Shame: Get Straight to the Point

      "In my view, the finest performances occur when you are not thinking, but rather acting purely on instinct." — Charlie Steen. Some bands, at the stage where Shame finds themselves, often establish enduring relationships with producers who feel almost as vital as the members themselves. However, Steen and his bandmates’ choice to continue forging new creative partnerships suggests a determination to advance rather than reflect. "I believe we still consider each hour like it could be our last," he reflects. "And, why not? Why not explore and collaborate with different people? It’s been a lot of fun and genuinely enjoyable. It's simply about making a new friend, you know?"

      The band also adopted a more dynamic approach to their songs than in the past—much of the material was crafted in the studio, with John consistently advocating for a more streamlined and tight record. "His main focus was to discover the essence of the song. I was also writing lyrics in the studio, which I had never done before. Some songs had solid structures, like ‘To and Fro’, while others were longer with multiple sections. He would ask, ‘what’s the core of the song? Don’t complicate it unnecessarily’. That was incredibly helpful, especially in lyric writing. When you understand what you believe a song is about, it typically doesn’t involve many components."

      Dissecting Shame's albums with Steen does feel somewhat strange—like pinning a butterfly. Despite being on their fourth record, the band still seems primarily a live act. Attending a Shame show is quite an experience; it’s common to see bassist Josh Finnerty perform a front flip while still playing, and frontman Steen is often known to tear off his trousers to reveal gold hot pants, frequently appearing shirtless from the start. However, don’t mistake them for a band relying on gimmicks; this is grounded by a level of live performance that showcases a career rooted in energetic pubs and small venues, possessing an inherent ability to captivate an audience.

      Yet, he has expressed that their live performances “aren’t performance art.” This sentiment relates to his efforts to “trim the fat” on 'Cutthroat', an attempt to eliminate the extraneous and discover what lies at the heart of the band. "It’s about returning to something primal and raw," Steen states. "I believe the best shows are those where you’re not overthinking. You’re acting on pure instinct. I hope it doesn’t seem overly pre-planned, but rather feels more direct and confrontational, because that’s its intention, you know? It shouldn’t be seen as an ‘art’ thing, because we don’t want to categorize ourselves into ‘we are this, and you are that’. There should be no divide between us and the audience, fundamentally."

      They confidently present an unpolished live experience as well. Steen emphasizes that they view the crowd as a crucial part of the equation, even during less stellar moments for the band. "I’ve never played a show where the audience wasn’t engaged, and we played flawlessly, walking away thinking, ‘that was great'," he shares. "We’ve had terrible performances with an amazing crowd and walked away saying, ‘that was incredible’."

      Engaging with Steen, it's impossible not to be caught up in his unyielding passion for his craft. There’s a distinct absence of the weariness one might anticipate from someone with extensive experience. When Shame began their journey in 2014, they were still students. Their ascent captured the music press's attention due to their associations with bands at Brixton’s Windmill, sharing the stage with contemporaries like Goat Girl and Squid. However, it now seems that the band has moved past that phase—Shame has outlasted any fleeting ‘moment’ and evolved into a force of its own, carving its unique path.

      'Cutthroat' is an elusive record—bold yet fragile, playful yet profoundly serious. It portrays a band that, a decade later, continues to navigate their journey with spontaneity. Somehow, this approach seems to ensure their endurance. And why not? 'Cutthroat' is set to release on September 5th via Dead Oceans.