Interview With 'Shellshock Lullaby'

Firstly, introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the band and how you came to be.

Russell Nelson: Vocals/Guitar

Hannah Skiles: Bass/Vocals

Andrew Ellmaker: Drums

Russell: I started the band back in 2011, but we have had our current lineup since 2016. Shellshock Lullaby was sort of born from a bitter split from the band I was in in Hollywood, California (Skyrocket Love). Very quickly after moving back to Butte, Montana, I took the songs I had originally written for Skyrocket Love, and from that, Shellshock Lullaby came to be, and working with Damon Moreno and The Inner Light Agency Management has been extremely productive, despite the fact we’ve only been under his wing for a short time. Collaborating with Damon and ILA has, thus far, been more or less a walk in the park. Couldn’t be happier.

What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?

Russell: Like I said before, I was in bands prior to forming Shellshock Lullaby, and that was honestly always the goal. Music was never going to not be at the forefront of my life. This band has opened the path for me to literally make music my career.

Hannah: Actually, it all kind of started because Russell and I have been in a relationship since 2015. He was in the full throughs of writing “A Lighter Shade”, Shellshock’s acoustic album when we got together We quickly found out that, aside from just getting along great as a couple, we work together so smoothly. I did guest vocals on the stripped down version of “Shades Of Grey”, and I helped a ton with graphic work, songwriting, and photography. After suddenly losing his bass player, Russ and his manager at the time, Greg Haberek, both thought it’d only make sense if I filled in those shoes. As far as other aspirations go, I’m still fully dedicated to being a full-time photographer, however, having this band under my belt is honestly the greatest.

Andrew: Before the band I played in various bands of all flavours. I always knew music would be part of what I do. I was always involved in bands and music groups starting in junior high through college and now my career as an engineer which helps pay for my gear.

Tell us about your latest EP and why our readers should check it out.

“Static Noise” is actually a really different EP than what our fans are used to hearing. We wanted to get away from Up-The-Gutter Pop-Punk, but we didn’t want to copy what everyone else was doing with their projects. We were kind of listening to a lot of Post-Punk/New Wave in the writing process of this EP, and I feel like that definitely bled through our songs. We still are primarily Pop-Punk, but there’s so many elements to our songs that we honestly weren’t expecting to be there until the writing was already happening

Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?

Russell: When I was 14, I got to meet David Michael Sabo of Skid Row, and I remember just being a stuttering mess, couldn’t sound intelligent to save my life.

Hannah: Totally embarrassing, but just last summer, I met the guitarist of one of my high school favorite bands, Nikki Misery of New Year’s Day. It’s embarrassing because Russell went to college with him in Hollywood. Like, I can’t geek out, they’re reminiscing about the old days and I just gotta be, “woah, that’s rad, dude”. I’m no longer a goth teen, though, so I can confidently say he’s a genuinely good person with a remarkable stage presence.

Andrew: Can’t really say I’ve been “awestruck” by anyone in particular, feels like an overreaction to me. I suppose the closest would probably have to be Marco Minnemann, he was really down to earth to talk to and was super impressed watching him drum.

If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?

Energy is a word that comes to mind, for sure. We all have Punk roots, which I think is obvious when you watch us. We’ve got our edges; we’re certainly not perfect live, but I feel like that’s the beauty of it.

If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?

Russell: I think it’d make the most sense for us to be on the bill with Green Day, however, if I could personally pick, I think it’d be so sick to be on a tour with Coheed & Cambria or Goo Goo Dolls.

Hannah: Definitely Alkaline Trio. Hit yo girl up, Skiba.

Andrew: Personal choice, definitely make Rush start touring again. If we want something that made sense, Coheed and Cambria.

You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?

Russell: Super nerdy, but Claudio Sanchez, because I’d seriously love to talk to him about his albums tying up to his comic books and what the writing process was like for all of that.

Hannah: I would kill to get a beer with Thom Yorke, not kidding. Aside from picking his brain concerning his ridiculously wide spectrum of song styles, I feel like he’d probably speak in riddles, or talk backwards.

Andrew: Matt Halpern. He seems really laid back based on what I’ve heard of him, and I’d be interested in learning more about him, other than just drumming.

And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie.

Duh???

Website - www.sslofficial.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/shellshocklullaby/