• 1996-

  James MercerVocals, guitar

  Jesse Sandoval Drums1996-2009

  Martin CrandallKeyboards1998-2009

  Dave Hernandez Guitar1998-2009

  Jessica DobsonGuitar2011-2013

  Yuuki MatthewsBass2011-

  Richard SwiftGuitar, vocals2011-2016

  Joe PlummerDrums2011-2016

  Mark WatrousGuitar, keyboards2014-

  Casey FoubertGuitar2016-

  Jon SortlandDrums2016-

  Patti KingKeyboards2016-
• In 2009, The Shins frontman James Mercer stared in a movie with Wild Flag front woman Carrie Brownstein called Some Days Are Better than Others. At the time, Brownstein was already an established actress through her TV show Portlandia with Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen, but Mercer had yet to break into the acting business. The movie was directed by Portland filmmaker Matt McCormick, who had already directed music videos for The Shins, YACHT, comedian Patton Oswalt, and Brownstein's previous band Sleater-Kinney.
• The Shins frontman James Mercer isn't one to mince his words. When asked why the band left their label Sub Pop in 2009, Mercer said it was about making more money. After the split, Mercer started his own label, Aural Apothecary, and explained that even though running your own label is more work, the financial benefits are worth it.
• The Shins frontman James Mercer appears on The Dark Night of Soul, a collaboration album he created with producer/DJ Danger Mouse and Alt-Country rockers Sparklehorse. Mercer told Pitchfork that "the challenge of writing to somebody else's music was really fun."
• The Shins frontman James Mercer isn't a bit fan of Valentine's Day. Mercer believes the occasion is "synthetic" and that "it's one of those greeting card holidays." Mercer says that although he enjoyed Valentine's Day in elementary school, he doesn't sweat it like some of his married friends do.
• The Shins frontman James Mercer met his wife during a press interview. She was writing for Spin at the time and asking him questions about the band. The couple didn't want an extravagant wedding, so they went to Hawaii to elope. Mercer's parents were there but other friends and extended family members were not invited.
• In 2006, actor John Krasinski from The Office interviewed The Shins for Stereogum. Krasinski said one of the coolest compliments he ever got was that The Office was the indie rock of television. The Shins frontman James Mercer agreed, complimenting that the show "really is amazing."
• The Shins frontman James Mercer also plays in a band called Broken Bells with producer Danger Mouse. Mercer says the duo formed because life in The Shins had become "heavy" for him. The pair actually met at the famous Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2004.
• In 2009 Mercer dismissed longtime bandmates Dave Hernandez, Marty Crandall, and Jesse Sandoval, terming it "an aesthetic decision."
• After being sacked from The Shins, drummer Jesse Sandoval opened a food cart in Portland called "Nuevo Mexico," which sells Mexican food to Portland hipsters. "I'd always wanted to do my food cart," he said. "These tacos will change your life."

Comments

More Songfacts:

I Ran (So Far Away)A Flock of Seagulls

"I Ran (So Far Away)" by A Flock Of Seagulls ends with an alien abduction.

StanEminem

Thanks to Eminem's song, the word "stan" was added to the Oxford American Dictionary in 2017. It means an obsessive fan.

Sloop John BThe Beach Boys

"Sloop John B" is a traditional West Indian folk song, and it was a huge hit for The Beach Boys in 1966. They tweaked the lyric, "This is the worst trip since I've been born" to "...I've ever been on" as a wink to acid culture.

3 AMMatchbox Twenty

The Matchbox Twenty song "3 AM" is about the difficult times lead singer Rob Thomas spent caring for his mother, who had cancer.

Nothin' On YouB.o.B

When "Nothin' On You" reached #1 on the Hot 100, B.o.B became the first American act whose name is a palindrome to top the chart. The other two who did so prior to the Atlanta rapper were both Scandinavian groups - ABBA and A-Ha.

Just Give Me A ReasonPink

Pink wrote "Just Give Me A Reason" about how one partner can feel jilted over something trivial, like how her boyfriend passes her the butter.

Editor's Picks

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Glen BallardSongwriter Interviews

Glen Ballard talks about co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album, and his work with Dave Matthews, Aerosmith and Annie Lennox.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."