Music: Born to Ruin

It’s early evening inside the cozy confines of a Northside tavern as Shesus frontwoman Heather Newkirk sips from a can of Schlitz. Black hair falling into her eyes, she talks about the band’s long and tangled history while a guy sporting a Kangol fishing hat and a shot of honey-hued liquor saddles up to the jukebox. Disgruntled at its lack of recognizable contents, he finally finds something he likes. “Ahhh, The Isley Brothers, now that’s classic,” he says, looking to get our input on his choice.

We nod in agreement as I ask Newkirk about the creation of Shesus’ latest work of Post Punk bliss, a seven-song EP, Ruined It For You. She talks positively about working with noted Detroit producer and former Dirtbombs bassist Jim Diamond. She also tells me how the quartet came to sign with New York-based Narnack Records (the owner saw an early N.Y. performance) and how the band landed an illustrious Peel Session (after hearing that he was a fan, Newkirk called John Peel — at his home, no less — to request that Shesus appear on his famed BBC radio show).

The Kangol-clad guy leans over, interested in the topics at hand. “Oh, you’re in a band,” he says while taking a sip of his shot. “You any good?”

“Well, we’ve put out records and toured across the states and Europe,” she says matter-of-factly. “So, yeah, I’m proud of what we’ve done.”

She should be. Formed in 1998 by Newkirk and former Brainiac guitarist Michelle Bodine, Shesus specializes in catchy yet tuff New Wave/Punk nuggets. It’s a sound equally indebted to Newkirk’s Blondie fixation as it is Bodine’s Black Sabbath leanings.

Every bit as satisfying as their 2003 full-length debut, Loves You … Loves You Not, the new material builds on its predecessor by stressing a more cohesive, intimate sound and an expanded sense of sonic adventurousness. The lead track, “Debbie’s Shoes,” sets the scene immediately. A driving rhythm section — courtesy of bassist Kari Murphy and drummer Dave Colvin — intertwines with a jagged, start/stop guitar riff from Bodine. Moments later Newkirk enters via a sexy and sassy spoken word section before kicking into a chorus of swirling guitar and sing-along vocal harmonies. It’s a highly alluring blend of sweet and sour, Shesus style.

And that’s just the beginning of Ruined‘s riches. Highlighted by the addictive one-two punch of “Cheekbone” and “Weapons of Love’s Destruction,” the disc will have your repeat button begging for mercy. (One warning: the adrenalized “Cheekbone” is best kept out of one’s car stereo, as evidenced during my initial listen — by the time I got to Bodine’s Townsend-esque power riff at the 30-second mark, a cop was asking to see my license and registration.)

Surprisingly, only traces of Newkirk’s dynamic voice — a highly expressive and versatile instrument — and physical, attitude-laced live persona are apparent during our discussion; she’s direct but less forceful than her performing self. Only when our Kangol-wearing friend criticizes her jukebox selection (apparently it lacks technical polish, among other things) does she get riled up.

“I’m not even going there. It’s time to go,” she says as we exit the premises.

“When I first started singing I was never comfortable up there (onstage) and (I) didn’t feel strongly about the lyrics I was singing,” she says the next day via e-mail. “And with Shesus I just kept getting more and more comfortable to the point where I felt I could act it out, like you do when you’re alone in your room listening to your favorite band.”

Lyrically, Newkirk turns the tough trick of being both personal and ambiguous, a style that only emboldens her confidence.

“I feel strongly about these lyrics because they are my words, my experiences or my opinions,” she says. “And I think that made a huge difference on my physical performance. I get to get all my emotions out. So it’s like therapy. And to see people getting into something you made out of thin air is quite a rush. It’s so much fun — all that energy, frustration, tension and passion.”

Newkirk’s distinctive delivery invites a host of inevitable comparisons (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Karen O. is often cited), but she remains unfazed by the fuss. “I’m flattered by some of them and very perplexed by other comparisons,” Newkirk insists. “I decided a while ago not to pay attention to it. Once you put yourself out there, you really have no control over what people say.”

Growing up in tiny Enon, Ohio, Newkirk studied to be an opera singer at the urging of her parents, something that has only aided her current method of expression. “It helped me develop a separate sound and taught me a lot of great techniques regarding performance, tone, breathing and taking care of your vocal chords,” she says. “But I decided on Rock music because of the freedom of lyrics and techniques and the feeling onstage.”

At 17, Newkirk moved to Dayton and began singing in various Rock bands, which led to a friendship with Bodine. Seeking a more creatively stimulating atmosphere, Newkirk moved to Cincinnati in the summer of 2002 after nearly a decade in Dayton.

“Cincinnati seems to march to a different drummer and has all kinds of different sounds, which I think is so important, unique and special,” she says. “What I’ve noticed is that when you live in a smaller city you’re not as numbed by the latest trends; you can develop your own sound. I moved here because I was inspired by a lot of people here, their energy and motivation. It makes me excited to live here.”

Shesus recently signed a deal with an Austin, Texas-based management company and plans another European and stateside tour in support of Ruined. Yet Newkirk is keeping things in perspective, especially after a recent rough patch in her personal life.

“I feel like if this all ended tomorrow,” she says, echoing her comments to the jukebox instigator, “I would be very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

This article appears in Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2004.