The Shaggs: The Best Worst Band Ever | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

The Shaggs: The Best Worst Band Ever

The story of the band that accidentally made an avant-garde classic

273
The Shaggs: The Best Worst Band Ever
Tigr Tigr

The story of The Shaggs is a truly captivating one, and my personal favorite music story. Before we get into it, I want you to try something. Try to imagine if an alien species had studied human music from the 1960's, and then attempted to recreate this type of music, but without having taken any formal music lessons.

This is how I describe the Shaggs. This is music that seems beyond human comprehension. It lacks the basic fundamentals of rock music. The melodies are nonsensical, the structure is nonexistent, and on top of all this, the drummer and guitar are consistently on completely different tempos. Ya know, I think it's better if you just listen:


I know right? What the hell is going on here?

Well, it all started when a man named Austin Wiggin who, when he was young, got a palm reading done. This palm reading predicted that he would marry a strawberry blonde woman, have two sons after she died and that his daughters would form a popular music group. The first two predictions turned out to be true, so Mr. Wiggin set out to make the third prediction come true as well.

Except there was a problem. These girls did not want to be in a band. They hated rehearsing, but their stubborn father went as far as to pull them out of school and put them into music lessons to be in this band. What could they have done? It wasn't like they could fire their manager. It was their dad.

So finally they reluctantly scraped together enough songs for a 30 minute, 12 track mess of an album. Unsurprisingly, it did not sell well, and Mr. Wiggins dream of creating a famous rock band out of his daughters was crushed.

But, I have a confession to make: I love the Shaggs. Whenever I need a pick-me-up, I go right for their classic debut Philosophy of the World. Every time I listen to it, I can't help but smile and relish in the absurdity of it all.

However, it's not just the silliness of this record that makes it one of my favorites. This is truly one of the best avant-garde albums ever made. The problem with other avant-garde music is that it's trying to be weird, and the musicians secretly know what they're doing. But The Shaggs were actually attempting to make normal music, and they simply lacked the skill and knowledge to pull it off. This is the purest form of outsider music. This is what all avant-garde musicians want to accomplish: complete musical incompetence. Plus, the lyrics are surprisingly introspective at times. I mean, this was made by a bunch of teenagers, so angst is expected, but these lyrics are so simple that they're actually pretty effective.

There are many things I wonder/There are many things I don't/It seems as though the things I wonder most/Are the things I never find out

I wonder why our minds drift astray/I wonder why life goes on this way/I wonder why we have to part/We both know it'll break our heart*

It really is a confounding record. Nothing else out there is like it. It completely changes your view of music and what can constitute a song, and what it means to be "musically talented". In a traditional sense, these girls were awful musicians. But if that's true, then why do I and so many other enjoy this record so much? Sometimes, a lack of understanding can create a newfound sense of creativity. The Shaggs didn't know how to make rock and roll, so they had to reinvent it.


*From "Things I Wonder", written by Dorothy Wiggin

For more on the Shaggs:


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196493
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18610
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460681
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28208
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments