The Shaggs

Shaggs Own Thing
by Lex Marburger

There is an intent and skewed accuracy in their songs that doesn’t jibe with the “no ability” theory. If you think Shonen Knife is cool because of their blunt honesty and up-frontness, you haven’t heard anything yet. The Shaggs play with such determination, you can tell that every note is placed deliberately. How do I know this? Because on Shaggs Own Thing (1975), made a few years after the girls had learned to play more “normally,” they recorded accurate versions of “Paper Roses” and “Yesterday Once More,” and re-recorded a tune off of Philosophy Of The World, “My Pal Foot Foot,” a typical piece of focused chaos. They knew how to play their instruments in a more standard way, and “My Pal Foot Foot” sounds very much like the original, with the same identifying features of Philosophy…, i.e. staggered rhythms, free-floating melodies, etc., which can only mean one thing: They didn’t make any mistakes on their first album. All songs were performed the way they were intended. In this light, The Shaggs’ music takes on a whole new meaning, locating pure creativity before being processed by the “Rules” of making music. Some listeners might not make it far enough through The Shaggs to hear this epiphany. Some may not even make it through the first track. No matter. What it comes down to is this: No one in music today (or perhaps ever) can match, or even attempt to imitate what The Shaggs did over two decades ago. Their music remains evidence of what a mind not burdened by the weight of “Convention” can achieve.