Centered on the talents of
Was (Not Was) bandmates guitarist
Randy Jacobs and singer
Hillard "Sweet Pea" Atkinson,
the Boneshakers are known for their effusive blend of blues, funk, contemporary rock, and R&B. They first showcased their sound on 1997's
Book of Spells and have continued to reunite between work with
Was (Not Was), pairing with saxophonist
Mindy Abair for 2015's
Live in Seattle and 2017's
Eastwest Sessions.
Jacobs and
Atkinson initially met in 1980 in Detroit while working with
Donald "Don Was" Fagenson and David "David Was" Weiss on their debut album as
Was (Not Was). Over the next decade, they toured and recorded with the group, a period that culminated in the band's breakthrough 1988 album,
What Up, Dog?, and Top Ten hit "Walk Like a Dinosaur," which was co-written by
Jacobs. Also during these years,
Atkinson released his 1982 solo album Don't Walk Away, and both he and
Jacobs became increasingly in-demand session and sidemen, separately backing artists like
B.B. King,
Tears For Fears,
Seal,
Paul Abdul,
Keb' Mo',
Bob Seger, and others.
The Boneshakers came together in Los Angeles in the early '90s after
Was (Not Was) went on hiatus following a European tour with
Dire Straits.
Jacobs had begun work on a solo album and was looking for a singer when he got a call from
Atkinson saying he'd be interested in working on the project. The two joined forces and further solidified their partnership while working together on
Bonnie Raitt's 1994 album
Longing in Their Hearts; it was purportedly
Raitt who dubbed them
the Boneshakers. They signed to Point Blank/Virgin Records and in 1997 released their debut album,
Book of Spells, followed two years later by
Shake the Planet. Both albums found them building upon their work in
Was (Not Was) and investigating their blues and funk influences.
In the early 2000s,
Atkinson left the group to tour as a backing singer with
Lyle Lovett. In his absence,
Jacobs paired with singer
Malford Milligan for 2001's Pouring Gasoline.
Milligan was also on board for the 2002 concert album Put Some Booty on It, Vol 1. Around 2003,
Milligan parted ways with
Jacobs to start his own band, paving the way for
Atkinson's return to
the Boneshakers.
Jacobs and
Atkinson heralded the reunion with the release of 2006's Put Some Booty On It , Vol 2., which documented the group's first-ever live performance in San Francisco in 1997. In 2015, they joined saxophonist
Mindi Abair for the concert album
Live in Seattle. Two years later, they again collaborated with her for the studio album
Eastwest Sessions. Also in 2017,
Atkinson issued his sophomore solo album,
Get What You Deserve, which included contributions by
Abair,
Jacobs,
Keb' Mo', and others. ~ Matt Collar