Introspection Section

When I first decided to dive into The Skaky Experience, an experimental indie band initially formed in Baltimore, MD, I had no idea what to expect. The first record I listened to was Rated R Vacations, an experimental synth album that infuses spoken-word poetry with abstract instrumentals. I really didn’t know what to think of it. The uniqueness drew my attention, but the witty one-liners and vulnerable storytelling kept me there. It was like fast-forwarding through the fun parts of a raunchy romantic comedy. 

“Mastering my emotions so I don’t get caught up always having you linger around in my head. / Better be specific and tell you exactly what I want before this conversation goes dead. / Played upon emotions. Hypnotized ya by the laws of power, found some top notch solutions./ I filled our thoughts with oxygen, breathing life into our days together throughout the hours,” from “Dopamine Landing,” the third track of the EP.

So when I sat down with James Lane, frontman and guitarist of The Shaky Experience, I was honestly a bit thrown off when he told me they make noise pop music with a guitar and drums. He explained that their live show is very much a party and includes an arrangement of loud drums, aggressive guitar riffs, and the quintessential pop-punk vocals to accompany. 

“Music that sounds like if you were at a house party in 2010 and some random indie, noise pop band was playing it while you were dancing to them with your friends – that’s The Shaky Experience,” said Lane. 

So, why the stark difference in genres and tones? Do people dance to the spoken word parts? I had so many questions.

“I want to be clear that this project is not just synth, and it’s not just spoken word. It’s very much a mixture of the two,” said Lane. “So when you see us live or listen to many of our other projects, they convey a completely different sound. I play guitar and sing. It’s fun, it’s loud, it’s rock and roll. A garage rock or loud basement party vibe is really what we are trying to capture in our live performances.”

When Lane departed from the band’s original drummer, Thom Merrill, who played in the band for over 10 years, he was open to new ideas and directions. So, when Amos Chase was interested in joining the band, Lane was stoked. Chase is a multi-versatile musician and drummer who has previously been featured on CPR’s Open Air. This change in band personnel allowed Lane to experiment with a few new sounds, eventually giving birth to the now multiple spoken word projects. 

The band’s name actually stems from a pun on Lane’s real-life medical diagnosis. Told he had a mild form of Parkinson’s disease, Lane decided to make a play on the situation and birthed what would become The Shaky Experience in 2010.  What started as a whimsical idea to have fun with his roommate slowly morphed into a real band with musical aspirations.

This tongue-in-cheek name reflects the band’s ability not to take itself too seriously. Humor and silliness are injected into many aspects of The Shakey Experience. Lane is known for pushing the boundaries of not-so-seriousness, from outlandish stage performances to unique marketing ideas.

For their 2018 Underground Music Showcase show in Denver, Colorado, Lane was worried about the stacked lineup and whether there would be a large crowd for the performance. So, to mitigate the situation, the band announced that a Real World Reunion would be happening at the same time and place as their UMS set. As you can imagine, confusion ensued, followed by many people staying around to check out the unique band that somehow managed to trick them into seeing their set.

“If there’s one thing we want the listener to take away from our show, it’s just that, an experience.” – James Lane of The Shaky Experience

Another excellent example of one of these unique marketing techniques is the band’s call to action for Craigslist’s missed connections. After debuting Rated R Vacations at the 2024 Santa Fe Portalsfest, the band asked fans who enjoyed the show to write missed connections about their experience. Yes, apparently, Craigslist is still around. Oddly enough, a few days later, a post was found on the Sant Fe Craigslist, touting the performance for its fun and quirky energy.  

So how does The Skaky Experience blend the unique spoken word synth of “Rated R Vacations” into a loud set of noise pop? Well, they just do it. Just as the listener is dancing and enjoying the exact moment where they are, Lane and company switch the atmosphere completely—bringing the loud drums and guitar to a halt and inviting a brand new experience into the room. 

“I really love having Chase be a part of The Shaky Experience. Because I can still do the garage rock and sort of get that loud, fun party energy going, and then we can just flip a switch and surprise everyone. And it’s just like, Woah! What just happened? It was just a fun dance party, and now this has turned into a coffee shop poetry vibe.”

Not only does the band make exciting musical experiences, but they also have a heart. The Skaky Experience has vowed to donate 50% of all proceeds from Rated R Vacations to a local SPCA animal shelter, a powerful sentiment in a world where struggling artists fight for every penny they can get. 

“Animals don’t have a voice, and I think giving a voice to the voiceless is important,” said Lane. “So, just giving back to those charities is important to me. And who doesn’t love dogs?”

So, whether you are in Denver or Baltimore, go see The Skaky Experience. Have an Experience. And maybe, just maybe, you can remember that fun, lighthearted feeling from that early 2010s house party you will never forget.