Sheavy
Encyclopedia
Formation and name change
Sheavy formed in St. John'sSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada in 1993, and originally performed under the name Green Machine. In 1994, the band discovered there was another band in the United States with the same name, so a decision was made to rename the band Sheavy. The band's repertoire originally consisted of a sampling of Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
covers and an assortment of originals that would eventually make their way onto the Reproduction E.P., Slaves To Fashion, and ultimately Blue Sky Mind. A three-song 7" vinyl record was recorded in early 1995 at Jolly Roger Studios in St. John's. The band regularly performed in and around St. John's for the first few years at small clubs and venues such as The Loft, Sam Shades; Junctions and the LSPU Hall.
Record deal
The band recorded and mixed their debut album Blue Sky Mind over a single weekend during the summer of 1995. Later that summer, the band's bass player Paul Gruchy amicably left the band to focus on completing his university studies. There were about 1000 copies of the album released early in 1996, at which time Keith Foley also stepped in to complete the Sheavy line-up as the band's bassist. Although the audio quality of Blue Sky Mind was low, the original master tapes later revealed a much-higher audio quality existed. On the strength and popularity of the recording, however, Rise Above RecordsRise Above Records
Rise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
in the U.K. signed the band to a three-album deal. The band now had more resources available and were better prepared for work on the second studio album.
The Electric Sleep
The Electric SleepThe Electric Sleep
-Track listing:#"Virtual Machine"#"Velvet"#"Destiny's Rainbow"#"Electric Sleep"#"Born in a Daze"#"Automaton"#"Savannah"#"Saving Me"#"Oracle"#"Stardust"#"Last Parade"...
was recorded in St. John's in the summer of 1997. Recording Engineer Don Ellis helped the band capture the simple, powerful sound they'd been searching for. The result was an album one British reviewer deemed "the best Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
album in 25 years." Black Sabbath comparisons were nothing new for the band, but for every review filled with praise another came along that maintained they were little more than clones
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
. The album's doomy title track could even be found on the web described as a lost Sabbath track. After a short tour of the U.K. and an invitation to play the Dynamo Open Air Festival in The Netherlands, the band headed back to the studio.
| 1993 (as Green Machine) |
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| 1994–1995 |
Singing Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
| 1996–2004 |
Singing Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
| 2004–2005 |
Singing Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
| 2005–2008 |
Singing Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
| 2008–2009 |
Singing Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
| 2009–present |
Singing Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
Celestial Hi-Fi
Recorded in the summer of 1999, in the workshop of Ren Squires' parents home, Celestial Hi-FiCelestial Hi-Fi
-Track listing:# "Hyperfaster" # "What's Up Mr. Zero" # "Stingray Part II" # "Solarsphere" # "Strange Gods, Strange Altars" # "Celestial Hi-Fi" # "At The Mountains Of Madness" # "Persona"...
, showcased the diversity of the Sheavy sound. The delicate nuances of "Persona" gave way to the doom of "Tales From The Afterburner," while tracks like "What's Up Mr. Zero" and "Strange Gods Strange Altars" illustrated the bands ability to throw hooks into the mix. Reviews of the album were generally positive.
That same year Keith left for work in Alberta and Steve headed out west in search of a calendar model named Jackie Kash with whom he had become obsessed. With the band making no money and the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador doing poorly, moving out of the province temporarily was the band's only option. While the distance between the members made live shows and rehearsals an impossibility, it didn't stop Sheavy from making albums.
Synchronized
In October 2001, the band converged on Keith's new home in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
to write and rehearse for what would become the Synchronized
Synchronized (album)
-Track listing:# "Firebird350" # "Last of the V8 Interceptors" # "Next Exit to Vertigo" # "Part of the Machine" # "Synchronized" # "Invasion of the Micronauts" # "Kill Queens Go Disco" # "Ultraglide"...
sessions. Recorded in November 2001, with former Black Sabbath Producer/Engineer Mike Butcher at the helm, Synchronized once again saw the band diversify its sound with the addition of synthesizer, piano and drum loops. Despite, and perhaps because of the addition of Butcher, the album has been described as the bands least Sabbath-like release and nothing less than a sincere tribute to '70s rock. Written largely in the studio due to time constraints, the albums rock-solid production showcased a raw power unseen on the Sheavy's previous releases.
In September 2004, the band reunited in St. John's to begin writing songs for a new album. Due to a number of outside obligations, consummate band leader and drummer Ren Squires stepped quietly out of the spotlight. Kevin Dominic, a long-time friend of the band, was brought in to keep the rock n' roll machine running. By November the band emerged with 11 new tracks. Over the next month, with the help of friend and Producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Rick Hollett, the band tracked Republic? above a Duckworth Street club called The Republic. Billy Anderson mixed Republic? in San Francisco, California, and the album was released on Rise Above Records in 2005.
In 2006, the band travelled to Europe for a two-week tour, which included a number of countries and festivals.
The Machine That Won the War
On March 3, 2007, Sheavy filmed a special live performance at the Holy Heart of Mary High SchoolHoly Heart of Mary High School
Holy Heart of Mary High School is a public high school located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Built in the 1950s by the Presentation sisters, it was originally an all-girls school called "Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School for Girls". The first classes were held on November...
auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
in their hometown of St. John's. This performance was released on DVD with the band's album "The Machine That Won the War" in 2007. This album saw Sheavy take a much simpler approach than with the few previous albums. They made the choice not to record digitally, and also to maintain their own creative control, with singer Steve Hennessey acting as producer. As well, the booklet with the CD notably features artwork by numerous Newfoundland artists connected to the band, with each piece directly inspired by, and corresponding to, each of the tracks on the album.
