London thoroughbred brother and sister duo Joe Gideon & The Shark are a sight and sound to behold.

Joe Gideon pounds bass and guitar whilst narrating his autobiographical tales of misadventure, and little sister Viva (The Shark) drives the whole thing along with glorious drums and piano and 8-track (often, incomprehensibly, all at the same time).

Meandering through soundscapes that take in beat-fuelled rifforama, voodoo-injected grooves and melodious beauty, their sound is both comfortably spacious and foot-stompingly intense. And highly original.

Viva’s artistry is gracious and almost gymnastic, evidently a trait learned from her days as a ribbon-twirling athlete (a rhythmic gymnast to be precise) who represented the UK in the Barcelona Olympics. (Incidentally, Viva got the ribbons out once more when starring in the video for Archie Bronson Outfit’s Dead Funny). Gideon was not around to witness his sister’s glory, instead he was on the opposite side of the globe on the jury panel judging Miss Bolivia.

In a roundabout way, this microcosmically befits the picture painted by the band.

Formerly to be seen in the ‘dread-fuelled’ Bikini Atoll (Bella Union, and produced by Steve Albini), Joe Gideon and the Shark have discarded the darkness and have walked into the light. This light is in part provided by Gideon’s humorous and fantastical monologues which hook you in to their world. A Joe Gideon and the Shark record thus provides and indie rock classic and a talking book all for the price of one.

Barely a year old, this band has already gained the respect of their contemporaries by being invited to play with the like of The Duke Spirit, John & Jehn, Archie Bronson Outfit, Scout Niblett and Sons & Daughters.

Their “DOL” single is set for UK release 1st December 2008.

Joe Gideon & The Shark have now been asked by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds to provide main support on their UK November 2008 tour dates:

Nov 25th: Manchester Apollo w/ Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nov 26th: Edinburgh Corn Exchange w/ Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nov 27th: Sheffield Academy w/ Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nov 29th: London Troxy w/ Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

“One of the best live acts we’ve seen all year” – Time Out

“It’s rough, ragged, blues in its veins. It’s dark, atmospheric, oddball and surreal; it’s on your doorstep and in your airspace, alien yet talking the same language about the same ol’ trials and tribulations of a life lived” – Drowned in Sound

Joe Gideon & The Shark MySpace