Lunachicks
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| Lunachicks | |
|---|---|
| Origin |  New York, USA |
| Genre(s) | Punk [1] |
| Years active | 1987 - 2000 |
| Label(s) | Go Kart Records |
| Associated acts | Theo and the Skyscrapers Bantam Toilet Böys |
| Former members | |
| Theo Kogan Gina Volpe Sidney "Squid" Silver Sindi Benezra Valsamis Becky Wreck Chip English Helen Destroy |
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Lunachicks were a all-women Rock band, formed in New York City in 1987 and is on hiatus since 2000. Their music was described as "a frenzied mix of punk, metal, pop and rock". The band has cited influences like the Ramones, Kiss and the MC5.
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[edit] Biography
In 1987 Theo Kogan (Born: December 23, 1969), Gina Volpe and Sidney Silver (nicknamed "Squid", Born: November 11, 1969), all three students at Fame High School in New York City, decided to form a band. Sindi Benezra, an acquaintance of Squid, was asked to join shortly after. Soon they started rehearsing and writing material in Gina's Bedroom for about a year. Their first ever composition (the lengthly "Theme Song") was about killing Theo's and Squid's English teacher. The band played their first show in 1988 with Theo's then-boyfriend Mike on the drums. Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth were amongst the audience in one of their early performances. Gordon and Moore were impressed with the band and sent a demo tape to Paul Smith in England, which landed them a deal on Smith's label Blast First. With drummer Becky Wreck (Susan Rebecca Lloyd) on board they released a self-titled 4-song EP in 1989 and the full-length "Babysitters On Acid" (both Produced by Wharton Tiers). The record was only available in Europe until it was re-released on Go-Kart Records in 2001. The band later expressed their strong dislike for the albums production and the fact that they did not earn any money from Blast First. The band went on to tour with The Dictators in 1991.
1992 saw the release of the second full-length "Binge & Purge". Around this time drummer Becky Wreck gained slight popularity for a TV appearance on Howard Stern's Lesbian Dating Game. She left the band some time later and was briefly replaced by Luscious Jackson drummer Kate Schellenbach before Chip English joined. During their first visit to Japan a 6-song EP entitled "Sushi A La Mode" (featuring a cover of Boston's More Than a Feeling) was recorded and released in Japan only in the fall of 1993. Although the band was heavily dissatisfied with the record's production sound, due to language barrier with the Japanese engineer, the EP is a favorite amongst hardcore fans and hard to find nowadays.
The Lunachicks were signed to New York-based label Go Kart Records, on which they released 1995's "Jerk Of All Trades". The follow-up "Pretty Ugly" (Produced by Ryan Greene and Fat Mike of NOFX), features their most well-known song "Don't Want You", which was accompanied by a humorous video. Guitarist Sindi left the band some time later. The band stayed a four piece since then and released their first live album "Drop Dead Live" in 1998. In 1999 the band released their final album to date "Luxury Problem", which is widely considered their most mature album amongst critics and fans. Lunachicks joined the Warped Tour in 1999 (as the only female act along with The Donnas and Bif Naked and again in 2000. Chip English left the band in the fall of 1999 and was replaced by then 18-year old Helen Destroy, who stayed with the band until the band went on hiatus in the summer of 2000.
[edit] Movie appearances
Besides being in active in music, the band also had a fair share of movie appearances. The first one was in a low-budget splatter movie entitled Blue Vengeance (shot in 1989, but not released until 1992). The band also can be seen in the 1990s Riot-Grrrl Documentary Not Bad For A Girl, as well as Rockstar (produced in 1996, not released commercially until 2004) and High Times Potluck (2002), two movies that featured lead singer Theo in lead roles. The band also appeared in Terror Firmer, for which soundtrack they also contributed the song "Say What You Mean". Theo and Squid starred in the movie Hairburners.
[edit] Reunion
The Lunachicks reunited for a 20-minute set at CBGB's on April 6, 2002 with Sindi on guitar and Chip on drums. Another Reunion took place at the March for Women's Lives Benefit in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2004 as a 4-piece with Chip on drums.
[edit] Life after the Lunachicks
Singer Theo married Toilet Böys-guitarist Sean Pierce, with whom she formed the band Theo & the Skyscrapers, which have released two albums to date (2006's self-titled album and 2007's "So Many Ways To Die"). She occassionly works as a fashion model and actress, as she had some minor roles in Bringing Out The Dead (as a Prostitute), Zoolander (tattooed woman in Hansel's Loft) and Tadpole (woman at the bar). Gina is now singer and guitar player for the rock band Bantam. Helen Destroy plays drums in the all-female Led Zeppelin-Tributeband Lez Zeppelin. Squid used to work as a tattoo artist, but now she is the proprietor of the Roebling Tea Room, a popular eatery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Becky Wreck was the drummer for the Blare Bitch Project back in 2000.
[edit] Discography
Albums
- Babysitters on Acid (1990) (Blast First)
- Binge & Purge (1992) (Safe House)
- Jerk of All Trades (1995) (Go Kart Records)
- Pretty Ugly (1997) (Go Kart Records)
- Drop Dead Live (1998) (Go Kart Records)
- Luxury Problem (1999) (Go Kart Records)
Singles & EPs
- Lunachicks Double 7" (1989)
- Cookie Monster / Complication 7" (1990)
- C.I.L.L. / Plugg 7" (1992)
- Apathetic EP (1992)
- F.D.S. / Light As A Feather 7" (1993)
- Sushi A La Mode EP (1993, Japan Only)
- Edgar CD Single (1995, Promo)
- Don't Want You CD Single (1997, Promo)
Videos
- XXX Naked (1999, Home Video w/ Video Clips & Interviews)
[edit] Trivia
- The band performed several cover tunes on stage like Blondie's Heart Of Glass (available on the Japanese issue of "Luxury Problem"), The Cars' Just What I Needed and Bad Company's Feel Like Makin' Love. Bad Company was mentioned in the liner notes of Binge & Purge ("No thanks to Bad Company" ).
- In 1997 Theo danced in The Offsprings video "I Choose".
- In the movie "Boys Don't Cry", their music video to "Don't Want You" is playing in the background.
- Their song "Say What You Mean", is featured in the Olsen Twins Movie "Getting There".
- C.J. Ramone of the Ramones has been seen several times wearing a Lunachicks shirt (most notably in the video for "Poison Heart").
