SHRUM was created by Audie T. Pitre in 1995 when he got the idea of putting two bass players together in order to create a brutal sound. He shared this idea with Tommy Viator and they began creating what was the beginning of SHRUM. They were undecided as to who they would get to fill the second bass position. They asked Joseph J. Fontenot (Shredding Lettuce) if he would be interested in the concept of forming a band with two bassists, drums and vocals... enter second bassist, Joe.