Shiner (band)

Shiner
OriginKansas City, Missouri, United States
GenresPost-hardcore,[1] alternative rock, math rock, space rock revival
Years active1992–2003, 2012–present
LabelsDeSoto, Hit It!, Sub Pop, Owned & Operated, Anodyne
MembersAllen Epley
Paul Malinowski
Jason Gerken
Josh Newton
Past membersJeff Brown
Tim Dow
Joel Hamilton
Shawn Sherrill

Shiner is an American post-hardcore/alternative rock band from Kansas City, Missouri that was active from 1992 to 2003. Since 2012 Shiner has been playing several shows a year. The band's new record Schadenfreude was released May 8, 2020, with touring to follow that was since cancelled due to COVID-19.

History

Shiner formed in 1992 and quickly found wide exposure, releasing a vinyl EP in 1993 and touring with acts such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Chore, Jawbox, Season to Risk, The Jesus Lizard, and Girls Against Boys.[1] Shiner's influences include Jesus Lizard, Slint, Swervedriver, Melvins, Failure, and Chavez.[2][3]

The group released their first LP, Splay (recorded at Steve Albini's Chicago studio) in 1996,[4] and a second album, Lula Divinia the next year. Sub Pop took notice, and released a 7" single of the group's songs "Sleep it Off" and "Half Empty". Following this the band toured with Hum in 1998.[1] A third full-length, Starless, was released on a label run by members of Descendents, Owned and Operated, in 2000. A fourth LP, The Egg, would follow before the group broke up in 2002.[5] This was recorded and produced at Matt Talbott's recording studio, Great Western Record Recorders in Tolono IL and released by DeSoto Records.

Shiner broke up in 2003 after more than a year of touring behind The Egg. Their story was by no means an unusual one; they simply ran their course, building up a cult fanbase in a decade of releasing music, and reaching the logical endpoint of that arc. The album "The Egg" grew an audience over time "Yet a funny thing tends to happen when an album is left alone for several years. As file-sharing and social media grew in the time after The Egg was released, so did its stature"[6]

Josh Newton is the guitar/synth player/mastermind for Sie Lieben Maschinen with Jason Gerken on drums. Allen Epley is in The Life and Times.

Shiner's newest record, Schadenfreude, was released May 8, 2020.[7] The single "Life as a Mannequin" was released February 28, 2020.[8][9][10]

The subsequent tour was postponed due to COVID-19.[11]

The band also has the song "Third Gear Scratch" included on the soundtrack of the video game Saints Row 2.[12]

After announcing that the band was breaking up, Shiner scheduled a final performance. The final show was held at The Madrid Theater in Kansas City[13] on January 25, 2003. Houston, Dirtnap, and Elevator Division opened.

Shiner reunited in 2012.[14]

Members

Current

  • Allen Epley – guitar, vocals (1992–2003, 2012, 2015–present)
  • Paul Malinowski – bass (1996–2003, 2012, 2015–present)
  • Josh Newton – guitar (2000–2003, 2012, 2015–present)
  • Jason Gerken – drums (1999–2003, 2012, 2015–present)

Previous members

  • Jeff Brown – drums (1992)
  • Tim Dow – drums (1993–1999)
  • Joel Hamilton – guitar (1999)
  • Shawn Sherrill – bass (1992–1996)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details
1996 Splay
1997 Lula Divinia
2000 Starless
  • Release date: April 18, 2000
  • Label: Owned & Operated
2001 The Egg
  • Release date: October 23, 2001
  • Label: DeSoto Records
2020 Schadenfreude[15]
  • Release date: May 8, 2020
  • Label: Two Black Eyes

Singles and EPs

  • "Brooks" / "Released" (1993, DeSoto)
  • "Crush" / "Exhaust" (1994, Hit It!)
  • "Floodwater" / "Cowboy" (1995, HitIt!)
  • "Sleep it Off" / "Half Empty" (1997, Sub Pop)
  • "Farewell Bend Merger" (1998, DeSoto)
  • "Semper Fi" / "Sailor's Fate" (1999, DeSoto)
  • "Making Love EP" (2000, Anodyne, reissued in 2007)
  • "Life as a Mannequin" (2020, Two Black Eyes)
  • ”Paul P Pogh” (2020, Two Black Eyes)
  • "The One Thing" (2022)

Compilations

  • "Only Shallow" on the Soak Your Shoes in Red Wine and Strike the Angels Dumb compilation CD (2003, Grand Theft Autumn)
  • "Anytime" (credited as Ohms) on the No Escape: A Tribute to Journey compilation CD-EP (2003, URININE)

References

  1. ^ a b c Biography, Allmusic.com
  2. ^ Lello, Michael (March 2, 2022). "SHINER BACK ON THE ROAD, AND IT'S 'STRANGELY FAMILIAR'". highway81revisited.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  3. ^ McMahan, Tim (October 10, 2001). "Shiner: Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic". timmcmahan.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2023. Epley points to Chavez as one of Shiner's major influences. 'I can't deny that we're building off them -- in their chord structures and bombastic sound, which was foolishly heavy without being overdone. It's pretty refreshing.'
  4. ^ Band Info. Third Gear Scratch. Accessed August 18, 2007.
  5. ^ "Shiner: Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic". timmcmahan.com. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Shiner's The Egg captured a band in pursuit of a noise". treblezine.com. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Protonic Reversal Ep165: Allen Epley (Shiner, The Life and Times)". radioneutron.com. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  8. ^ Epley, Allen (3 February 2020). "Episode 35-Steve Tulipana". Third Gear Scratch (Podcast). Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Shiner – "Paul P Pogh" & "Life As A Mannequin"". stereogum.com. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Shiner's Surprise Rebirth with Schadenfreude, the band's first album in 20 years". thepitchkc.com. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Shiner Cancel Spring/Summer Tour". theprp.com/. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible". Community.saintsrow.com. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  13. ^ Kansas City Rock, The Pitch
  14. ^ Midnight, Chip (January 5, 2023). "Interview: Allen Epley". The Big Takeover. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  15. ^ "Shiner announce first new album in 19 years, Schadenfreude". Treble. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.