MICHAEL YONKERS & THE BLIND SHAKE

Noise and psych legend Michael Yonkers writes the songs and plays his version of an electric guitar while The Blind Shake provides the musical lumbar support.

 

• Michael Yonkers - vocals and noise guitar
• Dave Roper - drums
• Jim Blaha - lead guitar
• Mike Blaha - baritone guitar

 

The first collaboration, Carbohydrates, Hydrocarbons, was recorded and mixed by Dave Gardner and mastered by Bruce Templeton and Dave Gardner in late 2006 at The Old Blackberry Way .  The album was released in 2007 on Nero's Neptune (vinyl), Go Johnny Go (CD), and Farm Girl Records (England CD).  Zak Sally created the cover art.  The recording session was performed live in the same room, vocals and all, in a few hours. 
  The second collaboration, We'll Do Some Thinking split 7" with Kulfi, was recorded in Mike Blaha's basement and quickly disappeared in 2008 due to very limited pressing.  It may reappear in the future.
  The third collaboration, Cold Town/Soft Zodiac, was recorded in Mike's basement and mastered by Dave Gardner.  On the Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake side, the song Cold Town resurfaces after lying dormant since 1964, when Michael and The Mumbles (Yonkers' first band) used to rock the frat houses with it. Yonkers taught the song to The Blind Shake without showing them the original version to see how the interpretation would differ.  With the recent release of the Michael and the Mumbles original recordings, the two versions are now compared by Minneapolis music historians and enthusiasts, also known as record store employees.