Phantom Blue
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| Phantom Blue | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genre(s) | Heavy metal |
| Years active | 1989–2001 |
| Label(s) | Shrapnel Records Geffen Records Roadrunner Records Marlin Records DRZ Records |
| Associated acts | The Iron Maidens Meldrum The Little Dolls |
| Website | www.phantomblue.com |
Phantom Blue was an all-female heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, United States in 1987. After a promising start they were undermined by lineup instability and finally petered out in 2001.
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[edit] Career
They recorded a demo that won them a contract with Shrapnel Records and an eponymous debut album in the Summer of 1989, attracting transatlantic interest, and minor hit single "Why Call it Love". However, the band resented the glam metal/hair metal image given by their record company, which did not equate with their actual much heavier sound, and also being made to shoot the video for "Why Call it Love" at a male penitentiary. Much momentum was lost in finding a new management and record deal (finally with Geffen Records) and follow up album Built to Perform did not emerge until 1993.
A reasonably successful European tour to promote it followed in 1994. Unfortunately some destabilizing lineup changes followed before the independently-released Prime Cuts and Glazed Donuts in 1995 which also featured a comic book on the band that was packaged with the CD. Caught Live was released in 1997. By the end of the decade vocalist Gigi Hangach had left, leaving drummer Linda McDonald the only surviving founder-member. Nevertheless the band soldiered on, releasing mini-album Full Blown in 2000, but this was the final recording.
[edit] Subsequent projects
Drummer Linda McDonald and guitarist Sara Marsh (who was part of the band's final lineup) went on to play in two tribute bands. The first being The Iron Maidens ("The world's only female tribute to Iron Maiden"), who have released a self-titled tribute album in the USA and Japan and a CD/DVD combination called Route 666 and an EP The Root of All Evil in Japan on Powerslave Records. The second being The Little Dolls ("All female all Ozzy all the time, covering all eras of Ozzy"). In addition, McDonald is also involved in the all-female cover band Valley Dolls and the Bon Jovi tribute band Blonde Jovi.
Guitarist Josephine Soegijanty (who was with Phantom Blue from 1997 to 2001) co-founded The Iron Maidens in 2001 with McDonald and Marsh, but left in 2005 - just months after the band released their debut album. Today, she goes by the name Jojo Draven and composes music for movies produced and directed by her husband Danny Draven.
Bassist Kim Nielsen became a successful session musician, tour production, and artist management assistant, working with many top bands in the music industry.
Michelle Meldrum went on to form an international band called Meldrum. The band have toured with Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, Motörhead, Sepultura, Nashville Pussy and Danzig. They have released a live DVD, Loaded Live, and two albums, Loaded Mental Cannon and Blowin' Up The Machine, the latter featuring her former Phantom Blue band mate, drummer Linda McDonald. On May 21, 2008, Meldrum died as a result of a brain hemmorhage.
[edit] Discography
- Phantom Blue (1989)
- My Misery (promo CD)
- Built to Perform (1993)
- Prime Cuts & Glazed Donuts (1995)
- Caught Live (1997)
- Full Blown (2000, EP)
[edit] Members
Original line-up (pre-Shrapnel Records):
- Gigi Hangach - Vocals
- Michelle Meldrum - Guitar
- Nicole Couch - Guitar
- Debra Armstrong - Bass
- Linda McDonald - Drums
1988-93 line-up:
- Gigi Hangach - Vocals
- Michelle Meldrum - Guitar
- Nicole Couch - Guitar
- Kim Nielsen - Bass
- Linda McDonald - Drums
1993-94 line-up:
- Gigi Hangach - Vocals
- Michelle Meldrum - Guitar
- Karen Kreutzer - Guitar
- Kim Nielsen - Bass
- Linda McDonald - Drums
1997 line-up:
- Gigi Hangach - Vocals
- Tina Wood
- Dyna Shirasaki
- Josephine Soegijanty - Guitar
- Linda McDonald - Drums
Final line-up:
- Sara Marsh - Guitar
- Jeannine St.Clair - Vocals
- Josephine Soegijanty - Guitar
- Linda McDonald - Drums
- Amy Tung - Bass
