Scared of Sharks are a punk / rock’n’roll band formed in 2016 by brothers Taylor Schwifty and Jack Malolakis. Spending their first year as a group based in their hometown of Mogareeka and playing shows around their local area. Lacking a strong local music scene down the far south coast they moved to the Illawarra in 2017 for the opportunity of more gigs and a stronger music scene.
After releasing their first song Beach Wog in 2021, the band faced a transition when Jack departed for European adventures in late 2022. Undeterred, Taylor enlisted the talents of Tim Shady on drums and Louis Crouton on bass, forming a powerhouse trio that took their music to new heights. They embarked on independent tours, from the Port Kembla Festival to Melbourne’s iconic Cherry Bar, leaving a trail of exhilarated fans in their wake. Now gearing up to release their debut EP ‘Double Happiness’ on December 16, Scared of Sharks show no signs of slowing down.
The EP showcases the band’s musical diversity and multitude of Influences. Ranging from the post-hardcore of Made of Snow to the Alternative-Folk of Cauliflower, ‘Double Happiness’ was recorded & mixed in mid 2023 at Stranded Rec. Studios by Cody Munro Moore (Big White) and mastered by Owen Penglis (Straight Arrows). Recorded mostly live to tape ‘Double Happiness’ is Scared of Sharks at their ragtag best. With powerfully unhinged yet controlled drumming from Tim Shady, groovy basslines from Louis Crouton that feel just as comfortable leading from the front as they do swinging from the back and honest, funny & poetic lyrics from Taylor Schwifty that are all held together with simple, scrappy yet affective rock’n’roll guitar riffs and melodies.
In anticipation, the band are dropping the EP’s last single, Last Train to Wyong today. Inspired by the night drummer Tim Shady got too cooked at a rave in Sydney lost his keys, phone, wallet and then proceeded to catch the train to Wyong (North) instead of Wollongong (South). It’s a fun, groovy post-punk track with a “Democracy Manifest Bloke” reference in the 2nd verse, that has had live audiences dancing and laughing along for the last few years.
