The Shack Sessions: My Tiny Desk Dream in a Colorado Garage

Back in the early days of Angotango Pictures, I had the chance to host what would become our first — and only — Shack Sessions. My friends and insanely talented musicians JD Robinson and Cameron Blair came by Anthony’s small Colorado garage (Anthony was the founder of Angotango), and laid down five stripped-back songs for us.

Shawn James - Flow (Cover by JD Robinson & Cameron Blair)

I filmed it on a Canon T2i, edited it myself, and — I won’t lie — definitely got shit for it. One of the Angotango crew members said it looked like I filmed it on a potato. He wasn’t wrong. My technical skills and gear were pretty limited back then. But I had ideas. And drive. And a need to get something — anything — finished.

Unfinished films were starting to pile up. So I looked at our YouTube channel and thought: We’re a production company. Let’s produce something. YouTube hadn’t been as niched down yet, so there was still room to experiment. I figured, why not use what we have and just make music content? A low-budget version of Tiny Desk. Just good music in a garage.

Then the pandemic hit. Everything paused.

But The Shack Sessions planted a seed. I was able to carry that spirit forward later, doing something similar with IanxSolo. I’ve always wanted people to hear independent musicians and artists I believe in. I still do.

A guitar is all you need sometimes.

Sometimes you just have to start and if you start finish. The skills will come. The gear will improve. But what matters most is showing up with an idea and pressing record.