Th' Legendary Shack Shakers
Encyclopedia
The Legendary Shack Shakers (originally Those or Th' ) are an American punk blues
band. They are inspired by punk
, Delta blues
, rockabilly
, Texas polka
, gothic rock
, and other traditional Southern music genres, formed in Paducah, Kentucky
in the mid-1990s. The band originally had a more traditional rockabilly sound, but later moved away from this and now relies more on its rock and hillbilly influences. Founding member Col. J.D. Wilkes is the band's vocalist and also plays the harmonica
. Musical maverick JoeBuck joined the band in the early 21st Century and played all the upright bass
, guitars, and drums on the group's 2003 release, Cockadoodledon't. Wilkes is noted for his wild stage antics, which have been compared to those of Iggy Pop
, David Byrne
, and Jerry Lee Lewis
. JoeBuck left the band in late 2003 and began touring and recording with Hank Williams III
. Mark Robertson currently plays upright bass, and Brett Whitacre is on drums. Duane Denison
, member of recently reformed The Jesus Lizard
(and formerly Hank Williams III) currently plays guitar for the band.
The group initially gained notoriety when GEICO
used their track "CB Song" on their "Sunglasses" television ad. Horror novelist Stephen King
would later list the same track as among his iPod
's Top Five in a 2008 Entertainment Weekly
article.
The band regularly tours with The Reverend Horton Heat, who also appears as a guest guitarist on 3 tracks from their 2006 album, Pandelirium
. Former Dead Kennedys
frontman Jello Biafra
also guested on the album's opening track, "Ichabod."
Robert Plant
is a noted Legendary Shack Shakers fan, and hand-picked the band to open for him on his 2005 tour of Europe. Plant also named "Believe
" his favorite record of 2005.
The band released their 6th studio album; AgriDustrial
, on April 13, 2010 on their own Colonel Knowledge label.
, Rancid
, The Black Keys
, Slim Cessna's Auto Club
, and Hank Williams III
, among others. In 2003, Time Out New York Magazine said The Legendary Shack Shakers were "Among Top Ten Live NYC acts of the year". Jello Biafra
of Alternative Tentacles
and The Dead Kennedys
called J.D. Wilkes "the last great Rock and Roll frontman." News Of The World called them "The maddest, baddest, most outrageous band in America.. a rockabilly version of the Sex Pistols
." The Nashville Scene called Wilkes the Best Frontman in Nashville in a 2002 vote.
Interviews and Reviews
Punk blues
Punk blues denotes a fusion genre of punk rock and blues. Punk blues musicians and bands usually incorporate elements of related styles, such as protopunk and blues rock. Its origins lie strongly within the garage rock sound of the 1960s and 1970s.Punk blues can be said to favor the common...
band. They are inspired by punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, Delta blues
Delta blues
The Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, a region of the United States that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee in the north to Vicksburg, Mississippi in the south, Helena, Arkansas in the west to the Yazoo River on the east. The...
, rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, Texas polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
, gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, and other traditional Southern music genres, formed in Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
in the mid-1990s. The band originally had a more traditional rockabilly sound, but later moved away from this and now relies more on its rock and hillbilly influences. Founding member Col. J.D. Wilkes is the band's vocalist and also plays the harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
. Musical maverick JoeBuck joined the band in the early 21st Century and played all the upright bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, guitars, and drums on the group's 2003 release, Cockadoodledon't. Wilkes is noted for his wild stage antics, which have been compared to those of Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
, and Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
. JoeBuck left the band in late 2003 and began touring and recording with Hank Williams III
Hank Williams III
Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
. Mark Robertson currently plays upright bass, and Brett Whitacre is on drums. Duane Denison
Duane Denison
Duane Denison is an American guitarist. Denison currently plays for Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, The Jesus Lizard, which he recently re-united with after a 9-year break-up, and Tomahawk. He has played for Firewater. He began his musical career by studying classical guitar. Denison and ex-Ministry...
, member of recently reformed The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard was an American alternative rock and noise rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas. They were "a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground…[who] turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial...
(and formerly Hank Williams III) currently plays guitar for the band.
The group initially gained notoriety when GEICO
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
used their track "CB Song" on their "Sunglasses" television ad. Horror novelist Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
would later list the same track as among his iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
's Top Five in a 2008 Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
article.
