The trio worked on their sound for a while, leaning heavily on the influence of classic Pacific Northwestern garage and surf, and getting a touch of the region's punk aesthetic in their mix as well. Eventually the lineup would shift somewhat to include second guitarist Rob Mannering and new drummer/vocalist Kristin Leonard. The bandmembers, some of them still teenagers, ventured into a prolific touring and recording schedule, playing gigs across the country and working on new songs constantly. Their earliest tunes resulted in the 2008 album Where Have You Gone To?, which was followed two years later by Freezing to Death. In the early 2010s, K Records founder Calvin Johnson caught on to the Shivas' sound and released their third album, Whiteout!, on the label in 2013. Burger Records offered up a cassette version of the album. Johnson worked with the Shivas again for their 2014 release You Know What to Do, recording the record direct to tape in his Dub Narcotic recording studio. Johnson returned to the studio with the Shivas to produce Better Off Dead, released in February 2016; by this time, the group was a trio after Rob Mannering left the lineup, and Ian Hartley contributed guest vocals and percussion during the sessions. ~ Fred Thomas