Biography
Matt Whitehurst, also known as Matt Horseshit, serves as the central figure in the Columbus, Ohio noise outfit Psychedelic Horseshit. He maintains that the group made its initial public appearance during autumn 2005, when he and several companions secured an uninvited slot onstage at a hippie jam-band gathering in Delaware County. Pressed by the event’s MC for an identity, Whitehurst replied, “Just call us Psychedelic Horseshit.” According to the story, the unexpected approval of the nuevo-hippie crowd caused the name to endure. Although Whitehurst, who handles guitar, keyboards, and vocals, and his collaborator Rich Johnston on percussion do not pursue traditional psychedelia, the earthy, organic funk implied by the latter half of the moniker proves apt; their music echoes the early lo-fi explorations of Pavement, the sharp and angular approach of the Fall, and the raucous vitality shared with their Siltbreeze labelmates and friends Times New Viking. As a My Bloody Valentine enthusiast, Whitehurst has labeled their style “shitgaze.”
Relying on worn gear—including a cardboard box repurposed as a kick drum—and basic four-track recorders, the band’s earliest output consisted of self-produced, limited-edition CD-Rs bearing titles such as Blown Speaker Standards and King Tubby’s Baddness Dub. Local imprint Columbus Discount Singles Club later pressed the vinyl 7-inch Who Let the Dogs Out. Its initial run sold out rapidly, and by mid-2007 the five-song EP New Wave Hippies appeared on vinyl. Several months afterward, Siltbreeze issued the group’s debut full-length, Magic Flowers Droned. Bassist Jason Roxas contributed to numerous early sessions, yet in 2008 the band announced it was seeking a replacement. Ryan Jewell eventually took the role and steered Psychedelic Horseshit toward greater electronic textures. Beyond the attention generated when Whitehurst publicly criticized fellow lo-fi acts Wavves and No Age, the group remained largely out of view until unveiling its 2011 album Laced.
Relying on worn gear—including a cardboard box repurposed as a kick drum—and basic four-track recorders, the band’s earliest output consisted of self-produced, limited-edition CD-Rs bearing titles such as Blown Speaker Standards and King Tubby’s Baddness Dub. Local imprint Columbus Discount Singles Club later pressed the vinyl 7-inch Who Let the Dogs Out. Its initial run sold out rapidly, and by mid-2007 the five-song EP New Wave Hippies appeared on vinyl. Several months afterward, Siltbreeze issued the group’s debut full-length, Magic Flowers Droned. Bassist Jason Roxas contributed to numerous early sessions, yet in 2008 the band announced it was seeking a replacement. Ryan Jewell eventually took the role and steered Psychedelic Horseshit toward greater electronic textures. Beyond the attention generated when Whitehurst publicly criticized fellow lo-fi acts Wavves and No Age, the group remained largely out of view until unveiling its 2011 album Laced.
Albums
