The Mae Shi
Mae Shi Biography:The Mae Shi are a rock band from los angeles, Calif., formed in 2002. The founding members are Tim Byron, Ezra Buchla, Jeff Byron and Brad Breeck. In 2005, their longtime friend Corey Fogel joined the band.The band was initially formed by Tim Byron and Buchla, who had known each other for years, having spent time growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Claremont together -Buchla played a collection of 30-year-old Buchla modules and sang, and a short list of drummers accompanied them. When Jeff graduated from college, he joined the band on guitar and Tim moved to bass. The three met Brad Breeck, who was studying at the California Institute of Arts with Buchla and had performed unauthorized versions of John Zorn’s game piece Cobra in an ensemble led by Buchla (the ensemble also featured future Mae Shi drummer Corey Fogel).Through the fall of 2003 and winter of 2004 they worked on their debut LP, recording songs in their living rooms and bedrooms using borrowed gear. They sent a CD-R of the record to Moon in April 2004, and one week later in an Instant Messenger conversation, he offered to release it on Kill Rock Stars’ sister label 5 Rue Christine. Terrorbird was released July 27, 2004, and the band embarked on a 31-day, 32-show tour to promote it. With no booking agent, they relied on contacts from friends and enticed people who didn’t regularly book bands to “book” the Mae Shi to perform at their special function. The band offered to play any birthday party, wedding, or bar mitzvah for $100. The tour was a success, and the band got the chance to play with bands they had long adored, such as Fat Day and Rapider Than Horsepower.In October 2005, they will embark on a second US tour, this one a six-week tour. Corey Fogel, who joined the band in the middle of their European tour as a mid-tour replacement for Brad Breeck when Brad suffered a family emergency, has joined the band full-time as drummer. Brad now plays guitar, keyboards and drums.In June 2006, it was anounced that Ezra Buchla had left The Mae Shi. As of this posting, the band is seaking a new singer.Mae Shi Discography:TerrorBird(2004)Heartbeeps (2005)Do Not Ignore the Potential (split LP with Rapider Than Horsepower) (2006)HLLLYH (2008)
Compilations
I (CD-R) (2005)II (CD-R) (2005)III (CD-R) (August 2007)IIII (CD-R) (August 2007)
Singles, EPs
To Hit Armor Class Zero (2003)Heartbeeps / Go Zbra (2005)Run To Your Grave 7″” (2008)www.music.podshow.com www.mae-shi.com www.myspace.com/themaeshi
