by DJ Maybe
Back when I was turning 15, I put together a DIY Punk Quinceañera at a local venue. I reached out to bands that I really loved at the time, one of them being Shannon and the Clams. Unfortunately, they were busy that weekend. Fortunately, I never stopped loving them.
I reached out to Shannon Shaw for an interview, and guess what— she remembered my stint as a teenage booker!
Shannon Shaw, NorCal Native, began playing her bass at 25. Shannon and the Clams was born from the collaboration of CCA classmate Cody Blanchard and Ian Amberson in 2008. Around the same time Shaw was imparting her bass skills in another Bay Area band, Hunx and his Punx. Both bands blending garage sound with retro styles, this becomes Shaw’s signature. Her musical mind is something special, and it only gets better.
Just last June, Shaw released her first solo project with the help of The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach titled Shannon in Nashville. This album highlights Shaw’s signature raspy vocals that capture heartache, and the strength that can accompany it. Larger than life, magically vintage arrangements of synth, percussion, and strings pair with Shaw’s roots of Bay Area garage rock to create nostalgic yet completely authentic grooves.
This album completely captivates me.
If you haven’t heard it yet, take a listen