sheppard press kit
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Sheppard Press Kit May 2013TRANSCRIPT
We are Sheppard. facebook.com/wearesheppard wearesheppard.com @wearesheppard instagram.com/wearesheppard
Sheppard Press Kit 2013
Written and compiled by Brittany George on behalf of SR Curio.
Pictures by Chugg Entertainment.
Meet Sheppard: Who be the what now? George Sheppard Amy Sheppard
Band Ranking: Lead vocalist
Cheesiest song on your iPod? Livin’ La Vida Loca
Where will you be in 5 years time?
I don’t even know where I see myself in 10 minutes time. Touring the world, doing lots of good things for charities and still
making music.
Band Ranking: Lead vocalist
Cheesiest song on your iPod? Barbie Girl But… it’s a favourite so it will never be deleted.
Where will you be in 5 years time?
Hopefully still touring the world with Sheppard – we will have a nice solid following. Maybe even a Sheppard concert on the moon.
Sheppard performing at the Crystal Ball
Meet Sheppard: Who be the what now? Emma Sheppard Jay Bovino
Band Ranking: Bass Guitarist
Cheesiest song on your iPod? Let’s Talk About Sex
Where will you be in 5 years time?
Touring with everyone in the band – and having a good time!
Band Ranking: Rhythm Guitarist
Cheesiest song on your iPod? My Heart Will Go On
Where will you be in 5 years time?
Touring. Being 5 years older and 5 billion dollars richer.
Meet Sheppard: Who be the what now? Michael Butler Dean Gordon
Band Ranking: Electric Guitarist
Cheesiest song on your iPod? I actually just checked my iPod and I have ‘It’s Raining Men’…
Where will you be in 5 years time?
Touring. Hanging out with these guys – I’d also love to own a house by then.
Band Ranking: Bass Guitarist
Cheesiest song on your iPod? Rocket Man
Where will you be in 5 years time?
5 years exactly? To this day? Playing drums. Definitely.
!
About the band. They say you can’t choose your family – but for Sheppard, that’s exactly how it went down – and it works a treat. Bursting onto the music scene with energy, enthusiasm and an unbridled passion for upbeat rhythm and catchy harmonies, this six piece Australian band have speedily shifted from strength to strength, an alternative music group comprised of siblings George (lead vocalist), Amy (lead vocalist) and Emma Sheppard (bass guitarist), with additional members Jay Bovino (rhythm guitarist), Michael Butler (electric guitarist) and Dean Gordon (drummer). Trained by PNG music legend Buruka Tau, managed by the sibling’s father, Greg Sheppard and promoted by Aussie produced Michael Chugg, this talented alternative pop group have wasted no time when it comes to sharing the love for singing and songwriting, and since forming in 2011 have released a self titled album and have performed a number of international tours in South Africa, London and Philipines, taking to the stage for Aus Fest in India and headlining for a performance at Summer Stage in New York City’s Central Park. Back in Australia, Sheppard has also been receiving airplay on stations Nova, B105, 2DayFM, 96FM Perth and Radio KROK Melbourne, and has been one of the bands featured on Triple J Unearthed. With catchy rhythms, heartfelt lyrics and an all round feel good sound, Sheppard’s music has been praised as modern Fleetwood Mac (by iTunes), with their tune “Let Me Down Easy” shooting up the charts, leading to the band debuing on the Australian Music Network charts at #69, and in late March 2013, became the third most added song on Australian radio, just preceeding Wil. I. Am and Justin Beiber. But it’s more than just their music that has heart. Sheppard’s generous nature has lent itself to a number of charity performances, previously donating time to headline a charity event in PNG in late October 2011 that raised a PGK114,000 donation to orphanages, distributed to PNG Children’s Foundation, We Care, Buk Bilong Pikinini and Operation Open Heart, with big plans to continue contributing.
They say you can’t choose your family - but for Sheppard, that’s exactly how it went down - and it works a treat. Bursting onto the music scene with energy, enthusiasm and an unbridled passion for upbeat rhythm and catchy harmonies, this six piece Australian band have speedily shifted from strength to strength, an alternative music group comprised of siblings George (lead vocalist), Amy (lead vocalist) and Emma Sheppard (bass guitarist), with additional members Jay Bovino (rhythm guitarist), Michael Butler (electric guitarist) and Dean Gordon (drummer).
