Gossip (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gossip | |
|---|---|
 Gossip live at the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, January 25, 2006
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Searcy, Arkansas, United States |
| Genre(s) | Indie rock |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Label(s) | Back Yard Recordings Kill Rock Stars K Dim Mak Columbia |
| Website | www.gossipyouth.com |
| Members | |
| Beth Ditto Brace Paine Hannah Blilie |
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| Former members | |
| Kathy Mendonca | |
Gossip (also known as GOXXIP or sometimes GSSP) is a three piece American indie rock band.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Gossip was formed in 1999 in Searcy, Arkansas with vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine, and drummer Kathy Mendonca.The band relocated to Olympia, Washington in 1999, and signed with the Independent record label, K Records. K Records released Gossip's first recording, their eponymous debut EP, The Gossip in 1999.
Since its release Ditto has caused controversy for being open about her weight and sexuality, and not holding back when it comes to discussing fellow musicians.
Their next release was their first album That's Not What I Heard and was released by the record label Kill Rock Stars on January 23, 2001. In between the release of their second album, they released the EP Arkansas Heat on May 7, 2002. Movement, the group's second studio album, followed one year later and was released on May 6, 2003. In November 2003, two months after the release of their first live album Undead in NYC on September 9, drummer Kathy Mendonca left the band to pursue a career as a midwife. Hannah Blilie joined to replace her.
The first release featuring new drummer Hannah Blilie was the collabarative EP Real Damage with the Electropop solo artist Tracy + the Plastics, which was released on January 25, 2005. The band's next album Standing in the Way of Control followed a year later. It was released on January 24, 2006 on Kill Rock Stars and later on in 2006 on UK indie label Back Yard Recordings.
They are now based in Portland, Oregon. Gossip have opened for bands such as Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre, and Mates of State. Furthermore, Gossip opened for the Scissor Sisters for three dates on their tour in November 2006, but in NME magazine singer Ditto complained that she disliked performing for an audience who didn't 'know their Ramones'.
The group's hit song "Standing in the Way of Control" was written by Ditto as a response to the United States government’s decision to deny gay people the right to marriage. “Nobody in the States was that surprised or shocked by what Bush did, but it made everyone I know feel helpless and cheated,” she has said. “I wrote the chorus to try and encourage people not to give up. It’s a scary time for civil rights, but I really believe the only way to survive is to stick together and keep fighting.” The song also gained popularity in the UK when it featured in the advertising for the television programme Skins on Channel 4 in 2007.
As reported on Pitchfork in March 2007, the group have recently signed to Music With a Twist, a subsidiary of Sony Music Label Group, concentrating on LGBT music acts.[1] Beth Ditto appeared nude on the front cover of the UK music weekly NME (cover dated June 2nd 2007). During the summer of 2007, Gossip was a part of the multi-artist True Colors Tour 2007 [2], which traveled through 15 cities in the United States and Canada. The tour, sponsored by the Logo channel, began on June 8, 2007. Hosted by comedian Margaret Cho and headlined by Cyndi Lauper, the tour also included Debbie Harry, Erasure, Rufus Wainwright, The Dresden Dolls, The MisShapes, The Cliks and other special guests. Profits from the tour went to benefit the Human Rights Campaign.
On the 24 June, 2007, Gossip closed the Glastonbury Festival playing the final set on the John Peel stage during which Ditto gave a tribute to the late John Peel.
[edit] Members
- Beth Ditto – vocalist (1999–present)
- Brace Paine – guitar, bass (1999–present)
- Hannah Blilie – drums (2003–present)
[edit] Former members
- Kathy Mendonca – drums (1999–2003)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Title | Date | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| That's Not What I Heard | 2001 | |
| Movement | 2003 | |
| Standing in the Way of Control | 2006 | UK #22, France #34 |
[edit] EPs
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| The Gossip | 2000 |
| Arkansas Heat | 2002 |
| Real Damage | 2005 |
| GSSP RMX | 2006 |
[edit] Live albums
| Title | Date | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| Undead in NYC | 2003 | |
| Live In Liverpool | 2007 | France #124 |
[edit] Remix albums
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| RMXD | 2007 |
[edit] Singles
- "Standing in the Way of Control" - (2005 Le Tigre Remix) UK #64
- "Listen Up!" - (2006) #88
- "Standing in the Way of Control" - (2006) (2007 re-entry through downloads) UK #13
- "Standing in the Way of Control" - (2007 Re-release) UK #7, UK Indie #1
- "Listen-Up" - (Re-Release 2007) UK #39
- "Jealous Girls" (2007) UK #89, UK Indie #3
[edit] Compilations
- 2006 - "silver monk time - a tribute to the monks" (29 bands cover the MONKS) label play loud! productions
[edit] References
- ^ Phillips, Amy"Pitchfork News "The Gossip Sign to Columbia", Pitchfork, March 8, 2007.
- ^ True Colors Tour 2007
[edit] External links
- Official website: www.gossipyouth.com
- Gossip at MySpace
- The Gossip (Live review)
- Kill Rock Stars Factsheet
- Back Yard Records Gossip
- Punkcast #840 video clip from Knitting Factory NYC Sep 15, 2005
- Plan B magazine cover story, September 2006
- abstractboy Live Photos @ London Astoria February 24, 2007
- After Ellen interview with Hannah Blilie, Oct 2007
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