SHALINI - The Band

The Band

Albums of original music and their eras:

All recordings are produced by Mitch Easter.

We Want Jelly Donuts (2000).
We Want Jelly Donuts (Parasol) was rated #11 on the All Music Guide's list of best pop/rock CDs for 2000 and the song "Get Free" was on Spin.com's best-of-year compilation. Shalini, Mitch and Eric played with bassist Laura Weislo that spring and went to South by Southwest to play at Lucy's on March 17, 2000. The band completed a 2,200 mile regional tour that fall. The live band in this era: Shalini, Mitch, Jon Heames on bass, Eric. Some songs we covered: Roxy Music's "Do the Strand", Love's "Seven and Seven Is", The Ventures' "Walk Don't Run."

Metal Corner (2001-2006).
In 2001, Shalini started playing bass in the band. She, Mitch and Eric traveled on regional mini tours throughout 2001-2003 to promote a new, harder sound and the songs that would become the next album. Dalloway Records released Metal Corner on April 6, 2004. That summer, bassist Jane Francis began playing with the band, allowing Shalini to move back to guitar. It felt like the band had developed its personality and sound. Some songs we covered: Garbage's "When I Grow Up," Frida's "There's Something Going On", the Go-Go's "Vacation" and "Vision of Nowness," The Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant," and the Byrds' "Goin' Back." This four piece toured out-of-state less, but played various regional outdoor shows such as the Shiner Bock Ribfest, Summer on Trade, and the Zebulon Ribfest at Mudcats Stadium. In addition, this combo participated in a 2005 Katrina benefit by playing a set of Ventures covers.

The Surface and the Shine (2006-2009).
In May 2005, Mitch, Eric, and Shalini met Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush) for a weekend session at Gravity Studios in Chicago. The recording got off to a good start, but then staggered as an era of confusion set in. After a split in 2006 with Dalloway Records, Shalini returned to the Fidelitorium to finish writing and recording. The record was released on Electric Devil, and distributed by 125 Records in later '07. Eric took a break, and drummer Chris Garges joined permanently in the Fall of '07. The band was now Shalini, Mitch, Chris, and Jane on bass when her schedule permitted.

Guest spots: Holt Evans and Dave Barker played bass in the Fall of 2006, in Winston-Salem/Atlanta, and Greensboro respectively. Don Dixon played bass in the Fall of 07 during a midwestern mini-tour, the Dixie Classic fair in W-S, and Spring of 08 at the Artsplosure Festival in Raleigh.

Photo by Carrie Garges

Magnetic North (2009-2010).
The basic tracks were recorded at Double Decker Bus in Chapel Hill NC, a home studio owned by Velvet founders Jane Francis and Jan Manley. Mitch had exited the band. Chris Garges stepped in to produce and drum, augmenting the set up with recording equipment from his Old House studio. Shawn Lynch played bass and sang backing vocals. Jane added backing vocals later. The January 2010 overdub and mixing sessions with Mitch at the Fidelitorium marked Shalini's last work there. It was the end of a 14-year recording relationship.

The live band became Jane on bass, Shawn on lead guitar (replacing Mitch), Chris on drums and Shalini on guitar. This combo played for about a year until Shawn and Chris exited in August 2010. Shalini played her last NC show that September with the members of Velvet as her band: Jane on bass, Jay on lead guitar and Zsolt David on drums.

Guest spots: Matt Everhart played bass in Winston-Salem April 2010. Mike Nicholson played bass in Winston-Salem, June 2010. Scott Craggs played bass and Daniel Grimmett played guitar at the Athens/ATL shows, July 2010.