James Mercer of The Shins Dumps Two Members

 

The Shins will be a little bit different the next time you see them live, as James Mercer has fired two of the founding members for two new ones.

The new disc is said to be more upbeat, and he felt from a production level, that he needed new sounds.

"I started to have production ideas that I wanted to do that basically required some other people," Mercer explained to Pitchfork. He bade farewell to keyboardist Marty Crandall and drummer Jesse Sandoval, who have been with the band from the start. Instead, Mercer has recruited Fruit Bats bassist Ron Lewis and Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer. "It's an aesthetic decision," Mercer said. "It's kind of hard to talk about ... because I don't want to bum anybody out. I'm on good terms with those guys Crandall and Sandoval, I hope to maintain that and I wouldn't say I'd never work with them again."