After viciously battling Gogo Yubari and the Crazy 88, The Bride finally reaches O-Ren Ishii in the snow-covered garden at the House of Blue Leaves. The Hattori Hanzō-made sword has been tested and bloodied, but will it stand up against this Deadly Viper?

Showdown at House of Blue Leaves

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.

Shifters - Higher (1965)

With their fourth album “Friend of Mine”, Shifters returned to the rock n’ roll scene after a forced hiatus, due to singer Marcus Slade’s forced military draft and subsequent deployment in the Vietnam War. “Friend of Mine” is considered a fully-fledged anti-war album with every song looking at societal issues and impacts on individuals in relation to the ongoing war. Some songs contain first hands experiences by Slade, which drove significant media attention to his character and became a distinctive voice in the public debate on the war. Upon returning from his deployment, Slade was outspoken about his experiences in the war as well as the racism inherent in the system and his draft. The majority of the songs were written and prepared by guitarist Ronald Terry and bassist Neil Woodward, ready for the return of Slade. However, upon Slade’s return, Woodward and Terry decided to rearrange and rewrite many songs on the basis of Slade’s impactful experiences and insight.
Releasing in March of 1969, three years after “Roundabout” the album was widely anticipated by audiences and critics alike. The high expectations were met, as the record received only positive reviews and was also commercially very successful. The hit “Raining From Above” became an important anthem of the anti-war movement and contemporary counterculture.
“Friend of Mine” positioned Shifters at the top of the 1969 world rock scene along British acts such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Cream as well as American acts such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Led Zeppelin and many more. On August 17th of 1969, Shifters would go on to play at Woodstock at 11 pm until midnight, succeeding The Band and preceding Johnny Winter.

Shifters - Friend of Mine (1969)

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After having become a well know live-name in New Orleans over the course of a year, Shifters were approached by Aleone Records owner, Neil Duke, with a chance to record a full-length album. Only three weeks after the encounter, Shifters began the five days of recording at the J&amp;M Recording Studio. Shortly after their release, the singles “Shook Passion” and “Meet Her Again” became instant hits around Louisiana radio stations and received substantial airplay, helping their debut album in becoming a local success.
“On Selma St.” is praised for containing the high energy of Shifters’ live performances, which made them a household name around New Orleans clubs in the 1960s. Slowly rising to renown simultaneously as the British Invasion bands, Shifters stood out with their rock drawing inspiration in the American folk and soul sounds, as well the swamp blues of their home state of Louisiana.
A short North American tour followed the success of the album. During this tour, singer Marcus Slade, would become the living embodiment of the high-energy performances of the band, with the remaining band members Neil Woodward, Ronald Terry and Roman Garcia giving solid musical performances. “On Selma St.” and the subsequent tour manifested Shifters as an important upcoming American rock band.

Shifters - On Selma St. (1964)

Shifters’ third studio album “Roundabout” is said to be thoroughly marked by the extensive touring and non-stop work, which the band went through in this period. Drummer Roman Garcia, expressed his feelings towards the period as: “I felt like a race dog chasing a mechanical rabbit through the world’s airports, venues and hotels.” This statement also inspired the cover photography for the album, which was shot at Newcastle Stadium during a greyhound derby.
“Roundabout” received mixed reactions from critics and was considered to be their worst studio album at the time of the release. NME critic Alan Smith called the album “(…) a sort of loose epilogue to their sophomore album ‘Higher’, but unable to match the same intensity, willpower and sense of direction.” Despite mixed reviews, “Roundabout” topped album charts in both the US and UK.
The album is the last in the band’s hat-trick-series, where Shifters managed to release three commercially successful studio albums in three consecutive years. Upon the band’s return from the European part of their tour, singer Marcus Slade was arrested for attempted draft evasion, as he had failed to report after being drafted for military service. Slade claimed to be unaware of his draft due to his extensive touring at the time, and despite contesting the draft Slade faced forced military service including military deployment in the Vietnam War.
The following timespan was marked by fruitless attempts by band members at freeing Marcus Slade from military service, which they considered a great injustice, developing into an outspoken anti-war stance for Shifters. The handling of the incident, along with a monetary dispute, also led to a fallout between the band and record label Aleone Records, which had both managed the band and recorded their hat-trick-series albums. As a result, Shifters left Aleone Records in 1967.