Sean Mahoney and Matt Sjelin began performing together when they formed Songs of Shipwreck with several other musicians. Sjelin, who has been playing piano most of his life, had been recruited by guitarist Mahoney to join Songs of Shipwreck, and when life inevitably got busier, the duo broke off from the larger band to form The Trash Cats. Together they sing and harmonize on a variety of alternative rock covers and original story-telling tracks, on many of which Mahoney’s wife has been a lyrical contributor.