Swarm of Spheres - Old Type Rider
I first came across Shallow while religiously tuning into MuchMusic's Loud back in my high school days. I recorded the videos for Auto Body Crusher & Backbone onto a VHS tape and pretty much wore it out until I finally found a copy of This Apparatus...on CD during a trip to Toronto back in 1999 — record stores in our hometown didn't have much of an underground music selection and even illegal downloads were surprisingly hard to come across back then. Years later when I discovered Mob Wheel had been released, I now had better access to illegally downloading underground music (sorry guys!) and couldn't believe what came out of my speakers upon the first listen to my free copy. I'd never heard anything quite like it. For me, this album completely redefined the word heavy and forever changed how I perceived not just heavy music, but music in general from then onward.
In 2008, I discovered that No List Records had released the Rhinoceros Love split on vinyl, so I ordered a copy and set up a rendezvous with Lee Repko, whom I'd never met at that point in time, to pick it up from him while I was passing through Winnipeg on tour. Lee is the main reason for our involvement on this compilation — he and I developed an immediate bond initially formed by our mutual love for the band.
In 2012, I met Biff through our mutual friend, Johnny Ibay, while seeking out a physical copy of Mob Wheel and shortly after we played some shows with his band Sexbeast (later known as Backbiters). I had to attempt to suppress my extreme Shallow fanboy instincts around him, but it always managed to seep out somehow. We were also fortunate enough to play some shows with Crux of Aux around the same period. I'm very thankful that I never had to play after Tony on any of those occasions; watching him effortlessly destroy behind the kit was something to behold and certainly nothing one would want to attempt to follow.
Tony has been a huge influence on my playing and although he was the kindest, most down-to-earth person one could ever meet, I still always felt a little nervous and starstruck around him, having revered him as a drummer and musician for so many years. On behalf of Swarm of Spheres, I'd like to express how honoured and grateful we are for the opportunity to be a part of this compilation.
RIP Tony.
Mark McGee
swarmofspheres.bandcamp.com
from
Rhino Body Lover: A Tribute to Shallow North Dakota,
released January 21, 2022
Jay Chapman (guitar, vocals)
Mark McGee (drums)
Andrew Rashotte (bass)
PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Drums recorded by Noah Baxter @ Dix Pins Ouest; Montreal — October 2nd, 2021;
Guitar, bass & vocals recorded by Topon Das @ Apartment 2 Recordings; Ottawa — October 2021
COURTESY OF: No Why Records
nowhyrecords.bandcamp.com
