This Dublin four- piece is the result of a happy accident: "I had a solo thing going on but my guitar-playing was terrible so I asked Barry to come and do a gig with me," explains Texas, The Shoosʼ lead singer. "Then another friend of ours, Steve, joined in on bass, which made his brother Scott feel left out so in order to be in the band he learned the drums! People assume there was a masterplan, but it was just pure luck that we got together and realised, ʻhey, something specialʼs going on here!ʼ"
Collective identity settled on – "Scott has a bit of a stiletto fetish and we also liked the fact that ʻshooʼ is another way of saying ʻclear offʼ", adds Texas whose own name derives from him being the spit of Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger – the band started jamming out the songs that make up their debut mini-album, Rescue Room.
Some may already be familiar with ʻYeahʼ, September 2009ʼs catchy calling card, which was written in the aftermath of a drunken day out watching the Stones at Slane and included Today FM, FM 104, 98FM, Spin 103.8, Newstalk 106FM and RTÉ radios One and 2fm among its champions.
Not content with building a devoted following at home, The Shoos headed to New York in February 2010 at the behest of Interscope A&R man James Mormile. Once he saw them take such legendary NYC rock haunts as Arleneʼs Grocery and Fat Baby by storm, the relationship was formalised and Mormile signed Texas, Barry, Steve and Scott to his Famework Management stable and arranged for them to open for American A - Listers OneRepublic on their Irish tour.
Since then, The Shoos have wooed Irish radio again with another of Rescue Roomʼs muscular yet melodic standouts, ʻDistanceʼ, shared stages with Maroon 5 and Plan B, supplied the half-time entertainment at the Leinster vs. London Irish Heineken Cup match in the RDS – a dream come true for Texas who played underage with Leinster and but for injuries would have turned pro. They called time on their DIY-dom by inking a deal with Universal Music Ireland and journeyed to Los Angeles where following a showcase in The Viper Room they got pally with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden and Marilyn Manson producer Michael Beinhorn.
The Shoos
Friday - 21st December, 2012
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