The Shambles

The Shambles is an Los Angeles Based Band Featuring: Brad Kesden, Gail Matthius, Christopher Cuse, Cobe Haskell & Dan Schecter.

Meet the Band

Brad Kesden

Brad is originally a New Yorker who moved to Los Angeles in the early 80’s, joining Nickelodean as a writer. Bradley got a ukulele for his 6th grade graduation present and hasn’t stopped strumming since. He sang and played in bands throughout high school and college. Brad previously played in the local pop-rock fivesome, The Shills, and now performs with The Shambles on rhythm guitar, banjo and lead vocals. In addition, Brad currently has a musical in pre-production.

Brad founded Rock The Classroom with Richard Foos - a literacy through music program for inner-city elementary school students. He currently serves on the Board of Volunteer Collective — a nonprofit which links volunteers with nonprofits who seek their services and goodwill throughout our community.

Gail Matthius

Gail, lead vocalist for The Shambles (LA), hails from South Dakota but does not know Kristi Noem personally. Gail is a former cast member of Saturday Night Live, having performed with Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo among other cast favorites. Her extensive career in musical theater includes A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Baby, El Grande de Coca Cola, and the vocal quartet, Mad About Men. She performed as Patsy in Always…Patsy Cline. Prior to The Shambles, Gail performed locally alongside Brad with The Shills.

Christopher Cuse

Christopher began drumming at the tender age of 9 and quickly excelled at jazz and swing, so that would be at age 10. After a few lessons with Ed Shaughnessy (Doc Severinson and The Tonight Show Band), he continued to play in middle school and high school. There, he played in several bands, demonstrating confidence with stylistically challenging material. In college, his percussive experimentation continued with Rock and Roll, African, Reggae, and Fusion influenced music.

Christopher has developed his odd time signature abilities and has played with a wide variety of musicians including studio work in the U.S. as well as Europe.

Cobe Haskell

Cobe grew up in Pasadena and after rapidly losing interest in piano lessons and then a rented banjo, took up drums at age 12, so not quite as tender an age as Christopher. Cobe’s first band in the 8th grade was a surf band, no vocalists needed. Continuing to play rock, blues, R&B, soul and Motown into his college years, he discovered the bass guitar and soon retired the sticks and plugged in instead. San Francisco was just up the road, where Cobe frequented the Fillmore West, but primarily Winterland, taking in all the great bands of the day including the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Winterland tickets typically went for $4.50 for three bands and the headliner (that’s a good deal).

Cobe returned to Los Angeles in the late 70’s, forming The Dots, a power pop trio on the LA club circuit including the Troubadour, just about the time The Police were tearing up Madam Wong’s West on the verge of stardom. He has continued performing in bands over the years and has never lost his passion, only his hearing. Proudly, probably his biggest claim to fame is that he knows Bill Murray’s brother.

Dan Schecter

The newest member of The Shambles on lead guitar, Dan Schecter is a life-long Angeleno and has been playing guitar almost forever with a variety of bands throughout Southern California. He has played at storied venues like the Whiskey, Troubadour and House of Blues, and at small clubs and bars all over town, often in support of various charities, while focusing on a wide array of rock covers, Americana, R&B, Country and more.