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The Shoes
The Shoes (from Zion, Illinois) recorded and pressed their first
album, One In Versailles, in 1974. The title referred to
the fact that guitarist Gary Klebe was in France studying
architecture at the time. Three hundred copies of the disc were
pressed and distributed to friends and sold in Zion record stores.
Drummer
Skip Meyer joined in 1976, and the group - with all its members
now out of school and working day jobs - began recording Black
Vinyl Shoes on a four-track tape machine in guitarist
Jeff Murphy's living room.
The
independent album, featuring 15 classically-constructed power pop songs - five each by the three
song writing members of the band -
was released in the summer of 1977 on the group's own Black Vinyl
Records label. Only a thousand copies were pressed, with most
hand-delivered to northern Illinois record stores, the rest to
rock critics.
Black
Vinyl Shoes attracted the attention of Greg Shaw, a critic, power pop
fanatic and owner of the independent Bomp label. Shaw
convinced PVC Records (a division of import outlet Jem) to reissue
the Shoes album.
The
LP received glowing reviews, but little was happening for the
band. Then, near the close of 1978, Shoes recorded some new demos
and sent tapes to the major labels. Elektra picked the group up
and their major label debut,
Present Tense, was recorded at Manor Studio in
Oxfordshire, England.
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| The
Band |
Jeff
Murphy
Vocals, guitar, keyboards
John Murphy
Vocals, Bass, guitar, keyboards
Gary Klebe
Guitar, vocals, keyboards
Skip Meyer
Drums
Mike Zelenko
Drums
Ric Menck
Drums |
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