Inspired by PNG music legend Buruka Tau from their days attending Murray International school (now TEMIS) in Port Moresby, the band is managed by the sibling’s father, Greg Sheppard in partnership with legendary Australian promoter and industry heavy-weight Michael Chugg, of Chugg Entertainment fame (Empire of Song).
Since forming in 2011, Sheppard have released a self-titled EP and have performed a number of international tours and gigs, performing at Ocean Park in Manila, the Wilderness Festival in the United Kingdom, the Oppi Koppi Festival in South Africa, taking to the stage for Aus Fest in India, headlining Summer Stage in New York City’s Central Park, performing at Johnny Depp’s Viper Room in LA and making their mark on The Roxy stage (like other greats including Bob Marley and the Wailers) – it is obvious that this talented alternative pop group have wasted no time when it comes to sharing the love for singing, songwrirting and performing.
Back in Australia, Sheppard has also been receiving airplay on stations Nova FM, B105, 2DayFM, 96FM Perth and Radio K-ROCK Melbourne. With catchy rhythms, heartfelt lyrics and an all round feel good sound, Sheppard’s music has been praised as modern Fleetwood Mac by iTunes, with their tune “Let Me Down Easy” shooting up the charts, leading to the band debuting on the Australian Music Network charts at #69, and in late March 2013, the track became the third most added song on Australian radio, just preceeding Will. I. Am and Justin Bieber.
But it’s more than just their music that has heart. Sheppard’s generous nature has lent itself to a number of charity performances, previously donating time to headline a charity event in PNG in late October 2011 that raised a PGK114,000 (AUD$50,798.40) which was distributed to PNG Children’s Foundation, We Care, Buk Bilong Pikinini and Operation Open Heart among others, with big plans to continue contributing.
Sheppard Fact Sheet. Music Style: Supporting Charities: Alternative Pop PNG Children’s Foundation Indie We Care Insanely catchy RSPCA Stanley Origin: RH Foundation
Operation Open Heart Papua New Guinea Buk Bilong Pikinini Australia
Members: Live Performances:
George Sheppard Australian Airplay Papua New Guinea Amy Sheppard 106.9 Nova FM Australia Emma Sheppard South Africa Jay Bovino
95.5 K-Rock London
Michael Butler B105
India Dean Gordon
2Day FM USA
96 FM Perth
Philipines
Hit Tracks: Let Me Down Easy, I Am Not A Whore, Hold My Tongue, Fly Away, Pebble Road
Harmonies, Headbanging & Heartbreaks; Q&A Time with Sheppard
Brittany George sat down to chat with the band on style, success and everything in between …
You've been described by others as having similar sounds to the likes of FUN and Coldplay, with that real indie youth touch. How would you describe your music to someone?
Amy – I’d probably describe it as really fun. We want people to have a good time. But it’s also got that specific harmony that people say we have and I think that influence comes from Papua New Guinea because George and Emma and I grew up there.
George – If you were to put it into a genre, it would be alternative pop. I think that’s what we’ve been calling it. It’s not quite, you know, Rihanna, or something you’d usually hear on the radio. We use a lot of melodies and harmonies – so yeah, alternative pop.
When your music is played, the group harmonisation shines and what really comes through is that laid back island sound (kind of like kicking it in Hawaii) How did you guys find your style?
Amy –We really struggled with finding our sound because we kept writing songs and they all sounded really different. But what they all did have in common was that specific harmony and – well, it didn’t really mean to happen, but I just think it was embedded in us and the island sound really came through and that’s what we’ve run with.
Now we’ve got that happy, beach party vibe going on now and I think that really works for us.
George – We grew up in PNG and the school we went to, Murray International (now Ela Murray International) was quite a multicultural school and were really heavily into the creative side of the upbringing of children, which was a very
big plus for us. We had really good music and drama teachers and I think just being in that environment, it was very easy for us to get a grasp of music and that side of life early on. Being in PNG, the harmonies really came through to us.
What elements of your music do you believe are attributed to your upbringing in PNG?
