The Head

The Head formed in 2007, when twin brothers Jack and Mike Shaw connected with high school friend Jacob Morrell and began performing and writing music in the basement of the Shaws’ home in the Atlanta suburbs. Inspired by a rich and diverse set of influences spanning The Stone Roses, Carole King, Big Star, Pavement and others, the three 15 year-olds began playing their original music and covers at?local parties and school functions, while constantly writing new material and recording demos in their basement.?
In the summer of 2009, the threesome connected with well-known Atlanta producer and musician Don McCollister to record and self-release their first full-length album Puckered in October of their senior year in high school. Indie-Music.com captured the fan and blogger reaction to Puckered well, saying the band had produced “an endearing sound that shows great artistic potential, a talent that perhaps belies their young ages.”?
The band continued writing and performing live, and roughly a year after recording Puckered, entered the studio once again with McCollister to lay down the 12 original tracks for their second full-length album, Hang On. In August, the band members went their separate ways to colleges in three different cities, but were committed to pushing their music forward. They finished studio work on Hang On during breaks, released three songs from the record as an EP in January, 2011, and squeezed in live shows as best they could along the way, including three shows in Austin during SXSW that spring.?
In June 2011, The Head self-released Hang On to critical acclaim. SPIN magazine’s review of Hang On said The Head had “mastered the beloved science of catchy, toe-tapping melodies plus rich vocal harmonies.” The Atlanta Journal Constitution said, “In a just world, the album would send these guys into the upper reaches of the pop chart. It might not sound like anything else on the radio today, but it has timeless charm, exudes youthful energy and the hooks come fast and furious.” Stomp and Stammer’s Jeff Clark said about The Head, “They play the kind of pure, perfect, punchy power pop that at this point you'd expect to hear only on Rhino box sets or obscure, decades-old records found in the Bomp archives, all heart-on-sleeve, superbly written, enthusiastically performed.”
The Head supported the Hang On launch with a 20-city tour in July, 2011. Jack, Mike and Jacob all transferred to Atlanta colleges in August 2011, and The Head continues to play live shows throughout Atlanta and the southeast as it works in earnest to build its fan base one live show at a time.