Fife band's weekly cover versions aim to lift lockdown spirits

Shambolics are performing the tracks in isolation in their own homes

Kirkcaldy band Shambolics have launched a series of weekly cover versions online to lift spirits during lockdown.

The four piece have been bringing their versions of popular tracks to the online stage throughout the Covid-19 lockdown.

Among their chosen tracks have been The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, Abba’s Mamma Mia and The Rolling Stones’ Sympathy for the Devil.

Proving a hit with fans, the quartet have promised to continue their unique series of classic covers in their distinct style with a new release being planned every week until the lockdown restrictions end.

The band members are brought together from their separate bases of isolation to perform in perfect harmony in a video to accompany each track.

Their first lockdown cover was a vibrant version of Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere, which is a firm favourite in the Shambolics’ camp.

Darren Forbes said: “I run a music studio called Eggman Studios and because of lockdown I brought a few things home so I could build a mini home studio so we could record some things and still push content on our socials.

"We basically just played all the parts from our home and filmed ourselves doing so and then mixed it and released it. It seems to going down well!”

The new series of cover versions follow a succession of singles on Alan McGee’s Creation 23 label, including the 2020 release: ‘Sandra Speed’, plus ‘Chasing A Disaster’, which saw the band receive airplay on Steve Lamacq’s BBC6 Music Show.

It also saw them championed by Clash Magazine for their “soaring guitar pop that recalls everyone from The La's to Blossoms and beyond”.

While further new releases from Shambolics are currently on hold in the current crisis, the band will be promising plenty more surprises on their Facebook as they develop the series over the current weeks.

As Darren says: “We have a few more lined up in the pipeline that we plan to release every week, I think the next tune we do is really gonna surprise people!”

To listen to Shambolics’ weekly covers click here

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