George: Definitely the harmonies. The melodies as well – we have quite melodic songs. I mean you turn on Triple J (Australian radio station) at the moment and it’s a lot of * ner ner ner ner ner ner ner** so we’re bringing a lot of colour and energy into it. Emma: I think the rhythms as well. I mean, we were in Kokopo for Easter and we come across a band and they were playing kundu drums and we’ve taken some of the inspiration there. We’re working with those big rhythms, so the little things like that help influence our music.
Sheppard has gone from strength to strength - and the last few years have been particularly huge - performing at the 2012 Oz Fest in India, headlining Summer Stage in NYC's Central Park on Australia Day, as well as jetting abroad to perform in South Africa, London, the Philippines. How has the ride been? What has been the highlight of your journey so far?
George: I think it’s been just over two years since we’ve really started playing. We spent the first 6-8 months just writing the songs and the next 6 months recording them, trying to find the right producer and the right sound. Last year we really started the whole live circuit and I mean the whole of last year has been the highlight for me. We did a bunch of tours and played at a bunch of festivals internationally and it was a real eye opener for us.
We were tour virgins at that stage and they really popped our cherry in that sense. Just really threw us in the deep end and suddenly we’re playing to big huge crowds of people at festivals. The highlight for me is our show in the USA, Central Park. I don’t think you can ask for anything better than that.
Sheppard Press Coverage. For more press coverage visit http://on.fb.me/18Eqk6Z.
George: We also did a charity concert in PNG in October of 2011 – that was a big highlight for us as well. We got to come back and see our old school and we got to play at Murray International again and raise a bunch of money for charity, so that was really nice to give back to PNG.
Any embarrassing on stage moments? Emma: My first show. I forgot to plug in my bass guitar – it was pretty nerve wracking in front of all our friends.
George: She just got up on stage and nothing was coming out.
My most embarrassing moment was one of the shows, I came out and got a big over enthusiastic and was doing the head bang thing **demonstrates head banging movement *. This one in particular, I just got too over enthusiastic and threw my face into the microphone. At full pelt. I like to hope that no-one would notice… but it was a little hard not to. I had a big red mark on my forehead for the rest of the show.
Who are your major influences?
George: Well, there are 3 different songwriters so we all have our big influences. I mean mine would have to be Coldplay – that’s the one that I draw on. Chris Martin and his music are a real inspiration to me.
Amy: Fleetwood Mac. I really like the old school tunes and their harmonies. Apart from that, for a bit more pop influence, I really like Katy Perry. I’m a bit ashamed to admit it. She’s a good role model as well. Sheppard have a great repute for being so tight knit as a family group - come now, are we getting the sugar coated version here? Amy: We’ll we’re siblings…
George: Yeah, Amy’s got a black eye – she just covered it with makeup …
Amy: No! We definitely have our moments. I mean, it’s normal. When you’re touring all the time, you’re working together, living together. But I think you get to a point when you have to get over it. Like when you’re with siblings and you have a fight and then … two minutes later you’re laughing about it. Or laughing about something.
The same with the guys who aren’t our siblings as well. I mean there might be times when the boys get annoyed.
George: Throw a punch.
Amy: Nothing like that.
George: No, we’re usually pretty good. When you’re on tour, your head’s gotta be in the game. It’s all about working together properly and efficiently. When you’re on tour, your mind goes into a different zone completely; you get up early, you eat healthily and you just gotta be on the ball. It’s demanding. Physically and mentally demanding.
You guys have the island chill out mostly covered – are there any future plans to incorporate PNG instruments or music style into future songs? George: Well it’s funny you should mention that. When we were in Kokopo we purchased quite a few percussion instruments and kundu drums and that sort of thing. We’re still in the process of bringing them back – to allow them through customs, we are getting them treated in PNG.
At the resort we were staying at, they had this cool PNG band playing and there were a few percussion instruments there and I said “We definitely have to use some of this stuff”. I think if we’re going to use anything, it’s going to be the percussion stuff. They have some really cool instruments going on. Any last words?
Eat your greens, kids. And study hard.
Play it Again, Sam!
Enjoy the sweet Sheppard sounds on the following sites;
www.soundcloud.com/wearesheppard
www.youtube.com/wearesheppard
