Why Dr. Dog’s Scott McMicken called on a band of strangers for his solo record

Scott McMicken was working on his debut solo album for over a year when he realized something was missing: The music he was making needed a live band.

Rather than call on his bandmates from Dr. Dog, the Philadelphia band he started over 20 years ago, he and his producer, Nick Kinsey, assembled a band of mostly strangers to help him create Shabang.

McMicken says that experience was one of the most rewarding of his career. He dubbed this new configuration Scott McMicken and THE EVER-EXPANDING, and they joined the World Cafe for a live performance. Plus, McMicken chats about this leap of faith and the making of Shabang.