Following that release, both Tommy Boland and Kevin Dominic amicably parted ways with the band. Evan Chaulker, who had previously toured with Sheavy, was brought in on guitar, and Jason Williams joined the band on drums.
Sheavy have since continued to play sporadically in their hometown. These days, as in recent years, Steve continues to wear stage makeup and typically 70's-inspired costumes when they perform. The makeup is a fairly recent development and varies from performance to performance; it may be silver all over, or red and blue, or perhaps something akin to black metal corpse paint. The outfits though find their origin in the altered purple and blue bell-bottoms he was known for in the band's early days.
The Golden Age of Daredevils/Disfigurine - Present
In April 2009, original guitarist Dan Moore resigned from the band and announced his decision to the band's facebook fan group - both via email. The band enlisted guitarist Chris White on guitar and premiered the new guitarist and new material at local St. John's venue distortion in October 2009. Recording began on a forthcoming album, Disfigurine, roughly around the same period. Prior to its completion, though, the band took up the RPM challengeRPM Challenge
The RPM Challenge is a creative challenge offered yearly to musicians, similar to other time-based challenges such as NaNoWriMo ....
, which invites musicians to record a whole album of music, 10 songs or 35 minutes, The band had 10 tunes in the bag before Dan left and decided to record them instead of canning them when Dan left. The end result was released late May 2010, entitled 'The Golden Age of Daredevils.' 'Disfigurine' was released in late August 2010.( also featuring a couple of tunes that Dan had helped write before departure.)
Studio albums
- Blue Sky MindBlue Sky Mind-Track listing:# "Mountains of Madness" – # "Blue Sky Mind" – # "Domelight" – # "Cosmic Overdrive" – # "Sea of Tomorrow" – # "Supa-Hero" – # "The Gun-it Jam" – # "Psycho Universe" – # "First" –...
CD (1996 Dallas Tarr Records) - The Electric SleepThe Electric Sleep-Track listing:#"Virtual Machine"#"Velvet"#"Destiny's Rainbow"#"Electric Sleep"#"Born in a Daze"#"Automaton"#"Savannah"#"Saving Me"#"Oracle"#"Stardust"#"Last Parade"...
CD (1998 Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
) - Celestial Hi-FiCelestial Hi-Fi-Track listing:# "Hyperfaster" # "What's Up Mr. Zero" # "Stingray Part II" # "Solarsphere" # "Strange Gods, Strange Altars" # "Celestial Hi-Fi" # "At The Mountains Of Madness" # "Persona"...
CD (2000 Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
) - SynchronizedSynchronized (album)-Track listing:# "Firebird350" # "Last of the V8 Interceptors" # "Next Exit to Vertigo" # "Part of the Machine" # "Synchronized" # "Invasion of the Micronauts" # "Kill Queens Go Disco" # "Ultraglide"...
CD (2002 Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
) - Republic?Republic? (album)-Track listing:# "Spy vs. Spy" # "The Rook" # "Hangman" # "Standing at the Edge of the World" # "Revenge of the Viper Three" # "A Phone Booth in the Middle of Nowhere" # "The Man Who Never Was"...
CD (2005 Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
) - The Machine That Won the WarThe Machine That Won the WarThe Machine That Won the War is the sixth release by Sheavy. It was released in 2007 on Candlelight Records. The album was with a limited edition live DVD produced by Studio 709, featuring footage that was shot on March 3 at the Holy Heart Auditorium in St. John's...
CD (2007 Candlelight RecordsCandlelight RecordsCandlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
) - The Golden Age of Daredevils CD (2010 Dallas Tarr Records)
- Disfigurine CD (August 24, 2010 Dallas Tarr Records)
Demos/EPs
- The Reproduction E.P. cassette (1994)
- Slaves to Fashion cassette (1995)
- Untitled 3-song 7" (1995)
- Born Too Late split CD with Church of MiseryChurch of Miseryis a doom metal band from Tokyo, Japan. Church of Misery's style melds early-era Black Sabbath style doom with psychedelic rock.-History:Most songs by Church of Misery are about serial killers and mass murderers...
(1997 Game Two Records)
Compilations appearances
- "Electric Sleep (original version)" on Welcome to Meteor City CD (1998 MeteorCity RecordsMeteorCityMeteorCity Records is an American record label based in Idaho. MeteorCity was founded in 1997 by Jadd Shickler and Aaron Emmel in Albuquerque, New Mexico...
) - "Pictures of You" on Rise 13 - Magick Rock Vol. 1Rise 13Rise 13: Magick Rock Vol. 1 is a compilation CD of stoner rock and doom metal bands; including Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Sheavy, Spirit Caravan, and Unida...
CD (1999 Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
) - "Face in the Mirror" on In the Groove CD (1999 The Music CartelThe Music CartelThe Music Cartel was a record label based in Port Washington, New York and active during the late 90s and early 00s. Many of their releases were also released in Europe on Rise Above Records. It was founded in 1998 by former Earache Records general manager Eric Lemasters...
) - "Sea of Tomorrow" on I am Vengeance: Official Soundtrack CD (2007 MeteorCityMeteorCityMeteorCity Records is an American record label based in Idaho. MeteorCity was founded in 1997 by Jadd Shickler and Aaron Emmel in Albuquerque, New Mexico...
)