Shuvel Bio

Shuvel is anything but full of it. While not out to change the world, Shuvel has something to say. And it ain't all about sex, beer and chicks. Socially conscious words penned by the vocal team of Isaac Ayala and Jeff Hollinger are calls to act and react. Growls and raps that build from easy requests to full-fledged screams laced over fast and furious sounds with kilos of funk, Shuvel's music demands attention. Even in it's occasional subtle tones. It's forceful without being brutal. It's in your face, but not obnoxious.



Shuvel's beginnings were humble and honest. Tired of listening to the same old crap on the radio, friends, co-workers and freestylers Isaac and Jeff decided to form a band. It was 1997 and they were living in Wichita, Kansas. Looking around at the local "talent," the two strong-armed Jeff's brother Kyle into playing the drums. A novice, but a natural, Kyle began banging out beats while the two vocalists did their thing. Very shortly thereafter, they recruited guitarist Ryan Stuber from a local band and bassist Carlos Sandoval, a friend of Isaac's cousin.



After numerous jams developed into numerous quality songs and a sound reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine, the fivesome began playing shows in Wichita, building a fan base. Word travels fast in a relatively small scene; within a few months, Shuvel was playing clubs with touring bands as well as in front of 8,000 people at the Kansas Coliseum, where, through unrelenting energy, they kept the audience focused on their music from beginning to end.



Feeling that they had done all they could in Wichita and knowing they had a collection of songs better than what Wichita radio was blasting, Shuvel moved West -- in baby steps. First stop: Phoenix for several months of four-nights-a-week shows, building a bigger fan base, and preparing for Los Angeles. Second stop: L.A. where a friend, who happened to be a stripper and happened to know a certain someone at Interscope Records, managed to get the band's four-song demo into the right hands.