The band regularly tours with The Reverend Horton Heat, who also appears as a guest guitarist on 3 tracks from their 2006 album, Pandelirium
Pandelirium
Pandelirium is an LP released by Th' Legendary Shack Shakers on February 7, 2006.-Reviews:Ryan Cooper of about.com described the record as "The dark side of the down home" and "unbelievably good". . Kyle Ryan's review for The A.V...
. Former Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
frontman Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
also guested on the album's opening track, "Ichabod."
Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
is a noted Legendary Shack Shakers fan, and hand-picked the band to open for him on his 2005 tour of Europe. Plant also named "Believe
Believe (Th' Legendary Shack Shakers album)
Believe is an LP released by Th' Legendary Shack Shakers on October 4, 2004.- Reviews :'Believe' was favourably reviewed by Zeth Lundy of popmatters.com who concluded "The next time you take the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack from the stereo, pining for some oomph to your Americana, reach...
" his favorite record of 2005.
The band released their 6th studio album; AgriDustrial
AgriDustrial
AgriDustrial is an LP released by the Legendary Shack Shakers on April 13, 2010.- Track listing :# "Melungeon Melody" – 0:34# "Sin Eater" – 3:13# "Sugar Baby" – 1:57# "Nightride " – 2:36...
, on April 13, 2010 on their own Colonel Knowledge label.
Tours
Although not legendary upon being named, the band has grown into its own shoes over the last several years due to a grueling tour schedule spanning the globe. The band has toured with Reverend Horton Heat, Robert PlantRobert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
, Slim Cessna's Auto Club
Slim Cessna's Auto Club
Slim Cessna's Auto Club is an alternative country-gothabilly band formed in 1992 in Denver, Colorado. The constant in the band has been Slim Cessna, formerly a member of The Denver Gentlemen along with David Eugene Edwards and Jeffery-Paul of 16 Horsepower. Jay Munly is also a key member of the...
, and Hank Williams III
Hank Williams III
Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
, among others. In 2003, Time Out New York Magazine said The Legendary Shack Shakers were "Among Top Ten Live NYC acts of the year". Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
of Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
and The Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
called J.D. Wilkes "the last great Rock and Roll frontman." News Of The World called them "The maddest, baddest, most outrageous band in America.. a rockabilly version of the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
." The Nashville Scene called Wilkes the Best Frontman in Nashville in a 2002 vote.
Discography
- Hunkerdown (SpinoutSpinoutSpinout is a 1966 musical film and comedy starring Elvis Presley as the lead singer of a band and part-time race car driver. The movie was #57 on the year end list of the top-grossing films of 1966.-Plot:...
, 1998) - Cockadoodledon'tCockadoodledon'tCockadoodledon't is an LP released by Th' Legendary Shack Shakers on April 22, 2003.- Reviews :The album was reviewed by Stephen Haag of popmatters.com, who concluded "All-at-once reverent, revisionist, greasy, and fun as hell, with summer upon us Cockadoodledon’t should be the soundtrack to a...
(BloodshotBloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
, 2003) - BelieveBelieve (Th' Legendary Shack Shakers album)Believe is an LP released by Th' Legendary Shack Shakers on October 4, 2004.- Reviews :'Believe' was favourably reviewed by Zeth Lundy of popmatters.com who concluded "The next time you take the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack from the stereo, pining for some oomph to your Americana, reach...
(YepRoc, 2004) - PandeliriumPandeliriumPandelirium is an LP released by Th' Legendary Shack Shakers on February 7, 2006.-Reviews:Ryan Cooper of about.com described the record as "The dark side of the down home" and "unbelievably good". . Kyle Ryan's review for The A.V...
(YepRoc, 2006) - SwampbloodSwampbloodSwampblood is an LP released on September 18, 2007, by Th' Legendary Shack Shakers.-Reviews:Andrew Gilstrap of popmatters.com rated the album at 7/10, commenting "Swampblood finds the band in something of a high-octane back-to-basics blues mode". Embo Blake of HybridMagazine noted that the band, in...
(YepRoc, 2007) - AgriDustrialAgriDustrialAgriDustrial is an LP released by the Legendary Shack Shakers on April 13, 2010.- Track listing :# "Melungeon Melody" – 0:34# "Sin Eater" – 3:13# "Sugar Baby" – 1:57# "Nightride " – 2:36...
(Colonel Knowledge, 2010)
External links
Interviews and Reviews