we wanted to do with this album. Once we had enough material we hit the studio and began to demo which really helped us flesh out the songs, explore and experiment with ideas. It was really intense in the studio because we tried to push past every possible boundary. We laughed, we cried, we lost our minds and found them again in new ideas.
Most notably, we designated an entire day for recording industrial sounds in a warehouse that I had a welding shop in. Everything from heavy machinery, piano strings, ball bearings, packing peanuts, gongs, birds, voices… lots of percussion. Those are marbled throughout the album. Taking full advantage of the natural reverb in the giant concrete box, we put mics in each corner and tracked drum and vocal overdubs. I can’t say too much without giving the best parts of the album away but there’s some magical moments in there!
What’s coming next for Shadow Show?
Kerrigan: After we release our album in February we’ll be touring in the US, CA, EU and UK for about two and a half months. We also have a 45 lined up for release later on in the year, so keep a look out! In the meantime we’re continuing to write new songs for our third album. Coming soon…...
XOXO
~ Shadow Show x Best Left Mag
Check out Shadow Show’s latest single + music video release for “Aunt Maizy” — out now! And be on the look out for the band’s forthcoming LP, Fantasy Now!, which is set to drop Feb. 16, as well as their upcoming tour dates in the US, CA, EU, and UK.
Photo Credit: Nyle Rosenbaum
