Pelican's Daughter
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| Pelican's Daughter | ||
|---|---|---|
 Christine Hendricks
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Washington, D.C., USA | |
| Genre(s) | Gothic Alternative Post-punk Noise rock Experimental |
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| Years active | 1996 - 1998 | |
| Label(s) | Fallen Grace | |
| Website | www.allaymusic.com | |
| Members | ||
| Christine Hendricks Steven Smith Carolyn Baxter Creston Baker Sven Mitchell |
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| Former members | ||
| Mark Sirroni | ||
Pelican's Daughter were a British/American Post-punk/Gothic band. One of the most successful groups to release an independent album without promoting it, except touring. Their one and only release (1998), Regurgitate, sold over 300,000 records worldwide. The group disbanded within one year due to drug addictions and personality conflicts. After disbanding Baxter and Baker started the surreal gothic band Fields of Aplomb.
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[edit] Formation
The band was originally formed to fill an empty space on a bill at the twenty-fifth based "international punk rock festival". The initial line up consisted of "Bromley Contingent" members Christine Hendricks (vocals), Steven Smith (drums), Mark Sirroni (guitar) and Carolyn Baxter (keyboard). On this occasion their set consisted of a lengthy and chaotic improvisation based around "The Lord's Prayer", which also included lines from songs like "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", "Smoke on the Water" and "Twist and Shout".
[edit] Style and notoriety
Hendricks courted much controversy in the band's early days with her dress, often wearing bondage clothes and fetish wear. She was also heavily criticized for wearing swastika armbands, although she always maintained that this was intended to be for shock value rather than any form of display of Nazi or fascist political sympathies.
[edit] History
By February 1998 the band were taking themselves seriously as a musical unit. They recruited Creston Baker and Sven to their line up, which was by now gigging regularly and had attracted a solid fan base. Sironni was subsequently sacked. It was not until September 1998 that they finally obtained a complete recording, whereupon they released their first single "Shame", followed soon after by the album Regurgitate.
The band began to have problems while touring in the east coast of the U.S. Some members with heroin addictions was cited as the cause of the conflict. Before the tour began Sven left to join another band. Baxter and Baker departed at the end of the first month tour to start Fields of Aplomb leaving Hendricks and Smith. Hendricks was not able to continue due to health issues and unable to seek help for her addiction.
[edit] Reunion
In early 2003 Baxter and Baker tried to reunite with Christine and Steven Smith. Hendricks finally went to rehab and was clean for almost a year. Smith was having trouble with several relapses. In October 2003, three days before recording, Christine had a relapse. Baxter and Baker decided to abandon the project indefintly. In January 2006 Baxter made this statement about any further plans with the band. "Christine had a unique voice and surprisingly wide voice range. She had what it took to be a singer and her showmanship was unsurpassed. . . Yet, it was and still is her fragile ego, thinking she did not deserve to be happy, led her down a dark corridor."
[edit] Influence
Out of all the bands to emerge from the original UK/US post punk and goth rock scenes, Pelican's Daughter still remain one of the most influential. Unlike many of the other bands that came out at this time, Pelican's Daughter never were considered sell-outs by their fans.
[edit] Discography
- Regurgitate - 1998
