SHIROCK

Artist Information

Biography

Chuck Shirock
Pap Shirock

SHIROCK, a pop/rock band based in Nashville, TN, capitalizes on the transformative power of rock and roll. Their dynamic debut album, Everything Burns, is filled with bold, anthemic songs that bristle with restless urgency and passionate optimism.

Produced by Jay Ruston, who has also worked with The Donnas, Everclear, Matisyahu, and Cold War Kids, Everything Burns may sound grand and expansive, but underneath the soaring arrangements is a singer/songwriter album at heart. It's something you can hear not only in the sonics - the sweeping melodies, the textured layers of guitars and keyboards, and Chuck’s fervent wailing vocals - but also in the lyrics, which are rooted in the personal, political, and spiritual, all of which combine to create a tension that allows the songs to feel both personal and universal.

Chuck Shirock, the band's founder, frontman and namesake grew up in the Philippines and Scotland before his family returned to the States to settle in Detroit, MI. From a very young age, Chuck developed a love of singing and performing - he began writing and recording on his own as a young teenager. “When I was 14 my dad bought me my first electric guitar. Both my mother and father inspired my musical journey early on and continue to do so - my mom, through her encouragement and insistence on taking piano lessons while growing up, and my dad through his love of playing jazz guitar and writing songs.”

Towards the end of high school Chuck met Pap. Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Pap grew up in a very musical family, and started playing classical piano at age 5. When Chuck and Pap met in 1999 they discovered they had many of the same passions and shared experiences, including their love of music, a broad worldview and a desire to have an impact on the people around them. Soon after, the two began to collaborate as their relationship grew.

“Chuck and I both grew up listening to a mix of Christian, classical, and early rock (what our parents listened to) when we were young, but during the early 90’s, while still living overseas, Chuck didn’t have as much access to all of the music I was falling in love with (Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins, U2, The Cranberries, Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, etc.). I introduced him to all the bands that had become the “lifelong favorites” for me, which launched this musical and pop culture discovery that we went on together.”

While in college, Chuck and Pap began recording demos and playing shows with various musicians. “We found early encouragement and direction through Detroit-based producer and friend Michael King, whom we made our first studio recordings with. During this time many close friends came alongside us to help build a foundation for what would become SHIROCK, including my brother, drummer Scott Shirock, guitarist Rick Crossman, and drummer Jonathan Surratt, among others,” Chuck says.

"There have a been many musicians that have come alongside us both live and in the studio. These musicians have been vital in our process of creating, touring, and getting what we hear in our heads out of the speakers. Adam Gatchel (drums) has been both a creative and a powerful force live. Early on Derek Blank (bass) and Jason Bynum (guitar) both added much to our development as a 'live band' - too many shows for too few people in those early days...or maybe we were just working toward the infamous '10,000 hours' (Malcolm Gladwell) :). More recently, Kevin Whitsett (bass) has brought much to our live performances. Long time friends Evan Weatherford, Greg Everett, and Dylan Williams and have all been amazing as live guitarists. It takes a team to build something like this, and fortunately we have been surrounded by incredible musicians that inspire and push us to grow."

“It’s taken quite a journey, and many songs to get to Everything Burns. Pap and I recorded 3 albums and a few EP's of demos before Everything Burns,” says the band’s charismatic leader in describing some of the key tracks on the album. “The songs on the album –;;;;;;;; they’re our lives, our relationships, our friendships... They're our pursuit of trying to figure out who we are, who God is, and how it all makes sense,” Chuck says. “It’s all of that put to music.”

“ ‘New Solution’ for us, is a Psalm of sorts. It's about hoping and holding on for a change, and seeking new answers,” Chuck says.

“Time Goes By” reflects a sense of restlessness. “We all go through those times when we wish we were in a different place or that life looked a bit different - it’s about reaching out from this place asking for help from the people you love to pull you through,” Pap says.

“ ‘Still Young’ is a song about trying to find hope when all we felt was doubt and uncertainty - it’s about feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of big ideas and passing time, but realizing that as long as we are alive there is still a chance to make a difference,” Chuck says.

Finally, there’s “Everything Burns,” the album’s title track and an underlying theme of the record. “It’s this idea that no matter how rich or poor a person is, the most valuable thing we have is our time,” Chuck says. “So much around us is temporary. We want use our time and live our lives for the things that really matter, like people and relationships...everything else just burns.”

