Shannon and the Clams

Formed in Oakland, California in 2008, Shannon and the Clams' sound combined genres and eras in a postmodern rock 'n' roll rummage sale. Garbed in vintage outfits, the band mixed the influences of '50s rock 'n' roll and R&B with early '60s pop and a gritty, punk-informed edge. Singer/bassist Shannon Shaw, who also played with Hunx and His Punx, started the band with singer/guitarist Cody Blanchard, and drummer Ian Amberson. They released their first album, 2009's I Wanna Go Home, on Oakland's punk-oriented 1-2-3-4 Go! Label. After a Christmas EP and a single the following year, Shannon and the Clams put out their second album, Sleep Talk, in 2011. They shifted over to the Seattle-based, Sub Pop-affiliated Hardly Art label for 2013's Dreams in the Rat House, earning a higher profile in the process. Their 2015 LP, Gone by the Dawn, found Amberson departing, replaced by Nate Mahan a.k.a Nate Mayhem. Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys produced 2018's Onion, bringing a slightly more sophisticated touch to the band's raw, lo-fi approach without taking them too far from their roots. At this point, the trio turned into a quartet with the addition of Will Sprott on keyboards.