Biography
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Years Active
1987 – present (37 years)
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Founded In
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom
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Members
- John Head
- Michael Head
- Pete Wilkinson (1990 – 2006)
Shack is a British band formed in Liverpool in 1987. Originally Shack consisted of Mick Head (vocals/guitar), his brother John Head (guitar), Justin Smith (bass) and Mick Hurst (drums). The band's most recent album was in 2006 and most recent concert was in 2010.
In the '80s, brothers Mick and John Head (from the Kensington area in Liverpool) were singer and guitarist with The Pale Fountains, an effervescent pop group who were signed to Virgin for the ridiculous (in those days) sum of £150,000 and commercially imploded under the weight of two albums in 1986. The adventure cost much more than money though, when bassist and Mick's best friend Chris McCaffrey died of a brain tumour.
The Heads returned in '88 as Shack and a debut album 'Zilch', an album artistically murdered by the production techniques of the times. Three years passed. In 1991, Shack made 'Waterpistol', an inspirational guitar jewel filtered through a haze of E and cocaine, an album that would've proved just as influential as any British album made in that era had the studio not burned down, taking the master tapes with it. One tape remained, but it vanished in the producer's car on a trek across the States for two months and when it turned up the label had folded. Four more years passed, but by the time it was finally released on Marina - to universal critical hosannas - it had developed "lost classic" status only.
The Heads battled on. They toured as their hero Arthur Lee of Love's backing band. In '97, they created a new group called The Strands and recorded the delicate, dreamy masterpiece 'The Magical World Of The Strands'. They spent a long time making another classic, 'HMS Fable'.
SHACK released their 4th studio album ‘… The Corner Of Miles And Gil’ on Noel’s label Sour Mash Records on the 15th May 2006.
In October 2007, the band released their greatest hits compilation album, Time Machine, including two new tracks. They toured briefly in England in October and November with Martyn Campbell on bass.
Since 2008, John Head has pursued a solo career playing live shows with his band The Streams. Michael Head launched the project Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band on his own label Violette Records.
Shack played together again in June 2010 at a charity event in Winsford.
http://www.myspace.com/shacktheband, http://www.shacknet.co.uk or http://www.michaelhead.co.uk
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