Adebisi Shank
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Lar Kaye, Vincent McCreith, Michael Roe |
| Defunct | 2014 (disbanded) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 2014; reunited in 2024 |
| Headquarters | County Wexford , Ireland |
Area served | Ireland, UK, US, Japan, Europe |
Key people | Lar Kaye, Vincent McCreith, Michael Roe |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs |
Number of employees | 3 (band members) |
Adebisi Shank is an instrumental rock trio hailing from County Wexford, Ireland, composed of guitarist Lar Kaye, bassist Vincent McCreith, and drummer Michael Roe. Originally signed to the Irish label Richter Collective until its 2012 closure, they also collaborated with Big Scary Monsters Recording Company in the UK, Sargent House in the US, and Parabolica in Japan. Taking their name from the character Simon Adebisi from Oz, their sound combines vigorous math rock with experimental and electronic elements. The group produced three studio albums and one EP before announcing their disbandment in September 2014. A decade later, in September 2024, they revealed plans to reunite with fresh material and upcoming tours.
History
Adebisi Shank formed in August 2006 when drummer Mick Roe and guitarist Lar Kaye—previously of math rock outfit Terrordactyl—joined forces with bassist Vinny McCreith, who was then engaged in a solo chiptune project named The Vinny Club. The band’s name was chosen promptly by Kaye, inspired by the Oz character Simon Adebisi. Their initial release, This is the EP of a band called Adebisi Shank, came out in July 2007 on the DIY label Armed Ambitions, which led to a European tour supporting Marvins Revolt.
In early 2008, Adebisi Shank toured Japan alongside LITE, coinciding with the EP’s release through Japanese label Parabolica. By 2010, they had earned a Choice Music Prize nomination and sold out a performance at Vicar Street, ultimately losing out to Two Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History. For their sophomore album, they signed with US-based label and management company Sargent House, securing North American representation and worldwide management essential for their American tours. That year saw them extensively touring across Ireland and Northern Ireland, appearing at festivals such as Indiependence and Castlepalooza. In 2011, they were honored at The Digital Socket Awards with accolades for Best Album, Best Rock Act, and Best Design.
In late 2012, Lar Kaye formed the electropunk supergroup No Spill Blood alongside members from various Irish bands; their debut EP was released via Sargent House. That July, Adebisi Shank launched the New Tunez tour throughout Ireland, showcasing new compositions.
Their third studio album was finalized in September 2013 and released in August 2014 to favorable reviews. Soon after this release, the band announced their dissolution following a final overseas tour.
Following the breakup, Kaye continued his career with All Tvvins; McCreith shifted focus towards production work, mixing, composing music for video games, and solo efforts under VMC Sound and Speed of Snakes; Roe transitioned into academia as a business lecturer at Dublin’s BIMM music college.
On 30 September 2024, commemorating ten years since disbanding, Adebisi Shank announced their comeback via social media platforms with promises of new tracks and live performances.
Musical style
Described as delivering "seriously upbeat math-rocky craziness," Adebisi Shank refer to their sound as robot-rock. Allmusic defines their style as an energetic blend of hardcore-influenced math rock fused with the expansive qualities of post-rock, the forcefulness of heavy metal, and the vibrant pulse of electronic dance music. Although purely instrumental, they incorporate heavily distorted vocal effects within their arrangements while deliberately avoiding "clean vocals." Their instrumentation features guitars, drums, synthesizers, marimbas, horns, vocoder, alongside various percussion instruments.
Their musical approach has been likened to math rock pioneers such as Don Caballero and Battles, while also drawing comparisons to Fang Island's intricate guitar harmonies, Battles’ precision, and Daft Punk’s genre-crossing inventiveness. Their influences span a wide spectrum including artists like Prince, Radiohead, Nirvana, Queen, Justice, Caribou, The Beach Boys, Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac, OutKast, and Michael Jackson.
Live shows
Adebisi Shank's concerts are characterized by their unyielding vigor and dynamic presence. A notable aspect of the group's visual identity is bassist Vincent McCreith's use of a scarf-like mask covering his entire face. McCreith has stated that the mask serves to prevent the band’s recognition from being influenced solely by his physical appearance.
Band members
- Lar Kaye – guitar (2006–2014)
- Vincent McCreith – bass guitar (2006–2014)
- Michael Roe – drums, percussion (2006–2014)
Studio albums
| Year | Album information | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| IRL | ||
| 2008 | This Is the Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
|
— |
| 2010 | This Is the Second Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
|
53 |
| 2014 | This Is the Third Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
|
— |
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | ||
EPs
| Year | Release details | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| IRL | ||
| 2007 | This is the EP of a band called Adebisi Shank
|
— |
| "—" signifies releases that did not chart. | ||
Awards and nominations
- Choice Music Prize
| 2011 | This is the Second Album of a band called Adebisi Shank | Irish Album of the Year 2010 | Nominated |
- The Digital Socket Awards
| 2011 | This is the Second Album of a band called Adebisi Shank | Best Album | Winner |
| 2011 | Adebisi Shank | Best Rock Act | Winner |
| 2011 | Artwork, posters and website design | Best Design | Winner |
External links
- Official website (archived)
- Irish musical trios
- Irish rock music groups
- Irish experimental rock groups
- Irish math rock groups
- Musical groups from County Wexford
- Sargent House artists
- Big Scary Monsters Recording Company artists
- Musical groups established in 2006
- Musical groups disestablished in 2014
- Musical groups reestablished in 2024
- 2006 establishments in Ireland
- 2014 disestablishments in Ireland
- 2024 establishments in Ireland