Biography
Baby Shakes hail from New York City and fuse garage rock, girl group sounds, power pop, and old-school punk into an upbeat party style. The quartet, made up of three women and one man, favors memorable hooks and vocal harmonies yet delivers enough drive and swagger to satisfy listeners who prefer tougher music. Their raw, scrappy edge defined the 2008 debut album The First One, but the 2015 follow-up Starry Eyes introduced a tighter, more refined approach that retained the band’s core tastes and spirit.
The group formed in 2005 when Mary Blount stepped forward on lead vocals and guitar, Judy Lindsay handled lead guitar and vocals, and Claudia Gonzalez covered bass and vocals. Lindsay shared a house at the time with Ian Magee of Some Action; after hearing her play guitar he urged her to start a band and connected her with Gonzalez, who sought collaborators and matched her enthusiasm for punk, glam, garage rock, and vintage pop. Once Lindsay and Gonzalez began rehearsing, Gonzalez met Blount through a mutual acquaintance and both guitarists recognized her as the ideal addition. Joey Valentine served as the original drummer and performed on the 2005 debut single “Shake Shake” b/w “On a Friday,” issued by Douchemaster Records. A five-song demo followed on CD-R with Murat Akturk on drums. Shit Sandwich Records released the next 7", 2006’s “Stuck on Blue” b/w “Boys Talk,” which featured a new drummer, Dave Rahn. In 2008 Baby Shakes issued their first full-length, The First One; Rahn played on half the tracks while Akturk handled the rest. After the album’s release the band toured regularly across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Strong reception in Japan led to opportunities writing and recording music for television advertising. Although they released the three-song EP Tell Me Now in 2008, pressed on heart-shaped red vinyl, and the 2009 single “With You Around” b/w “Too Much Time,” the group largely stepped back, playing only sporadically and avoiding the studio for several years. The hiatus ended with the 2015 album Starry Eyes on the band’s own Lil’ Chewy label, at which point Dave Rahn became the steady fourth member on drums. Making up for lost time, Baby Shakes returned in 2017 with Turn It Up, issued on vinyl and CD by Lil’ Chewy and on cassette by Burger Records. Following another two-year gap they delivered the spirited 2019 album Cause a Scene.
The group formed in 2005 when Mary Blount stepped forward on lead vocals and guitar, Judy Lindsay handled lead guitar and vocals, and Claudia Gonzalez covered bass and vocals. Lindsay shared a house at the time with Ian Magee of Some Action; after hearing her play guitar he urged her to start a band and connected her with Gonzalez, who sought collaborators and matched her enthusiasm for punk, glam, garage rock, and vintage pop. Once Lindsay and Gonzalez began rehearsing, Gonzalez met Blount through a mutual acquaintance and both guitarists recognized her as the ideal addition. Joey Valentine served as the original drummer and performed on the 2005 debut single “Shake Shake” b/w “On a Friday,” issued by Douchemaster Records. A five-song demo followed on CD-R with Murat Akturk on drums. Shit Sandwich Records released the next 7", 2006’s “Stuck on Blue” b/w “Boys Talk,” which featured a new drummer, Dave Rahn. In 2008 Baby Shakes issued their first full-length, The First One; Rahn played on half the tracks while Akturk handled the rest. After the album’s release the band toured regularly across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Strong reception in Japan led to opportunities writing and recording music for television advertising. Although they released the three-song EP Tell Me Now in 2008, pressed on heart-shaped red vinyl, and the 2009 single “With You Around” b/w “Too Much Time,” the group largely stepped back, playing only sporadically and avoiding the studio for several years. The hiatus ended with the 2015 album Starry Eyes on the band’s own Lil’ Chewy label, at which point Dave Rahn became the steady fourth member on drums. Making up for lost time, Baby Shakes returned in 2017 with Turn It Up, issued on vinyl and CD by Lil’ Chewy and on cassette by Burger Records. Following another two-year gap they delivered the spirited 2019 album Cause a Scene.
Albums
Sweet 'n' Sour (Pt. 2) / Really Really
2020
Sweet 'N' Sour (Pt. 2) / Really Really
2020
Cause a Scene
2019
Love Song in Reverse
2019
Nowhere Fast
2019
Singles
