About Shame
Since starting out as school boys, this five-piece band has become notorious for stealing every stage with the outrageous, jaw-dropping performances that have become the Shame signature. Their riotous two-year journey has included gate-crashing a Glastonbury stage, supporting The Fat White Family, Warpaint and Slaves, performances in Europe, Austin Texas, a nomination for best new artists at the prestigious Anchor awards, headlining their own UK tour and releasing the double A-side single, Gold Hole/The Lick and follow-up, Tasteless.
Formed in the playgrounds of South London, Steen met guitarist Sean Coyle-Smith at primary school. They got together with guitarists Josh Finerty and Eddie Green at secondary school. Charlie Forbes –the drummer – was at nursery school with Green. Bonded by their precocious taste in music (one of their first gigs was supporting their hero Mark E Smith of The Fall) during their A level years they were hanging out at Stockwell’ s Queen’ s Head – unofficial home to The Fat White Family.
“We were sucked into this alternative world which just crystallised everything we thought about” says Steen. “There were drag queens and jobseekers; people who’ d been in bands, like Alabama3, The Ruts, and the bassist from Stiff Little Fingers – this older generation of people and they saw a kindred spirit in this little group of schoolkid runts.”Along with the Queen’ s head crew, The Fat Whites inspired and mentored them. “In a sea of mundanity the Fat Whites were exciting and dangerous,” says Steen. “It was like watching chaos explode in front of you.”As their foothold in the South London scene grew, Shame instigated the daredevil club night, Chimney Shitters and creating a politically outspoken, DIY ethos reflecting a punk spirit in today’ s world.
“We are not puppets. Everything we do, we do ourselves,” says former Camberwell student, Steen. “From our songs to our clothes to the artwork for the singles, T-shirts, and fanzines. It’ s all us. We are about creating a movement - it’ s all our blood, sweat and tears.”Shame’ s music is controversial, challenging, political and often unprintable. Visa Vulture (written two years ago) is a vicious indictment of Theresa May wrapped up in a happy love song. ‘ Gold Hole’ is a satire of rock narcissism, while ‘ Tasteless’ is about “Living in a world where nobody dares to say anything or do anything different.”.
But to be ‘ Shamed’ you have to see them live. Their appearance at The Great Escape last May so knocked out the editor of French magazine ‘ Les Inrockuptibles’ that he penned a two-page eulogy prompting a wave of Shamemania –a performance at Pitchfork Paris and on Le Grand Journal TV show in the slot usually reserved for the likes of Taylor Swift or Kanye West. A sign of how fast they are steaming their way to the top is this. Last year they gate-crashed Glastonbury (“It was insane, says guitarist Coyle Smith. “We got the directions wrong and ended up walking miles round the perimeter with our instruments before we found the right hole in the fence”) this year they have been invited to play by Billy Bragg on the Leftfield stage.
With a UK headline tour under their belt, 40-odd festivals this summer, their first album is being produced by Local Hero, aka Dan Foat and Nathan Boddy best known for techno music and work with James Blake. “As soon as we met them, it clicked,” says Steen. “They had ideas that a stereotypical person producing a guitar band might not necessarily think of. And we never want to be predictable. We always want to do something unexpected.”
