I find it hard to believe that I've been putting this blog together for the last 18 months or so and I've not yet posted anything by the Shaggs. Time to remedy the situation.
A favourite of everyone from Frank Zappa to Kurt Cobain, the Shaggs comprised of the three Wiggin sisters, Dot, Betty and Helen (occasionally joined by a fourth sister on bass) teenagers from New Hampshire who had a unique, original musical vision - fostered by their father (a kind of dirt-poor Colonel Parker) - that was complemented by the fact that they could barely play their instruments, at least not by any conventional standards.
Having never seen a live rock band, but having heard their favorite Herman's Hermits and Monkees songs on the radio, the siblings formed a trio playing at local hops to enthusiastic audiences before papa dragged his guileless daughters off to the recording studio. The resulting album, Philosopy of the World (which Rolling Stone's 'Alt-Rock-A-Rama' book ranked among the 100 Most Influential Alternative Releases of All Time) was earnest, authentic and almost unlistenable, with out-of-tune guitars, missed drum beats, wayward vocals and lyrics about everything from pet cats (My Pal Foot Foot) to the eternal struggle between teenagers and their elders (What Are Parents) and, naturally, a paen or two to Christ (We Have a Saviour).
The Wiggin sisters are still alive today but, unfortunately no longer recording, although they did make a follow up a few years later, The Shagg's Own Thing, collected together with Philosophy on an odd, remixed (and now out-of-print) CD from Rounder). Philosopy of the World was reissued by RCA a couple of years back, with liner notes by Irwin Chusid (author of the exceptional book Songs in the Key of Z) and is readily available from Amazon and your favourite music store (but possibly not from Zavvi!)
Here, for your delectation, is My Pal Foot Foot. Enjoy!
You also might enjoy the following magazine article from the 'New Yorker' in 1999 -- 'Meet the Shaggs' by Susan Orlean
ReplyDeleteAfter this article came out Tom Cruise's production company, Cruise/Wagner, optioned the Shaggs' story for a movie, but I guess since the world isn't quite ready for their music, it is even less ready for a movie about them. Though I might be first in line -- or perhaps the only one in line....
Here's some more Shaggs stuff -- The Shaggs Online
Hopefully you add some 'Wild Man Fischer' or 'Portsmouth Sinfonia'
I have the Porstmouth Sinfonia album somewhere - and the 45 too I think. I'll see if I can dig them out and run a couple of tracks here soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about Larry Fischer though; the poor guy's been throough enough and doesn't deserve to have the rise taken out of him (although I'm the Meanie is truly terrible!)
You also might enjoy Lester Bang's ode to The Shaggs
ReplyDeletehttp://www.keyofz.com/vvoice.htmIrwin Chusid's article about The Cherry Sisters (from the late 1800s) is pretty humorous too --
http://www.wfmu.org/LCD/Early/cherry.html
Comparing the Shaggs' Dad to Colonel Parker? Not fair! Mr. Wiggin was well intentioned and he would not sell his daughters to Las Vegas just so he could pay blackjack debts...
ReplyDeleteThat aside, congratulations for your blog - and, being a music researcher, I think I can contribute with a few so-bad-it's-good nuggets from this here Brazil. Bad pop is a universal disease - and thank heavens for that.
Cheerio,
Ayrton
Youtube link:
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/XR9d4ESlpHY