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Combining the laid back vibes of indie-folk music and the feeling of a warm Michigan summer afternoon, budding musician Brad Rude’s newest solo project, Shepard Tone, is sure to invoke some chill vibes.
Former member of The Social Bandits, Rude started Shepard Tone as a way to find a creative outlet for his songwriting itch. The adventure started last summer when he released his first song “Fuzzy Teeth,” which is about summer nights in Michigan.
The folky style is inspired by bands such as The Head and the Heart, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Beach Boys, which Rude felt didn’t fit with any of the projects he was involved with at the time. decided to try channeling this new style with a solo project, but he said that his music experience with the alternative-rock band The Social Bandits helped him further his love of music.
“Being in The Social Bandits for six years really helped shape my musicianship as a performer and a songwriter,” Rude said. “We played hundreds of shows together over the years, and created a musical bond that I will strive for in all of my future projects.”
That bond continues with Shepard Tone’s first EP, which Rude says members of The Social Bandits appear on. The debut EP is titled “My Summer Dream” and will be released on Wednesday, September 26 with a special release party at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. Rude describes the EP as a collection of songs about his favorite summertime memories in Michigan full of nostalgia and bittersweet reflection.
My Summer Dream EP Cover. Photo Courtesy of Shepard Tone.
The name of “My Summer Dream” is pretty obvious, but the inspiration behind the name Shepard Tone is a little more nuanced. Rude said that he is a huge film composer fan and one of his biggest idols is popular composer Hans Zimmer.
“He frequently uses an audio effect in his scores called the ‘Shepard Tone,’ which helps build rising tension in a score. When I read about this effect, I thought it would be a cool fit for the name of this project,” Rude said.
Along with the debut of Shepard Tone’s EP, Rude has much planned for the upcoming months. The aforementioned EP release party will also include performances from Natalite Lucassian and Jake McArthur, while Shepard Tone will open for The Fruits and Zander Michigan’s dual album release party on Friday, October 5. Shepard Tone also recently released a music video for his new song “All as One,” which includes a sign language interpretation of the song’s lyrics.
For more information on everything that Shepard Tone has coming up, be sure to follow the Facebook page and check out the official website for the latest updates.