2009 was a turning point and new beginning for SHIROCK. Chuck and Pap launched a 501(c)3 non-profit organization sharing the same name as the debut album - Everything Burns (EB). By 2010, EB brought on a full time director to oversee EB's first major initiative: starting high school and college chapters on school campuses, aimed at providing practical ways for young people to get involved in social issues on a local, regional and international level.

Chuck and Pap also expanded their Nashville based clothing line, Irock Clothing, which features shirts, jackets, bags, and accessories, and has sold out at every boutique that carries it. “We’ve always been interested in fashion, and wanted to make clothing that we would want to wear. Designing it has been another creative outlet and vehicle for the ideas in our music,” says Pap. Irock Clothing was sold regionally to boutiques in the South East, United States. Irock Clothing pieces were used in multiple music videos and worn on the CMT Music Awards among other places. A new line of Irock Clothing will be coming out in 2012.

Following consistent placements on MTV, ABC and NBC television networks, SHIROCK became the first independent band to release a CD in Hollister Co. stores worldwide. “Young people are often a catalyst for change and our relationship with Hollister Co. has helped us - on a grassroots level, put our music in the hands of those young people,” says Chuck. Soon, the band had to quickly re-order 10,000 units of Everything Burns to keep up with demand on the road and to restock the shelves of Hollister Co. At this point, SHIROCK had sold nearly 30,000 physical units of Everything Burns.

At the beginning of 2011, SHIROCK and the band's management partnered with Sony / RED / CEN to launch The Movement Group. The partnership launched the label division of the The Movement Group, aimed at taking the songs on Everything Burns to the next level. “We felt that owning our music enabled us to better control the direction - from conception to creation to the distribution of our music, and it band at the center of everything we do,” Chuck says. Through this label partnership, SHIROCK released the bands first song to Pop / Top 40 radio. "New Solution" broke in the Top 40 Pop Radio charts, CMJ charts, among many others. "New Solution" and "Still Young" soon debuted on the popular video game Rock Band III, and SHIROCK's first music video ("New Solution") was released and picked up by MTV, Fuse, VH1, Cool TV, etc. During Summer 2011, the band released their second music video, for "Still Young." The video premiered on MTV, and was picked up by every major video outlet, including a worldwide placement in American Eagle Outfitters stores, coinciding with Pap modeling for the American Eagle Fall/Winter campaign. This modeling venture included placements in stores, online, print, billboards, and in Times Square, NYC. Towards the end of 2012, this opportunity turned into Chuck and Pap beginning to work with various modeling agencies, and further pursuing the marriage of fashion and music.

Consistent with SHIROCK breaking new ground, to date SHIROCK has performed over 150 shows on high school campuses, putting the band in front of 130,000+ people between the ages of 13-18 in the United States. This has helped in the launching of EB Chapters on campuses nation-wide, and formed many partnerships with the band and with pro-social / positive lifestyle programs at the schools. “Historically, young people ignite cultural revolutions. The bands you live your life to are often the ones you discover during these formative years. We want to be that band for a new generation" Chuck and Pap say.

As the band looks forward to 2012, there are many new things on the horizon – new music, music videos, fashion and modeling, taking the band overseas, and much more. "We are so excited about this coming year," Chuck says - "We feel as though we've been building up to something, and we believe this year is it."

Everything Burns (Deluxe), featuring 20 songs and the debut music video for “New Solution” was released digitally on February 22, 2011 through The Movement Group / Sony / RED / CEN.

Instrumentation

Chuck Shirock - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Pap Shirock - Vocals, keyboards

Discography

Everything Burns Deluxe Edition
-released thorugh The Movement Group / Sony / RED
-"New Solution" singles release to radio (Pop/Hot AC/AC/Alternative/College)
-"New Solution" & "Still Young" debut on Rock Band 3, April 2011
-"New Solution" music video released & picked up by MTV, VH1, Fuse, etc.
-"Still Young" music video premiered on MTV, live premiere in American Eagle Stores Worldwide

Everything Burns (Full Length Debut)
-one of 14 albums sold worldwide at Hollister Co. Stores - highest selling of 2010
-sold @ 30,000 physical units, and counting
-9 songs featured on MTV's "The Hills"
-"Man Inside" featured on ABC's "Brother & Sisters"
-"Calm Inside The Storm" featured on the Hollister Co. in-store playlist
-"I'll Take Rain" and "New Solution" featured on the 2010 Delta Airline playlist worldwide
-"New Solution" and "I'll Take Rain" featured on worldwide Delta Airlines in-flight playlists

