Shack biography
Shack are an English 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.
History
The Pale Fountains
Before founding Shack, Michael and John Head were in the cult 1980s band The Pale Fountains, and released two albums,
Pacific Street in March 1984 and
...From Across The Kitchen Table in March 1985.
[
] However, though critically acclaimed, the albums only reached Numbers 85 and 94 in the UK Albums Chart.
That band ended around 1986 and returned from London to their home town of Liverpool. Sadly, bassist and founder member, Chris "Biffa" McCaffrey died of a brain tumour in 1989.
1987-1996: Zilch, Waterpistol and hiatus
The Head brothers soon re-emerged as Shack, signing to the Ghetto Recording Company, home of record producer Ian Broudie's solo project, The Lightning Seeds and British soul band Distant Cousins. Shack's first album
Zilch was released in 1988, but was neither critically nor commercially successful. The album was later re-released on the Red Flag Recording Company label with three extra tracks in 2007.
The follow-up, Waterpistol, was recorded in 1991 at London's Star Street Studio and Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire. Shortly after the recording of Waterpistol was complete, the Star Street studio burnt down and most of the tapes were destroyed. The only remaining DAT of the album was in the possession of producer Chris Allison. At the time, Allison was in Los Angeles, and when he returned, it transpired that he had left the copy in his hire car. It was only found weeks later after a frenzied search. However, by this point, Ghetto had folded so the record was without a distributor. Shack split, with Wilkinson joining fellow Liverpudlian John Power (formerly of The La's) to form the successful Britpop band Cast. The Head brothers accompanied Love for a few touring dates in 1992.
Waterpistol was finally released in 1995 on the German independent record label, Marina. NME described Mick Head as "a lost genius and among the most gifted British songwriters of his generation". The album was later re-released with new artwork on the Red Flag Recording Company label in 2007. Michael Head went on to form Michael Head & The Strands with his brother John, which found them further critical acclaim with their record The Magical World of The Strands on its release in 1996.
1998-present: Reformation and new albums
The Head brothers, along with Iain Templeton (who drummed on
The Magical World of The Strands) and bassist Ren Parry reformed Shack in 1998, releasing
HMS Fable (1999). Parry was replaced by Guy Rigby on bass for
... Here's Tom With the Weather (2003). Wilkinson rejoined in 2005, replacing the departed Rigby.
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