New American Shame

New American Shame

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1998 in Seattle, Washington, United States
Founder	Jimmy Paulson, Johnny Reidt
Headquarters	Seattle , United States
Area served	United States, Japan
Key people	Johnny Reidt, Jimmy Paulson, Marty Chandler, Kelly Wheeler, Geoff Reading
Products	Music albums, singles

New American Shame is a hard rock group originating from Seattle, Washington, established in 1998. The band’s current roster features Johnny Reidt on vocals, Jimmy Paulson and Marty Chandler on guitars, Kelly Wheeler handling bass duties, and Geoff Reading on drums. Previous members include guitarist Terry Bratsch and drummer Jack Stringham.

To date, the band has issued a single studio album titled New American Shame (1999), which saw a re-release following their contract with Atlantic Records.

Formation, debut album, and dissolution (1998–2001)

New American Shame was created in 1998 by Jimmy Paulson, formerly of The Lemons, who teamed up with vocalist Johnny Reidt in Seattle. They completed the lineup by adding guitarist Terry Bratsch, bassist Kelly Wheeler, and drummer Jack Stringham. Drawing inspiration from bands such as Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, and the work of Jimi Hendrix, they cultivated a dedicated audience through energetic live shows. Their first album was recorded under Paulson’s production, with mixing and engineering managed by Brett Eliason alongside Clint Werner, ex-guitarist of Seaweed.

Released on March 9, 1999 via Will Records, New American Shame marked their debut. After Stringham left the group, drummer Geoff Reading, previously with Green Apple Quick Step, stepped in. The band’s performance at SXSW '99 garnered attention from major labels, culminating in a deal with Atlantic Records.

Under Atlantic, their debut was reissued featuring slight modifications to the tracklist and new drum parts recorded by Reading. The single "Under it All" climbed to number 35 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. They supported the release by touring across the United States alongside The Cult as well as performing in Japan. By 2001, New American Shame parted ways with Atlantic and soon after disbanded.

Reunion period (2010–present)

In 2010, New American Shame reformed with Marty Chandler of Supersuckers joining on guitar to replace Terry Bratsch. Their first live performance after a hiatus exceeding nine years took place on November 7 at Hell's Kitchen in Tacoma, Washington.

Band members

• Johnny Reidt – lead vocals
• Jimmy Paulson – lead guitar
• Marty Chandler – rhythm guitar
• Kelly Wheeler – bass guitar
• Geoff Reading – drums and percussion

Former members

• Terry Bratsch – rhythm guitar
• Jack Stringham – drums and percussion

Discography

New American Shame

1. "Under It All"
2. "Broken Bones"
3. "What's It to You"
4. "American Shame"
5. "Down in the Valley" (included only in re-release)
6. "Rather Be Rich" (included only in re-release)
7. "Skin Up"
8. "Somethin' Right" (included only in re-release)
9. "Sex Teen"
10. "Lesson in Cool" (included only in re-release)
11. "Auburn"
12. "Doghouse"