The Shaggs were an American all-female rock and outsider music band formed in Fremont, New Hampshire, in 1968. The band was composed of sisters Dorothy “Dot” Wiggin (vocals/lead guitar), Betty Wiggin (vocals/rhythm guitar), Helen Wiggin (drums) and, later, Rachel Wiggin (bass). They were occasionally joined on vocals by their brother Austin Jr. and nephew Robert.
Dot, Betty and Helen formed the Shaggs in 1968, on the insistence of their father, Austin Wiggin, who believed that his mother had predicted their rise to stardom. Their only studio album, Philosophy of the World, was released in 1969. It failed to garner attention, though the Shaggs continued to perform locally. They disbanded in 1975 after the death of Austin.
The Shaggs are notable for their perceived ineptitude at playing conventional rock music; they were described in one Rolling Stone article as “sounding like lobotomized Trapp Family singers”.Terry Adams of NRBQ compared their melodic lines and structures to the free jazz compositions of Ornette Coleman.