Loud Fast Rules

But this attitude would only be arrogant if it were false — and, unfortunately for haters, Shame Club backs up its claims with talent. After all, not every band has had multiple shows shut down because of volume, or had a show halted when a drum monitor caught on fire — because the band was supposedly too loud. And just ask anyone who saw Shame Club covering the songs of Deep Purple at Off Broadway during September's An Under Cover Weekend: The product of several months of rehearsals, the wall-of-sound performance was monstrous, precise — and yes, loud as fuck.

"Who wants to go to show and you can stand at the bar and talk to your buddies?" Lumley says. "When I go to a show, I want the entire room to be completely saturated with sound. I want it to be a physical sensation. We want you to walk out of it feeling like you've just had a very gentle massage. All over."

The band's constant references to its music's loudness send up warning flags, but Shame Club isn't being self-conscious. In fact, McCray pinpoints the heart of the band's identity: authenticity.

"It's heart and soul, and there's no shtick," he says. "When you see it, it's real, that's it."

There's no irony. So many bands that play classic rock are doing it ironically.

"And they've got headbands, you know," Lumley says dryly, referencing the hipster fashion trend. "I'm not good-looking enough to make this cool, unless the songs are there. I'm not charming enough to make you laugh..."

McCray interrupts. "That's true." Everyone laughs.

Lumley continues, laughing himself. "...unless the songs are cool. This is it. This is what I want to do. This is what we want to do."