Shifters - Higher (1965)

Being important figures on the New Orleans club scene, Shifters kept headlining alongside new garage rock acts such The Gaunga Dyns and Dr. Spec’s Optical Illusion. It was not until the release of their sophomore album “Higher” that they broke through to the national radio stations, received media coverage and became a sought-after band on a wider scale.

“Higher” would rise to the top of the American album charts, also driving demand for the band’s lesser-known debut-album “On Selma St.”, and overall creating a substantial publicity around Shifters.

The triumph of “Higher” is believed to stem from the close collaboration between guitarist Ronald Terry, and bassist Neil Woodward, in writing and composing the majority of the songs. Critics praised songs such as “Left Lane Sugar” and “What Aint’ Going On” for their melodic rhythms and poetic lyrics catering superbly to the wide vocal span of Marcus Slade. The creative collaboration and process between Terry and Woodward would become key in the further development of Shifters’ sound and their rise to popularity.

The ensuing North American tour would culminate in the band’s first European show, when they travelled to Hamburg in early 1966 to play at the sold-out club Kaiserkeller, followed by a night of celebrating the end of a successful tour around the St. Petri and Reeperbahn quarters of the city.