Official Website

http://www.shirock.net

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• YouTube

Audio

• Still Young
  Listen  
• New Solution (Single Version)
  Listen  
• Calm Inside The Storm
  Listen  
• I'll Take Rain
  Listen  
• Man Inside
  Listen  
• Drag You Down
  Listen  
• Everything Burns
  Listen  
• New Solution (KCORIHS Dance Remix)
  Listen  
• Still Young (KCORIHS Dance Remix)
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Still Young
• Calm Inside The Storm
• Silver
• I'll Take Rain
• New Solution
• Drag You Down
• Time Goes By
• Man Inside
• Everything Burns

Video

SHIROCK - "Still Young" Official Music Video

SHIROCK - "New Solution" Official Music Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• City Beat [+ Show ]
  

  This emotive, "Progressive Pop" band gets its name from powerful singer/guitarist/writer Chuck Shiro...This emotive, "Progressive Pop" band gets its name from powerful singer/guitarist/writer Chuck Shirock. The band's music is driving yet creatively layered, with strong hooks and honest lyrics, which go perfectly with Shirock's soaring, earnest vocals. The band is fresh off a successful college radio push and, showing ambition outside of the music realm, they spend their down-time working on their fashion line, IROCK Clothing, and the non-profit, Everything Burns, which (among other things), most recently helped raise money for supplies for a beleaguered town in Kenya.
  
  Dig it:
  Keane with guitars, a still-hungry U2, Remy Zero

• Everything Burns / Review [+ Show ]
  

  Shirock's Everything Burns is an ambitious record. That's the easiest way to describe it because lik...Shirock's Everything Burns is an ambitious record. That's the easiest way to describe it because like Muse does, Shirock goes for a massive, arena pop-rock sound that ebbs and flows with emotion, pulls the listener in and explodes with passion. So yeah, ambitious is a good word to describe it.
  
  At times its the lyrics. Words of living life for what matters (and a not for profit organization to support those ideals) seep through every song. They are songs with tinges of hope and sincerity, songs of love and songs of inspiration. Then you see there's more than just the lyrics. At times its the way the lyrics are sung. The mixture of both male and female vocals of the same intensity and passion cement that sensation and add an extra layer not found in many of the band's contemporaries. Then there's the musicianship. The lush, slickly produced sound that builds on itself with different effects, piano and keyboards. It's what The Killers try to do, but Shirock actually does it.
  

• Everything Burns Review / stereosubversion.com [+ Show ]
  

  It’s not every day that a band’s debut album shares its name with their very own charity partnership...It’s not every day that a band’s debut album shares its name with their very own charity partnership organization. Amazingly enough, 100% of the proceeds from SHIROCK’s Everything Burns Tour will go directly to charity. The pop/alt-rock quintet’s fresh record is inspirationally reflective of their powerful, passionate and articulate mission statement.

• Everything Burns / HM Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Literally, the complete package. Quality songs, vocals, and instrumentation. Imagine a filled-out ...Literally, the complete package. Quality songs, vocals, and instrumentation. Imagine a filled-out rock band going after Jack's Mannequin hooks.

• Everything Burns Review / Revolt Media [+ Show ]
  

  Shirock might have only just released their first full-length album, but some might say the band has...Shirock might have only just released their first full-length album, but some might say the band has already started on the track to stardom. Following the trend of other bands that have permitted placement of their songs in popular television shows, Shirock has already had a certain amount of exposure due to a number of their songs being used in shows such as ER and MTV’s The Hills. Additionally, almost half the songs on the album have been available as an EP on iTunes and extensive touring has helped the band build a strong fanbase.

• Everything Burns Review / Popular Underground [+ Show ]
  

  From the wide open arena worthy jam of "Still Young" to the anthemic "Calm Inside the Storm," I coul...From the wide open arena worthy jam of "Still Young" to the anthemic "Calm Inside the Storm," I couldn't help but respect the artistry that is Everything Burns.
  
  From piano laced harmonies on "Time Goes By" to the piano fueled "Man In Side," the band does a nice job of accenting each track. Even the trade off on male vs. female lead and harmony vocals offers something to be desired. Ultimately, these dichotomies are the backbone of this record.
  
  

• Everything Burns Review / frantikmag.com [+ Show ]
  

  This pop rock 5-piece from Nashville, TN. are churning out some quality pop rocks gems. The melodic ...This pop rock 5-piece from Nashville, TN. are churning out some quality pop rocks gems. The melodic integration of guitars, bass and drums, moistened with catchy piano riffs and aural vocal harmonies come alive in this 12-song record. Shirock has taken the formulas from great pop rock bands and has cleverly fused them in their arrangements and compositions. Everything Burns has the appeal of any pop rock record to come out this year complete with hooks and catchy songs.
  
