Shelters sound both retro and fashionable

Rock star of today?

It is evident the Golden Age of the rock stars has definitely become a thing of the past. We refer to the times of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and a long line of other ensembles and soloists who were admired by millions of fans. We will not see those days again.

Of course, the old stars still exist or their memories are revived by their fans who continue to remember those sweet old days of their childhood. ‘Multos annos’ for them, because I too belong to those times.

However, what do we have to say about the present time? The machines have overtaken men in show business. Add to this the media, the record companies and the need for new ‘human (and artistic) material’ because the production and business must go on. This side of the problem we already know more or less but what about those young people out there who look to further their career and increase their popularity. Let me discuss it with you.

The summer has just ended with many open air festivals and concerts. Every event wants to have at least one star or ensemble in the ‘first row’ but its program has to be from not yet well-known group and soloists. This is an opportunity for the young. The best if they are performing before the main attraction of such festival. It gathers the biggest audience and has the focus of media...

‘...It is not so romantic than it was in the stories of the old times... We are happy that we can play. A chance is one in a million. We have to grab it...’ says Josh Jove from The Shelters group.

They just moved from Los Angeles on their first international tour. The other front man of the group, Chase Simpson in the nearby coffee bar at the not too expensive hotel counts changes in his wallet.

He orders coffee and exchanges smiles with waitress. ‘I always remember tales about rich rock stars when I count pennies before asking for coffee. It is raining cats and dogs!’ Summer this year in Europe was exceptionally cold and rainy.

Contrast

His group is on the first ever tour in Europe and has just played in the ‘Open’er Festival’. ‘This is great. Many buddies would be happy to leave a garage and go anywhere to play, not to mention even Europe.’

The contrast between Chase and Josh is like between day and night. Chase tells the young Keith Richards -- tiny, in tight-fitting jeans, a bit absent-minded -- about the classical rock man in the second row. Josh has something of John Travolta, looks more as a sportsman in school not rock player. He is 28 and he knows very well that time is running out...

‘All my life I had only two jobs not connected with music. My parents were musicians and they said to me in my childhood: Do whatever you love! I love music.’ When he was seventeen he dropped out of school, left his native Orlando and went to California looking for luck. ‘I slept in the apartments of my friends, on sofas, in the kitchen, on the floor and in guest rooms. I played small concerts for thirty, forty dollars. And when I was lucky sometimes it brought for me one hundred. It took a few years in LA.’

Sometimes he earned playing guitar for TV program for would be stars. Children were looking for a big chance but he was always in their shadow accompanying them. Sometimes he played to add clips: We need climate of Stones or Neil Young. ‘I was looking in the archives of the 1960s and 1970s. Now it is useful for The Shelters - we quote old masters and takes inspiration from them.’

Popular

At the record company (they had just started a new stint with Warner Bros) in the belief they would have soon a chance to be a big group. Good, old rock became again popular in California. The Shelters sound both retro and fashionable, singing in two voices having ears to catching melodies... The next step is a raid of determination. Way from California to Europe all over it is unrealized rock stars corps...

They came for Open’er Fest from London and went to Rome and returned again to UK to tour around clubs. The musicians are always on the road, meeting the same chaps on their way. In London they’ve met Benjamin Booker, also the pretending rock star promoted by Jack White.

He also played at the Open’er and toured Britain. ‘Difficult not to be happy’, says Chase. ‘We are paid something, seeing new faces and places. In States all cities are like the same but Europe is a mystery - everywhere you see something new.’

Chase organized his first group when he was in 3rd class of elementary school. Since his childhood his best friend was a stepson of Tom Petty, a legend of American rock (100 million discs sold). When Chase was sixteen Tom invited him to join his threemonth long tour. ‘My old world crashed in ruins. I thought I want to be as they are and nothing more is interesting for me. I became a barbarian. Did I have anytime a ‘normal job’? Once, I was selling grass.’

Records

They were working on his debut album at Tom’s home studio. The same which caught fire 30 years ago. The crazy chap lit the fire. Surprisingly the tapes with cult Tom’s records and his guitar survived. But the famous grey hat did not.

That time a hat of a rock star was as important as his record. Nowadays nobody takes care of it. ‘Tom is incredible,’ says Josh. It is easy to forget that he is a legend. You speak with him like with the chap of the same age. You tell him some of your stories, after he tells you his own and it is nothing special, except that in his story, for example Johnny Cash appears.

He gives you always good advices. The most important is ‘don’t deliberate too much with production, sound or visage and instead think of good songs.’ ‘I have a good band of excellent musicians, huge studio and super equipment’, said Tom. ‘But if I would need I take a guitar and with the same good result I would sing something in my salon. Nobody bought any of my records because of deliberated out sound he bought it only because of verses and refrains.’

Growing up they were listening to stories of golden age of rock and roll. They dreamt that one day they would enter a great stage and they would change the word with three chords and guitar solo.

Concert

‘Before the people went to a concert, watching and listening to four chaps all of that sweat flying out. Today everybody has seen everything, music doesn’t move too much. Our generation was growing sure that music is the most important in the whole world and rock stars are like gurus having everything, earning fortunes and even walking a few inches above the earth.’

‘The reality today is different. Even if you have support of good records company, you have to do something really incredible to be noticed at all. People have the Instagram mentality; you have a second to catch their attention. If you use it you will disappear in the crowd. It is much less romantic than you heard from old time stories. We are happy if somebody will allow us to enter the stage to play. To it he adds a hotel room and few bags it is perfect.’ (Josh)

For the time being the best hit is the Rebel Heart. They have reached the seven million mark on ‘Spotify’. It is a sort of their story. They believe that there is no choice. They back everything whatever they have in music. This is a choice of life, to add some sense to it... looks like they have a chance.

Editor’s Note: Cezary Owerkowicz is the chairman of the Kuwait Chamber of Philharmonia and talented pianist. He regularly organises concerts by well-known musicians for the benefit of music lovers and to widen the knowledge of music in Kuwait. His e-mail address is: cowerkowicz @yahoo.com and cowerkowicz@ hotmail.com