Monikers

Does a band by any other name sound as sweet?

by Sam Pfeifle

Shufflin' Tremble are no more. But on August 6, with a show at the Skinny, those same eight guys who played the Portland Phoenix/FNX Best Music Poll Festival in May, plus or minus a bassist, will be unveiling a new name, along with their semi-new album, No Gain.

Shufflin' Tremble's core members have played out in numerous incarnations ever since that day in 1993 when three seventh graders from Gorham decided they wanted to start a band. But the last four years have seen Shufflin' Tremble grow tremendously: winning the Reindeer Rock-Off in '97; opening for acts like Citizen King, Shootyz Groove, and Godsmack; and recently signing with Ripchord Artist Management. So, with all the success, why the name change?

"Well," says lead-singer Kevin Kennie, "it's getting annoying having people ask [us] our name and then getting the response, `What?' two or three times." Not to mention the fact that the name is almost never right in club ads or on the Web. Sometimes you'll see Shuffle and Tremble -- kind of an order. Or maybe Shuffle in Treble -- a sort of strange musical directive. The noun Tremble never really got the participial modifier it deserved. Plus, says Kennie, "I don't want to be stuck with Shufflin' Tremble forever."

How'd they get the name in the first place? "I was at a show at the State Theater," explains Kennie, "and this kid next to me just like screamed out that Shufflin' Tremble would be the best name ever for the band." Kennie ran it by the band, and it stuck.

With a legion of loyal fans, however, Tremble didn't want just to change the name willy-nilly. They've set up a poll on their Web site at shufflin.com where fans can vote from a ballot of choices that includes "Unibrow," "Jetstar," and "Go to Your Room," among others. Apparently, the band didn't like the direction the vote was heading, because they recently added four new choices that include Kennie's favorites. "I like Boom Squad, Boombox Paradox, Jetstar, or No Gain," he says, "but I'd have to go with one of the "boom" names."

The band hope the fan participation will head off any backlash. "We figured some of them might be a little upset that we were changing it," says Kennie, "so by letting them vote, it should help the transition go smoother, and we trust them not to vote for something like Unibrow."

The winning name will be announced at the 7 p.m., August 6 show, with Jeremiah Freed and Jivin' Miss Daisy. Look for a series of EPs from the soon-to-be-named band in upcoming months.