Shadow Band
Shadow Band getting the fam all together; photographed by Paul Benson.
Allow Mike Bruno & company to blow your mind with the following listen & discussion about the new desert psych-saturated Mexican Summer 7″ featuring “Eagle Unseen” & “Moonshine”. The New Brunswick by Philly group grew out of the previous incarnation known under the moniker as the Black Magic Family Band, where constant change-ups in lineups & personnel would see the group transform into their current incarnation as Shadow Band where Bruno & the gang cast exorcised visions of angels & demons dredging across the cosmic highways of life.
Playing with members that have played with Weyes Blood, Bad Indians & Hlep; Mike Bruno leads the Shadow Band through the psychedelic gardens of enlightened consciousness on “Eagle Unseen” that takes you through terrains more strange than your standard psych fare. You will both soar like a high-flying bird while crawling like the lowliest worm through the tunnels and chamber chasms that lead you straight into “Moonshine” that glows like the thick glass beakers seen in an alchemist’s workshop. Shadow Band creates each song like a seance or transcendental gathering where every sound & presence is imagined levitating in some sort of hovering formation. Read our following interview with Shadow Band’s Mike Bruno.
Interested in hearing about your earliest memories from New Brunswick, NJ when you were making music under the Black Magic Family Band moniker.
When I was living in New Brunswick I was playing solo mostly and found myself involved in a pretty noisy community of musician creatives. The Family Band was and still is a band of friends with whom to live and make noise experiments with, name aside. We currently live and make music together regularly in Philadelphia, PA.
Hanging outside with the Shadow Band; photographed by Paul Benson.
How did the move to Philly & name change to Shadow Band all come about and how did all these shifts affect you creatively & personally?
The namesake has gone through many transitions, when we first fell into the darkness we were called darksiders. Now we reside in the shadows, hence the name.
Describe the making of the songs “Eagle Unseen” & “Moonshine” that are on your new Mexican Summer 7″.
Moonshine was made first in Paul and Sarah’s house in Mt. Airy. Paul is a wizard with magical powers. He wears the silver and purple robe, whereas Morgan who recorded Eagle Unseen at our house in South Philly wears blue with silver stars.
What have you found yourself listening to, read & watching a lot of right now?
I listen to John Jacob’s purring patterns often. The other day I was reading a book by Ivan Sanderson called “invisible residents”, about oints (other intelligences) and UAOs (unidentified aerial/aquatic objects), which brings light to the statistical correlation between UFO sightings and bodies of water, as in them coming in and out of water, while I was listening to DJ JJ purr-paws.
Other new projects that you’re working on right now?
I’m building a time machine currently, we as a band are trying to enhance the speech patterns of domesticated cats so we can more easily communicate about household issues
Meditations & spells of peace for 2017?
In troublesome times
In darksome clouds
Do not flee this stormy night
For what you’ll find in second sight
Will carry through in the morning light
Tarry on with Love and show
That that is all we need we know
