Funk Shui by Downbeat Switch

Blending old-school funk riffs with rap-rock, reggae fusion, Downbeat Switch developed a diverse fan base throughout Virginia over the following years. With the release of their self-produced, 20 song debut L.P., "Funk Shui" in 2004, the band finally had something professional to present to their growing number of supporters.

"Funk Shui" was recorded and mixed solely by Downbeat Switch at various locations, over a period of two years. Most of the tracks were recorded in the guitarist/vocalist's basement, a few at a storage unit, and even in an apartment living room. With the Richmond police department expected to appear at almost every recording session of "Funk Shui" for city noise violations, the band was forced to leave their basement studio. They relocated to a Richmond West-end storage facility to finish their belated L.P. Many other local bands practiced at the same place and Downbeat Switch got to know a little more about what the Richmond music scene was all about. Soon Downbeat Switch began opening for various rock bands such as: Running with Scissors, Child, 59H2O, Pyne, the Scott Jeffers Band, Against Grace and Jefferson Plane Crash. The band also played with local funk groups like Modern Groove Syndicate, Co-Pilot, Pennyshaker, Project G-nome, D.J. Williams, and the reggae artists: Richmond Dub Collective. But the cost of renting their new practice space was getting to be too hard to manage for the already struggling band mates. They planned to finish out the "Funk Shui" recordings there, and then move somewhere else. A year passed and the album was finally finished. Downbeat Switch decided it was time to risk the $150 ticket from the cops, and move back to the guitarist/vocalist's house. This time, they would construct a proper sound-proof studio to prevent angry neighbors from hearing them practice. Even though it took over three months to build, and happened to be in the guitarist's bedroom, DbS Studios continued to be an efficient, cost-free establishment for the band and other local artists who've recorded there. Downbeat Switch also racked up a nice venue list headlining shows at Richmond local places like Alley Katz, Canal Club, Breakers, Emilio's, the Nanci Raygun, Daddios, Chugger's, Cafe' Diem, VCU campus, CNU campus, Reynolds Community College Campus, Potter's Pub, Bogart's,the Dog House, the 534 Club, and many others inside and outside of the Richmond area.

With fresh ideas for new songs and a brand new studio to record them in, Downbeat Switch looked to fill the gap in the sound at their live shows and in the new songs being created. They were unable to re-create the keyboard and scratching parts on "Funk Shui" by themselves during live performances, so they recruited the fifth member of Downbeat Switch.

Doug Deforge , another Mathews County native who moved to Richmond in late 2003, began working out keyboard and turntable elements for old and new songs.

On January 29th, 2005, the band released a 5-song demo of the new material they had been working on for the new album. Entitled: "DbS", the demo sessions are distributed free of charge at their live shows and with purchased copies of "Funk Shui". Those songs are also featured on their second self-produced, 18-song L.P. entitled: "Seconds", which they released, July of 2005. Then, just after Downbeat Switch had finished recording their 18th track on "Seconds" when a Richmond city cop gave them a ticket which resulted in a $250 fine for a noise violation. The record was over. The band had anticipated making another 20-song L.P. like "Funk Shui" the year before, but they were forced to move out of the home-studio and into another storage facility in Hanover County in North-Eastern Richmond, where they currently practice, write songs and get random visits from the Hanover police department.

All Downbeat Switch records are available at live shows, online, and at Plan 9 and Tower record store outlets in the Richmond local music sections for $8.99 each. Downbeat Switch continues to record, play shows, and operate completely independently of any record label at this time. They participate in everything from keg parties, festivals, to local bars and clubs, large venues and festivals, and even the Richmond Channel 6 and Channel 8 News. New and old songs can be heard and downloaded on the DbS website @ WWW.DOWNBEATSWITCH.COM or

www.myspace.com/downbeatswitch. Downbeat Switch can also be heard on the Y101(101.1) and 102.1X Richmond's local Rock Shows on Sunday evenings at 7:00pm and 8:00pm and then from 9:00pm to 10:00pm. Also, they can be heard on Richmond's Indie Radio station (97.3). Please contact DbS for setting up a show, or for more info on what's to come in the future for the band, at our site or by phone: 1-(804)-815-9654 email: downbeatswitch@earthlink.net or downbeatswitch@downbeatswitch.com.

-Downbeat Switch

© 2005 Downbeat Switch

Average Customer Review: 3