Dum Dum Girls

Dum Dum Girls

Dum Dum Girls performing at Larimer Lounge
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Indie pop, noise pop, dream pop, shoegazing, lo-fi
Years active 2008-present
Labels HoZac, Zoo Music, Captured Tracks, Sub Pop, Hell, Yes!
Associated acts Grand Ole Party, The Mayfair Set, Les Demoniaques, Zodiacs, Haunted Hearts, Sisu, HUNI
Website wearedumdumgirls.com
Members
  • Dee Dee
  • Jules
  • Sandy
  • Malia
  • Drew
Past members
  • Bambi
  • Frankie Rose
  • Jeremy Rojas
  • Andrew Montoya
  • Brandon Welchez
  • Mike Sniper
  • Chuck Rowell

Dum Dum Girls are an American rock band, formed in 2008. It began as the bedroom recording project of singer and songwriter Dee Dee (née Kristin Gundred)[1]). She is currently based in New York City. The name is a double homage to The Vaselines' album Dum Dum and the Iggy Pop song "Dum Dum Boys".[2][3] Many people believe Dee Dee's stage name was inspired by Dee Dee Ramone but she has stated that this is not true; it was her mother's name, which she took as her middle name after her death.[4] The last name "Penny" was erroneously provided by British music magazine NME.[5]

Dum Dum Girls remains Dee Dee's main musical output, with all songs written by her and recorded in collaboration with her producers.[6]

History

The first release under the Dum Dum Girls moniker was a five-song CDR on her own label, Zoo Music, in late 2008. It was followed by an EP on Captured Tracks and a 7" on HoZac[7] She quickly gained attention with these releases and signed to Sub Pop in July 2009.[8]

Dum Dum Girls' debut album, I Will Be, was released in March 2010 and was well received by critics.[9] Pitchfork described the songs as "genuine earworms, both unfailingly hip and often wonderfully associative".[3] Dee Dee produced the record with Richard Gottehrer, who had previously worked with Richard Hell, Blondie, The Go-Gos, and The Raveonettes. Gottehrer also co-wrote the early 1960s hit songs "My Boyfriend’s Back" and "I Want Candy".[10][11] The record included guest guitarists Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs on "Yours Alone," Dee Dee's husband Brandon Welchez of Crocodiles on "Blank Girl," and Andrew Miller on multiple tracks. The cover of the album featured a college snapshot of Dee Dee's mother, who died from cancer in 2010.[12] After its release, she assembled a touring band, and their first shows were in support of Girls.

In 2011, the EP He Gets Me High was released, which included a cover of "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths. This record marked the addition of Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes to the production team.

Second album Only in Dreams was released in September 2011, featuring the singles "Coming Down" and "Bedroom Eyes," the latter of which Dum Dum Girls performed on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. This album is the only Dum Dum Girls recording to feature the full band.

In September 2012, the EP End of Daze was released, preceded by the single "Lord Knows" on July 31, 2012, which Pitchfork awarded "Best New Track".[13] The EP received "Best New Music" from Pitchfork as well.[14]

On October 31, 2013, Dum Dum Girls announced the third full-length album Too True, set for release on January 28, 2014[15] and featuring the single "Lost Boys & Girls Club", whose video premiered with H&M on October 31, 2013.[15][16] For this album, Dee Dee cited Suede, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Madonna, and The Stone Roses as her influences.[17]

The Dum Dum Girls' single "Coming Down" was used for a promotional teaser trailer[18] and played during the end credits for the 2013 film The Canyons, written by Bret Easton Ellis and directed by Paul Schrader (Ellis later scripted a short film, Are You Okay, for the "Are You Okay?" single from Too True).[19] "Coming Down" was also used in the sixth episode of Season 5 of The Vampire Diaries as well as in the third episode of Season 3 of Orange Is the New Black, "Empathy Is a Boner Killer" (2015).

On December 5, 2014, Converse released a Dum Dum Girls split single, "On Christmas", as the third part of three digital installments of the company's holiday-themed compilation EP, Noise to the World 2.[20]

Other projects

Dee Dee was formerly the drummer of the trio Grand Ole Party.[21]

The Mayfair Set, a duo with Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs, released an eponymous single followed by the Young One 12" EP, both in 2009.[22]

She and Tamaryn released a cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain song "Teenage Lust" in 2011 under the name Les Demoniaques. Also that year, Dee Dee, Sniper and of J.B. Townsend of Crystal Stilts recorded a one-sided 7" single, "Faraway Friend," under the name Zodiacs, which was given away via Captured Tracks mailorder. Dee Dee and her husband released a 2013 single, "Something That Feels Bad Is Something That Feels Good," as Haunted Hearts,[23] followed by the Initiation full-length in 2014.

