Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats will release their debut, self-titled album this Friday on the legendary Stax Records. This week's Westword cover story details Rateliff's long history in the Denver music scene. But every member of the band has been a notable contributor to the city's creative community. Over the next several days, we'll introduce you to them. Up first: Mark Shusterman. 

Past Denver Bands:  2 Second Pause, Two Kings, Constellations, Widowers, Houses, Setting Science, Mike Marchant's Outer Space Party Unit.

Current Denver Bands: The Blue Rider.

Instrument in the Night Sweats: Keyboards.

Bio: Shusterman grew up in Aurora, where he attended Smoky Hill High School. When he was a junior in high school, his band at the time, 2 Second Pause, played a battle of the bands judged by Fear Before the March of Flames, who had previous attended Smoky Hill. In college in Greeley, Shusterman played in Two Kings with Quantum Creep drummer Eric Ten Hoeve and crossed paths with members of experimental-rock band Manos, whom he ended up living with at 29th and Vine and setting up a studio. At the latter, Shusterman was involved in writing and recording the Necrogeister EP by his next band, Constellations, and the debut Widowers EP. A longtime fan of experimental music including Aphex Twin, Gong and This Heat, Shusterman was involved in Gorinto, the avant-music event hosted by Corey Elbin at the Mercury Cafe. Shusterman and friends, including future former Night Sweats member Rett Rogers, formed psychedelic soul band the Blue Rider as something to do for fun; it later evolved into a full-fledged project. Nathaniel Rateliff attended a Blue Rider show and asked Shusterman if he was interested in joining a new project. More than a year later, in 2013, Shusterman played on Rateliff's tour opening for the Lumineers. He continues to play in the Blue Rider as well as the Night Sweats.