Shank Godley Butcher

Shank Godley Butcher Bio:

Two years ago, Shank Butcher emerged from seemingly nowhere with over 50 roughly-hewn, angst-ridden compositions that captured every facet of lyrical content that other artists purposely ignored in order to be palatable to mainstream audiences. If it was confronting, offensive or horrifying, you could bet that Shank had a song that brazenly transmitted it. Shank claimed to be an immortal being, born in a small Scottish community in 1758 and while nobody believed him, his melodies and sense of tainted romanticism left us wondering if indeed it could be possible.

I actually dont care if people are sceptical admits Shank. The songs tell the story of my life, as though Ive ripped off the skin and revealed the inner organs of my existence. And Ive got to say: I love revealing it and exposing every fault, guilt, crime and regret. The sceptics can doubt my sentiment, but I know its the truth and that honesty takes precedence over the cynicism of strangers.

His shows are unnerving affairs, full of self-loathing, dark humour and twisted stories that are communicated with a rare honesty that simultaneously repels and captures his audience. Armed with an acoustic bass and a scrapbook filled with demented prose, Shank has made an indelible mark on anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing him perform. Indeed, when I witnessed Shanks set in late 2004 (his first gig), the crowd were hypnotised by this unique artists rhetoric, appreciating the mash of razor-sharp lyrics that were contradicted by beautiful chord progressions and clever licks. One thing was certain as I sat amongst the crowd, I noticed that not a single person moved for the duration of the set.

I just hate liars, Shank explains, You know, those morons who think that fictional sentiment will earn them Emo-tears? I wont buy into that spiritual atrocity that creative suicide that leaves songwriters standing on the outside, looking at their own material with a type of filthy detachment: that sickens me. The interesting thing about honesty is its ability to captivate. When you believe an artist, every word has power. Its not some formula-produced tripe generated by a hunger for dollars and fame. Truth contains abrasive elements that remind us of our own humanity. Theres no act here. If I wanted to create a façade, Id sing mindless pop and hang with the Hilton sisters.

So what of the future? With a backlog of tainted love (and hate) songs, will Shank Butcher ever enter the flooded music market and release that long-awaited debut album?

Im not interested in strapping logos to my arse and doing the puppet dance, says Shank. I believe I have at least a dozen songs that could create a major and enduring body of work, but I need the right producer someone creative and open-minded enough to take risks and offer creative interpretations. Ill need to be patient. Dont worry, he laughs, Ive got plenty of time.

Shank Butcher writes, records and plays live in Sydney. His music is currently being added to countless internet radio stations and is charting on leading MP3 sites.

Glenn Mitchell