DATE: Sunday, July 27, 1997                 TAG: 9707250284

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 28   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: John Harper

LENGTH: 105 lines

FUNKY EIGHT-PIECE BAND WILL PLAY AT THE PIT

Hard-driving, steamy and funky is what the Cincinnati-based octet, Shag, is all about.

The group sweeps across the Outer Banks this week for a two-night gig at the Pit Cyber Cafe in Kill Devil Hills. Rooted in a wide array of styles - '70s funk, hip-hop, soul, rhythm and blues - Shag is making its first Outer Banks appearance.

Formed in 1993 from remnants of several Cincinnati-area rock bands, Shag's musical direction came by chance. It seems a couple of the band's members were searching used-record stores and discovered some funky old albums by Funkadelic, Parliament and the Ohio Players.

``We were all pretty tired of rock and roll,'' says Shag's lead guitarist and co-founder Christopher Donnelly. ``We would sit around and listen to these old records and talk about how great it would be to do a band that really focused on traditional funk.''

As fate would have it, the budding funksters came face-to-face with hometown hero and certified funkmeister Bootsy Collins. Renowned for his thunderous bass work that defined the '70s funk bands Parliament/Funkadelic, Collins happened to be chillin' in the nightclub where Shag was playing one of its early shows.

Collins liked what he heard and arranged to record the band live with his ``Bootzilla'' mobile studio. The resulting 1993 release, ``Shag-Live,'' was a sizzling seven-song set that was heavy on hooks, horns and hard-core funk.

``We wanted to do something serious,'' Donnelly says. ``But we also wanted music that was danceable.''

Shag just released its first studio album, ``Silver City.'' Produced by three band members - Donnelly, saxophonist Craig Shields and bassist Chris Sherman - ``Silver City'' is another seven-song set of horn-peppered, bass heavy, old school funk.

``We used some antiquated synthesizers,'' Donnelly says, noting that the band's songs are derivative but original. ``It really helps give us an authentic sound.''

In addition to Donnelly, Shields and Sherman, Shag's lineup includes lead singer Duran Murphy, drummer Moses Mooney, percussionist Mark Chenault, saxophonist Joodi Reynolds and trumpet player Alan Limke.

Donnelly says Shag does funk the old-fashioned way for club dates. And that includes dressing in clothes that look like someone played pot luck at the Laundromat.

``Clothes are a big consideration,'' says Donnelly, who admits to shopping flea markets. ``The visual aspect is important.

``But the bottom line is we try to make it a show. It's equal parts audience and performers.''

H ard-driving, steamy and funky is what the Cincinnati-based octet, Shag, is all about.

The group sweeps across the Outer Banks this week for a two-night gig at the Pit Cyber Cafe in Kill Devil Hills. Rooted in a wide array of styles - '70s funk, hip-hop, soul, rhythm and blues - Shag is making its first Outer Banks appearance.

Formed in 1993 from remnants of several Cincinnati-area rock bands, Shag's musical direction came by chance. It seems a couple of the band's members were searching used-record stores and discovered some funky old albums by Funkadelic, Parliament and the Ohio Players.

``We were all pretty tired of rock and roll,'' says Shag's lead guitarist and co-founder Christopher Donnelly. ``We would sit around and listen to these old records and talk about how great it would be to do a band that really focused on traditional funk.''

As fate would have it, the budding funksters came face-to-face with hometown hero and certified funkmeister Bootsy Collins. Renowned for his thunderous bass work that defined the '70s funk bands Parliament/Funkadelic, Collins happened to be chillin' in the nightclub where Shag was playing one of its early shows.

Collins liked what he heard and arranged to record the band live with his ``Bootzilla'' mobile studio. The resulting 1993 release, ``Shag-Live,'' was a sizzling seven-song set that was heavy on hooks, horns and hard-core funk.

``We wanted to do something serious,'' Donnelly says. ``But we also wanted music that was danceable.''

Shag just released its first studio album, ``Silver City.'' Produced by three band members - Donnelly, saxophonist Craig Shields and bassist Chris Sherman - ``Silver City'' is another seven-song set of horn-peppered, bass heavy, old school funk.

``We used some antiquated synthesizers,'' Donnelly says, noting that the band's songs are derivative but original. ``It really helps give us an authentic sound.''

In addition to Donnelly, Shields and Sherman, Shag's lineup includes lead singer Duran Murphy, drummer Moses Mooney, percussionist Mark Chenault, saxophonist Joodi Reynolds and trumpet player Alan Limke.

Donnelly says Shag does funk the old-fashioned way for club dates. And that includes dressing in clothes that look like someone played pot luck at the Laundromat.

``Clothes are a big consideration,'' says Donnelly, who admits to shopping flea markets. ``The visual aspect is important.

``But the bottom line is we try to make it a show. It's equal parts audience and performers.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Formed in 1993 from remnants of several Cincinnati-area rock bands,

Shag's musical direction came by chance.

Graphic

HOW TO HEAR 'EM

Who: Shag

What: Cincinnati-based funk band

Where: The Pit, milepost 9 on the bypass in Kill Devil Hills

When: Sunday and Monday

Cost: $5

Call: 480-3128

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu