Intense Records

Philosophy Of The World

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£33.33 (£39.99 incl. VAT)

In 1968, three sisters from Fremont, New Hampshire strapped on their instruments
and declared themselves The Shaggs. At that moment begun a peculiar tale that
would last far beyond the groups five-year run. Dot, Betty and Helen (and
occasionally Rachel, the fourth sister) played in the group on the insistence of their
father, Austin Wiggin Jr., who was convinced they were going to be big. Years earlier,
Austins mother gave him a palm reading, predicting that her son would marry a
strawberry blonde woman, that he would have two sons after his mother died, and
that his daughters would form a popular music outfit. The first two became reality,
so Austin was certain the third would follow suit.
With pure confidence and his mothers bold prediction, Austin decided that his
daughters would forgo attending the local high school in favor of home schooling
interspersed with a strict regiment of instrumental and vocal practice, along with
jumping jacks and sit-ups. Soon after The Shaggs would enter Fleetwood Recording
studios in Revere, Massachusetts to record their sole album, Philosophy Of The
World, a collection of garage rock tunes that balanced charm and discordance in
equal measure. Austin would spend most of his savings not only on the session but
also on the manufacturing costs to press up 1,000 copies of the album (900 of which
mysteriously vanished upon completion).
Throughout _Philosophy_... simple truths are revealed through the pen of sister Dot,
the songwriter of the band. The rich people want what the poor people got, just as
the poor people want what the rich people got. Your parents love you. There is
happiness in nearness and sadness in the farness.
The album failed to fulfill Austins expectations of rock stardom, though the group
remained together until their fathers death, performing frequently at the Fremont
town hall and a local nursing home, no further albums were released. That might
have been the end of it, until rock band NRBQ discovered a copy at a Massachusetts
radio station and re-released it in 1980. Rolling Stones reviewer at the time
described it as the most stunningly awful wonderful record Ive heard in ages.
Nearly 50 years later, the album ranks among the most polarizing LPs of all time.
Some said it was the worst thing ever made. Others felt it was one of the great long
players of the 20th century. Frank Zappa famously dubbed the band better than The
Beatles, while Kurt Cobain placed the album at #5 on his list of Top 50 favorite
albums. Original copies of the album fetch for $10,000.
Decades later and one could argue that maybe Austin was right all along. Were all
here, still enthralled by the purity of The Shaggs.

Tracks:
Philosophy of the World; That Little Sports Car; Who Are Parents?; My Pal Foot Foot;
My Companion; I'm so Happy When You're Near; Things I Wonder; Sweet Thing; It's
Halloween; Why Do I Feel?; What Should I Do?; We Have a Savior