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This CD completes the set in an outwardly focused Ohio round up for Orange Recordings, who I heard went out of business. Orange Recordings is from Austin, Texas or some shit like that, but they have released CDs from THREE Ohio bands, This one from The Shams, Them Wranch from Columbus, Ohio, and Geraldine from Athens, Ohio. As the Shams would say, that’s semi-weird but also, as I’m most opted to say, "total-rad."
SHAMS POINT #1
One day The Shams DIDN’T exist, the next day they did. Right from the start they proceeded to tear shit up too. One day, right out of the blue there was this band called The Shams that everyone was talking about. Clockwork: Bam! A CD! There never has been looking back for this band, and their never will.
Foreword motion is their only notion.
SHAMS POINT #2:
They live in their own world. Something about these boys just seemed to click. Like THAT! BAM! They have their own parties, their own scene, and more importantly, their own language. Speaking to Zach and someone I often referred to as ‘1 Adam 12’, you will hear things like "Semi-Weird" or hear one of them call you to the back corner of a bar they are playing only to have them shove a bottle of Jim Beam in your hands and say, "Hit that shit bud!" Something just clicks about the whole Shams THING that has everyone they come in contact with speaking the Shams language, adopting their lingo as their own, and making a true convergence to Shamism. It’s ‘Bud’ this and ‘Semi’ that everywhere! That’s only something you get if you know the Shams, if you live Shamism to its fullest!
They live in their own world. Something about these boys just seemed to click. Like THAT! BAM! They have their own parties, their own scene, and more importantly, their own language. Speaking to Zach and someone I often referred to as ‘1 Adam 12’, you will hear things like "Semi-Weird" or hear one of them call you to the back corner of a bar they are playing only to have them shove a bottle of Jim Beam in your hands and say, "Hit that shit bud!" Something just clicks about the whole Shams THING that has everyone they come in contact with speaking the Shams language, adopting their lingo as their own, and making a true convergence to Shamism. It’s ‘Bud’ this and ‘Semi’ that everywhere! That’s only something you get if you know the Shams, if you live Shamism to its fullest!
The Shams are ANOTHER local for me. I’m privileged indeed.
SHAMS POINT #3
It’s not like the Shams are elitist, they are country common folk! Go over to their house and whatever they have is yours. Coke-a-cola. Miller High Life. Bologna sandwich, Jim Beam... You name it. It’s yours. The Shams are special indeed. It takes a special person to hang in the room with these guys because not everyone understands them. That ability to click with the Shams, it’s not really something learned or acquired, you either got it or you don’t. There are legendary stories circulating about the band’s parties, drinking and OTHER personal- LIFE CHOICES or "habits" depending how you look at substance use as ABUSE or EXPANSION, but it’s all good bud! See, there I go...."Bud."
It’s not like the Shams are elitist, they are country common folk! Go over to their house and whatever they have is yours. Coke-a-cola. Miller High Life. Bologna sandwich, Jim Beam... You name it. It’s yours. The Shams are special indeed. It takes a special person to hang in the room with these guys because not everyone understands them. That ability to click with the Shams, it’s not really something learned or acquired, you either got it or you don’t. There are legendary stories circulating about the band’s parties, drinking and OTHER personal- LIFE CHOICES or "habits" depending how you look at substance use as ABUSE or EXPANSION, but it’s all good bud! See, there I go...."Bud."
***
Take Off represents a roots return to the bare essentials of Rock and/or Roll. Primal. Bare. Quintessential. There’s a whole lot of talk about someone Zach refers to as "Baby" and how he and this so-called "Baby" mistreat each other and journey through life. Bills, fightin’, lovin’, drinking, sleeping all day, exploring/freeing ones mind.... It’s all here. As much as it would be denied, Take Off is a concept album. It’s a story. It’s THE ODYSSEY of our time. Take Off IS psychedelic. Take Off IS Lewis & Clark. Take Off makes me wish that I had some experimentation with LSD myself. Anything that makes me wish I would have had experimented with a industrially created substance like LSD, Which is something I avoid because of the mere process and ingredients of its creation, IS A GOOD THING.
When I listen to the live track on this CD, "Free Your Mind", I wish I was on LSD. I crave LSD. I want to free my mind, and when my skull’s all tied up I would jump ship.... Bah! I will just stick to the Jim Beam I guess.
Take Off has some stirring tracks. I have noticed something about my music listening here of late. Sometimes, I will get chills all over my arms; the hair on the back of my neck will stand up…for certain songs. For some reason my nipples get hard too… I’m not sure WHY this happens, but some bands and some of their songs, just fucking move me. I’m serious about my music, I know this or my nipples wouldn’t get hard.
From the previously mentioned "Free Your Mind" to "When I Get High" to "Rock and Roll" or "Not Right Now", The Shams represent the same Double Zero (‘00) psychedelic movement that gains steam with each drop.
Each drop, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!!!
The Shams. Psychedelic dust left behind.