The band’s new music and back story were part of Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Hannah Laine, Jabo Bihlman, Slumlord Radio, Jessica Wolfbird and more.
Rip Smidgeon: Unleashing music that ‘touches on all different parts’ of their influences. (Courtesy Photo)
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For musicians in their 20s, citing 1970s stars Fleetwood Mac and Bob Welch as influences admittedly falls into the “unusual” category.
But Grand Rapids alternative indie-rock/pop band Rip Smidgeon gives its original music a New Millennium twist that incorporates much more than that into its songs.
“It’s sort of all over the place,” conceded singer and rhythm guitarist Jack Shackelford, who also cited The Lemon Twigs and Mac DeMarco as influences. “We’ll kind of make songs and be like, ‘What kind of band are we right now?’ ”
Offered bassist Aedan Favale: “I grew up on a lot of ’90s grunge rock. That was my big thing, what my parents listened to and (Shackelford’s) experience was very different. But we kind of take all those backgrounds and bring ’em together and try and make something that touches on all those different parts. It’s weird.”
Hosting Their Album-Release Show at Park Theatre: Rip Smidgeon (Courtesy Photo)
Weird, too, band members say, is their current dependence on a drum machine for performances and their debut full-length album, “The Sum of My Dreams,” that officially gets released during a show at Holland’s Park Theatre on Jan. 17. The Mannequins and D!mes also are on the bill; tickets are $14 in advance, available online here.
Shackelford said the drum machine forces “sound guys” at venues to become members of the band, per se, which isn’t always ideal – hinting perhaps that a drummer could be added to Rip Smidgeon in the future.
“I could neither confirm nor deny that,” he joked.
Drummer aside, band members Shackelford, Favale, lead guitarist/singer Matt Huffman and keyboardist/guitarist Tom Loos have known each other since middle school, officially forming Rip Smidgeon in the winter of 2023.
‘LOW-KEY, KICKING DOWN DOORS’ IN WEST MICHIGAN’S MUSIC SCENE
With “a loose theme of overcoming adversity,” the band recorded the album at El Cribiño Studios and released three singles in 2024.
Describing their standing in West Michigan’s music scene as “low-key, kicking down doors,” Rip Smidgeon aims to continue performing regularly in 2025 and “probably make another record.”
The Future: Is a drummer in the offing? (Courtesy Photo)
Shackelford conceded that arriving at this stage wasn’t something he anticipated when he got into “the production side of digital music production” at age 15.
“I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was 20. I’m 23 now, but I just wanted to do it,” he said. “If anybody’s listening who likes music and wants to do it, just do it.”
Added Favale: “It’s never too late.”
For this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE — which showcases music by Michigan artists via WYCE (88.1 FM) and online at wyce.org — Rip Smidgeon showcased two tracks from the album – “What’s the Deal” and “The Jury & The Crowd.”
Check out the songs and interview as part of the radio show podcast, which also spotlighted new music by Jabo Bihlman, Stormy Chromer, The Mannequins, Hannah Laine, Ron St. Germain, Jessica Wolfbird, Sunken Melody and Slumlord Radio, along with a 2023 track from Wilson Thicket, which plays the Winter Wheat festival at The Intersection on Saturday. Listen to the radio show here.
PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE (1/10/25)
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