  “Drag You Down” explodes in a four-minute jaunt that will have the listener rockin’ out with the CD in no time. Both lead singers have a wide range in their vocal abilities and why not? With both being Vocal Performance Majors in their own respect, the two can blend harmonies and melodies like canaries at the break of sunlight. Piano-driven “Silver” reminds me of the Cranberries for some reason but this song displays the flexibility of the band and it’s full potential. That same song has Pap’s vocal abilities front and center as well with great vocal harmonies from Chuck.
  

• Everything Burns Review / cosmosgaming.com [+ Show ]
  

  I’m not entirely sure why, but lately it has seemed that the newer, unsigned pop rock acts have been...I’m not entirely sure why, but lately it has seemed that the newer, unsigned pop rock acts have been of much higher quality than the newer, major label signed ones. This may be due to the fact that the labels have, as usual, continued to try and sign more trend oriented bands while the unsigned acts have gone in their own direction without being pressured. This is true for Nashville based Shirock, who came together in 2005 and immediately set about working on their debut. Nearly four years later and with a five piece lineup firmly in place, the group has self released Everything Burns and established themselves as one of the better newcomers on the market.
  
  Shirock may be an American band, but there’s definitely a British influence in much of their music. The group’s sweeping, sometimes piano driven melodies throughout the course of Everything Burns bring contemporary American and British acts to mind, with early Coldplay seeming to be a driving influence on the instrumentalists. But, unlike some of their peers and even some of the bands that they have taken inspiration from, Shirock has been able to dodge the common problem of repetition by ensuring that each track has its own identity. While many of the songs share a common element, each one explores slightly different elements of the pop rock genre to ensure that listeners won’t quickly become bored with their material.
  
  While this group does feature the very melodic and soulful male singing that the genre has seen so many times before, Shirock also makes use of a female vocalist throughout the course of Everything Burns. And while there would have been nothing wrong with just using the male singer’s (Chuck) melodies throughout the course of the album, adding in Pap’s voice helps to set the band apart from everyone else. In a time where everyone is trying to emulate the singing styles of bands such as Coldplay and Rookie Of The Year, Shirock has enough different elements to stand apart even if their vocalists share some similar pitches.
  
  Everything Burns is an impressive album that seems to have been given a lot of love and care throughout its conception. And though Shirock shares some common elements of the pop rock genre, they also have enough unique aspects to help them stand out from all of the artists that the major labels are continuing to push at listeners right now. Look for this band to break into the scene in a very big way, as with a polished and catchy debut such as Everything Burns it seems unlikely that this group will stay unsigned or simply self release their material for too much longer.
  
  

• CIN WEEKLY [+ Show ]
  

  SHIROCK is a band full of big ideas. Over the last five years, the Nashville outfit has released th...SHIROCK is a band full of big ideas. Over the last five years, the Nashville outfit has released three full-length albums, played hundreds of shows, started a clothing line, and launched a non-profit organization (www.everythingburns.org). In many ways, the band exhibits the same wide-eyed idealism that propelled progressive groups such as U2 into superstardom.
  
  Characterized by layered guitars, ethereal keyboards and a driving rhythm section, SHIROCK’s songs have a tendency to build into crashing, epic refrains. Stylistically, the band recalls the big sounds of acts like Smashing Pumpkins and early Radiohead. But it’s a mistake to pin SHIROCK to a single genre – it’s typical sets include both contemplative ballads and rallying cries.
  
  

• Live Review [+ Show ]
  

  Becoming quite the sensation since being featured on “The Hills” soundtrack, SHIROCK was the final b...Becoming quite the sensation since being featured on “The Hills” soundtrack, SHIROCK was the final band to rock Genitti’s, and they went out with a bang. Even if they’d only provided their light show, the set would have been great. Chuck Shirock’s vocals, backed by keyboardist Pap Shirock seemed unbelievable to even longtime fans. In a rare occurrence for these days of studio voice alteration, their live performance quite clearly, sounded exactly as they do on their album. Hands down, SHIROCK was the best act of the night.

Setlist

Typical Set List:

Say It Out
New Solution
Time Goes By
I'll Take Rain
Drag You Down
I Have Been Redeemed
Still Young
Calm Inside The Storm
Everything Burns


Options:
Man Inside
You Keep Me Singing
No Regrets
IJM
To Those Who See
Silver

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

SHIROCK - Stage Plot & Input List

Calendar