A trio of hayseeds from a remote backwater of Fremont, New Hampshire, Dorothy, Betty and Helen Wiggin unwittingly created one of the most influential albums in the history of underground music. Under strict orders from their abusive father, who thought he'd make millions by turning his daughters into rock'n'roll stars, the three sisters were pulled out of high school and subjected to rigorous voice and music lessons, before being shoved into a recording studio in 1969. However, as they'd never seen a live band in their lives - and having only heard rock music on their crackly transistor radio - the sisters recorded an album with no sense of rhythm or melody; a dozen songs that actually sound as if they're being played backwards, at the wrong speed. But despite their ineptitude, Philosophy Of The World has bewitched a generation of avant-garde stars with its clumsy sincerity and guileless, innocent charm.

Why should we care?

Although Philosophy... was lost for more than a decade (1,000 copies were pressed but 900 mysteriously disappeared and the remaining copies never left New Hampshire), Frank Zappa named it as one of his favourite albums in a 1976 Playboy interview, introducing The Shaggs to a brand new audience. Since its reissue in 1980, the album has been called one of the "100 most influential alternative releases of all time" by Rolling Stone.

Where are they now?

Alive and well. The Shaggs disbanded after their father died in 1975, but in 2001 the sisters signed a deal with Artisan Entertainment to develop a movie based on their story. At one stage, Tom Cruise was rumoured to be involved, but the project has since stalled. However, having been cited as a major influence by Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth and dozens of other alternative rockers, The Shaggs' place in music history is guaranteed.

Philosophy Of The World is available on RCA