Claw Hammer formed in 1986 in Long Beach, California; its members were from several neighboring municipalities. Their name was a reference from a Captain Beefheart song and his erratic blues influence on their music remained evident even after they signed to major label Interscope in the late 1990's. The group originally released a cassette and some small-issue EPs and singles in the late 80's before signing to Sympathy For The Record Industry, who released their debut LP, an eponymous effort, in 1990.

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