In 2012, Dum Dum Girls drummer Sandy Vu created the band Sisu, which she described as combining "echo-ridden, cold, distorted synth sounds—with pop melodies."[24]

In 2013, Dee Dee composed the opening theme for the animated series Beware the Batman.[25]

She was also featured on "Play for Today," a duet from Belle and Sebastian's 2015 album, Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance.[26]

In May 2015, Dee Dee and collaborator UUV/Andrew Miller released a single, "Is There Any Other One?", as HUNI.[27] She also featured on Lemonade's single "Dancer on the Shore"[28] in August 2015.

Band members

Current members of live band

Former members of live band

Discography

Dum Dum Girls in 2010

Studio albums

EPs

Compilations

Singles

Videos

References

  1. ↑ http://www.westword.com/music/dee-dee-penny-of-dum-dum-girls-on-being-a-shy-person-in-an-extroverted-profession-5677330
  2. ↑ Cassie Marketos.Dum Dum Girls - interview Self-titledmag.com. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-22
  3. 1 2 Zach, Kelly."I Will Be" review Pitchfork.com. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-22
  4. ↑ "Dee Dee Penny Provides Some Facts". Interview Magazine.
  5. ↑ http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/dum_dum_girls_-_dee_dee_on_the_new_album_and_living_an_introspective_life/
  6. ↑ http://www.citypages.com/music/dum-dum-girls-dee-dee-penny-i-was-a-pretentious-15-year-old-writing-poetry-6646620
  7. ↑ Hogan, Marc. "Catholicked" -review. Pitchfork.com. 25 February 2009. Retrieved 2011-07-22
  8. ↑ Dombal, Ryan. Sub Pop signs Dum Dum Girls Pitchfork.com. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 2011-07-22
  9. ↑ Metacritic. I Will Be Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic Metacritic. Retrieved 2011-10-12
  10. ↑ Dombal, Ryan. Dum Dum Girls announce debut lp Pitchfork.com. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 2011-07-22
  11. ↑ "Jail La La". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  12. ↑ Dombal, Ryan. Interviews: Dum Dum Girls Pitchfork.com. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-12
  13. ↑ Dombal, Ryan. Dum Dum Girls: Lord Knows, Tracks, Pitchfork Pitchfork.com. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-05
  14. ↑ "Dum Dum Girls: End of Daze EP | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  15. 1 2 Stuart, Berman. "ANNOUNCING TOO TRUE / MP3 AND VIDEO PREMIERE, DUM DUM GIRLS". Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  16. ↑ "H&M Life Introduces: Dum Dum Girls - Lost Boys And Girls Club". Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  17. ↑ Roffman, Michael (31 October 2013). "Dum Dum Girls announce new album, Too True". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  18. ↑ Trailer : The Canyons Teaser (2013) - Paul Schrader, Brett Easton Ellis Movie HD. YouTube. 24 July 2012.
  19. ↑ Dum Dum Girls - "Are You Okay" (By Bret Easton Ellis, Official Short Film). YouTube. 6 March 2014.
  20. ↑ "Converse - CONVERSE RINGS IN THE HOLIDAY WITH ‘NOISE TO THE WORLD’". Converse Media.
  21. ↑ http://www.westword.com/music/dee-dee-penny-of-dum-dum-girls-on-being-a-shy-person-in-an-extroverted-profession-5677330
  22. ↑ Stuart, Berman. "The Mayfair Set". Reviews. Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  23. ↑ Lindsay, Zoladz. "Haunted Hearts "Something That Feels Bad Is Something That Feels Good"". Tracks. Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  24. ↑ "Sisu". Facebook: Sisu Fan Page Bio. Facebook. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  25. ↑ Barrett, Annie (2013-07-02). "First look at 'Beware the Batman' opening titles | The Family Room | EW.com". Family-room.ew.com. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  26. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review - Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  27. ↑ http://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/news/a39893/best-songs-miranda-lambert-ciara-missy-elliott/
  28. ↑ http://www.stereogum.com/1823723/lemonade-dancer-on-the-shore-feat-dum-dum-girls-dee-dee-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

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