The Shaky Hands were a Portland, Oregon-based rock group, formed in 2003 by musician Paul Culp, and Colin Anderson. Nicholas Delffs joined soon after on vocals and guitar. They spent the next three years gradually building a following in the Portland area and self-releasing two CDs, one informally called The Skidmore Days, which is a lo-fi full-length album recorded in future guitarist Jeff Lehman's North Portland basement and mixed by Alex Arrowsmith. They also released a self-titled EP informally referred to as the Bonnie Doon EP, in reference to the location it was recorded. The Shaky Hands were signed to Holocene Music in late 2006. By this time, the lineup had changed considerably, with Mayhaw Hoons replacing Culp on bass and the addition of second guitarist Jeff Lehman. Nathan Delffs joined shortly thereafter on percussion and lap steel. Their sound is a fusion of 1960s-style British Invasion bands such as the Kinks, the Who and the Zombies and American folk-rock in the vein of Neil Young. The result is what many have described as a loose, jangly, rootsy style of indie rock. The Delffs brothers also perform Shaky Hands songs under the Death Songs moniker, a more experimental and folk-oriented side project.