Explore Nearby
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1
Holyland Museum
Attractions -
2
Kush House Medical Marijuana Dispensary
Attractions -
3
El Pollo Loco
Restaurants -
4
Bahay Kubo Restaurant
Restaurants -
5
Super 8 Motel
Hotels
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1
Holyland Museum
2215 Lake View Ave. -
2
Kush House Medical Marijuana Dispensary
1386 W Sunset Blvd -
3
Rafa's Lounge & Art Gallery
1836 W Sunset Blvd -
4
Everett Park
Everett St -
5
Queen Anne Park Recreational Center
1240 W Blvd -
6
Tom Of Finland Foundation
1421 Laveta Ter -
7
Lake Street Community Center
227 N Lake St -
8
Grace E. Simons Lodge
1025 Elysian Park Dr -
9
Holyland Bible Knowledge Society
2215 Lake View Ave -
10
Elysian Park
1880 Academy Dr -
11
Vista Hermosa Park
100 N Toluca St -
12
Arts Corps La
1246 W Court St -
13
Zenteno Art Studio
226 Glendale Blvd -
14
Angels Point
Angels Point Rd -
15
Los Angeles Recreation & Parks
835 Academy Rd -
16
Don Martin & Company
1035 N Alvarado St -
17
Echo Park
Park Ave. Between Glendale Ave. & Echo Park Blvd. -
18
Acacia Tours And Travel
2001 Beverly Blvd -
19
Bernal Salvador
1530 W Sunset Blvd -
20
Rockwood Community Park
1571 Rockwood St -
21
Unidad Park
1644 Beverly Blvd -
22
Echo Park Lake
751 Echo Park Ave -
23
La Derby Dolls
1910 W Temple St
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1
El Pollo Loco
330 N Alvarado St -
2
Bahay Kubo Restaurant
2330 W Temple St -
3
Phnom Penh
1305 Portia St -
4
Nuvia's Restaurant Y Pupuseria
1525 W Sunset Blvd -
5
Service Today
1257 W Temple St -
6
King Bowl
2214 W Sunset Blvd -
7
Chinatown Express No 36
2540 W Temple St -
8
Allumette
1320 echo Park Blvd -
9
Matsu Restaurant
1267 W Temple St -
10
Los Cocos Restaurant
922 N Alvarado St -
11
Aristocrate Restaurant
1925 W Temple St -
12
Loung Vinh
425 N Alvarado St -
13
Aa Chinese Express
958 White Knoll Dr -
14
Pioneer Chicken
1321 Echo Park Ave -
15
La Esquinita
1261 W Sunset Blvd -
16
Dinner House M
1263 W Temple St -
17
Ho-ho Fish & Deli Inc
1309 Logan St -
18
Las Gordas De Pina Restaurant
1378 W Sunset Blvd -
19
A1 Barbecue
1485 W Sunset Blvd -
20
Rodeo Mexican Grill
1721 W Sunset Blvd -
21
Chinatown Express No 30
1411 Echo Park Ave -
22
Panda Express
1000 Elysian Park Ave -
23
Thai Therapy Body Center
2501 Coronado Blvd # A1 -
24
C K I Inc.
1176 W Sunset Blvd -
25
Rosario's Mexican American
1644 W Temple St -
26
Little Caesars Pizza
1289 Bellevue Ave -
27
Happy Toms Burgers
1304 Lemoyne St -
28
Jack In The Box
1710 Glendale Blvd -
29
Taix French Restaurant
1911 W Sunset Blvd -
30
Lot 1 Cafe
1533 W Sunset Blvd -
31
Tigeorges' Chicken
307 Glendale Blvd -
32
Los Burritos
1312 Echo Park Ave -
33
Subway
2112 Beverly Blvd -
34
Cortez
1358 Allison Ave -
35
Señor Fish
1701 Sunset Blvd -
36
Sundays Only Barbequed Chicken
602 N Alvarado St -
37
El Flamin' Taco
2028 W Sunset Blvd -
38
Bernies Teriyaki
318 Glendale Blvd -
39
Spain Restaurant
1866 Glendale Blvd -
40
Kapistahan
1925 W Temple St -
41
Kfc
1400 Glendale Blvd -
42
The Park's Finest
1267 W Temple St -
43
McDonald's
405 N Alvarado St -
44
Panang Thai
2202 W Sunset Blvd -
45
Pizza Buona
2100 W Sunset Blvd -
46
Tigeorges Chicken
309 Glendale Blvd -
47
La Pizza Loca
1546 Glendale Blvd -
48
Taco Bell
103 S Rampart Blvd -
49
Brite Spot Family Restaurants
1918 W Sunset Blvd -
50
Taix
1911 W Sunset Blvd -
51
It's Thai
1311 Glendale Blvd -
52
Burrito King Sunset
2109 W Sunset Blvd -
53
La Police Revolver & Athletic Club
1880 Academy Dr -
54
Gigi Bakery & Cafe
2200 W Temple St -
55
Two Boots
1818 W Sunset Blvd -
56
Masa Of Echo Park Bakery & Cafe
1800 W Sunset Blvd -
57
Tribal Cafe
1651 W Temple St -
58
Sage Organic Vegan
1700 Sunset Blvd -
59
El Compadre
1449 W Sunset Blvd -
60
Elf Cafe
2135 W Sunset Blvd -
61
Mohawk Bend
2141 W Sunset Blvd -
62
Red Hill
1325 Echo Park Ave
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1
Super 8 Motel
1341 W. Sunset Blvd. -
2
Knights Inn
1255 W Temple St -
3
Americas Best Value Inn
811 NORTH ALVARADO STREET -
4
Hollywood Inn Express South
141 N Alvarado St -
5
Baxter 5
1549 Baxter Street
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