Recording with Creepoid

Toy microphones and smoke bombs, matching black suits, and an amazing track that pays homage to the past: all of these elements play into October's Shaking Through episode, which features Creepoid from Philadelphia, PA. With an atmosphere that feels in tune with the season, Creepoid's track "Old Tree" ignites memory using meaningful, unique musical sensibilities. And with a music venue swapped out for a graveyard, this episode is a perfect fit for the month that brings us Halloween.

Creepoid combines an eclectic set of influences including folk, hardcore, and psychedelia to create a sound that is all their own. The band is made up of four longtime friends: Sean Miller on guitar and vocals, guitarist Pete Joe Urban, and husband-and-wife Pat and Anna Troxell playing drums and bass, respectively.

The session was curated by Sean Agnew of R5 Productions, a D.I.Y. promotional organization that has brought thousands of renowned artists to Philadelphia venues since 1996. In addition to an amusing anecdote about the time a young Pat and Pete tried to throw their own concert in the bathroom at an R5 show, Agnew said: "I'm a big fan of their music. They are also one of the harder working local bands. As someone who sets up shows and concerts, I appreciate the effort that's put into it. They email record labels, get their own shows and don’t just sit down and complain about how no one's doing anything for them.”

Creepoid recorded the song "Old Tree" over a weekend at Philadelphia's Miner Street Recordings in July 2011. The track was produced using boutique tube microphones provided by TELEFUNKEN-Elektroakustik. The track was produced by Kyle "Slick" Johnson, who has worked on records by bands such as Wavves, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Rogue Wave, Modest Mouse, and many others.

Speaking about the experience, Sean Miller said: "It's great to meet and work together with people and to push and be pushed by people who share the same creative vision. Shaking Through gave us the same experience that a huge band would get to have that has thousands and thousands of dollars, and that's incredible. It creates the desire to keep pushing forward...it feeds a communal environment, the attitude that we are all in the same boat together."

For more music from Creepoid, check out their website. There you can hear their two previous releases: An LP titled Horse Heaven (recorded by Johnson) and an EP, Yellow Life Giver.