Little Annie

Little Annie / Annie Anxiety
Birth name Ann Robie Bandes O'Connor[1]
Also known as Annie Anxiety, Annie Bandez, Little Annie
Origin New York City, United States
Genres Torch, Dance, Industrial music, punk, electronic music, reggae, experimental music
Occupation(s) Musician, Painter, Actor, Poet, Writer, Pastora, Performance Artist
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1977–present
Labels On-U Sound Records, Southern Records, One Little Indian Records, Durtro / Jnana Records Tin Angel Records
Associated acts Coil
Crass
On-U Sound
Wolfgang Press

Little Annie Bandez (also known as Annie Anxiety or Little Annie Anxiety Bandez) is a New York-born singer, songwriter, painter, poet, writer, performing and recording artist, pastor and stage actor.

Early career: New York and London

Born Ann Robie Bandes O'Connor, in a north New York suburb, Little Annie first stepped on stage as a teenager at Max's Kansas City, singing with her band "Annie and the Asexuals". Upon moving to the UK she began working with Penny Rimbaud and Crass, and continued her life of extensive touring as a solo artist and in collaboration, which she does till the present day. She then went on to become the house chanteuse for Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound Records, including the recording of three solo LPs Soul Possession, Short & Sweet, and Jackamo which were produced by Kishi Yamamoto and many singles and remixes. During this time she also recorded with The Wolfgang Press, Current 93, Coil, Nurse With Wound, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Bim Sherman, CL Stealers and wrote for Paul Oakenfold, Gary Clail and Living Color.

Return to America: acting, painting, writing and performance

With the exception of recording and appearing with close friend Kid Congo Powers and New York duo Sister Boy, Annie took a hiatus from music. Being in her words 'driven insane by the hues' during a period of living in Mexico the New Yorker returned home determined to teach herself painting, something which she had dabbled in previously, by devoting a full year of average 16-hour days. Employing every medium with the exception of oils, her work has been described as "naive style is figurative, metaphorical and surrealistic, with a strong emphasis on color; often combining tortuous, expressionistic cityscapes with Biblical imagery". "God and Science", was inspired by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.[2] She first exhibited as part of a group show curated by artist the late Louis Laurita, whom she gain much encouragement and guidance from, and had her first solo gallery show 4 years later in 2002.

It was during this same period that Annie met the late actor Bill Rice. The two became close friends appearing to together many times between the year 2007 in numerous plays and theater pieces at La MaMa's and PS 122 & Dixon Place such as Charles Alcroft, George Stamos and the late Jim Neu whose play Alone Together was to be their last play together as Bill passed a few month after the end of their run in January 2007.

Little Annie has consolidated and published her memoirs, poetry and lyrics. First her memoirs under the title: You Cant Sing The Blues While Drinking Milk, which were recently published by Tin Angel Publishing and including forwards by Lydia Lunch David J Baby Dee, David Tibet and Antony Hegarty. Also released in 2013 were her most recent book of prose Sing Don't Cry /I Remember Mexico on Existencil Press in the UK preceding these was Stride Publications published: Hell is a place where we call each other darling: the poems and prose of Little Annie, a collection of her poems and song lyrics including "Bless Those" (Little Annie's Prayer) which Living Color recorded.

Recent work

Little Annie returned full-time to music with an EP Lullaby, cowritten with Larry Tee and "Diamonds" was produced by Joe Budenholzer & Christoph Heeman released in 2002 by Drag City and a new project 'The Legally Jammin' a band formed with Christian Jendrieko, Khan Oral & Kid Congo Powers.The 2003 album "The Legally Jamming" (Italic Records) & 12inch 'Bleach" voted in Mojo no#1 Dance Album of the Year. Her next album to follow would be the first of her more piano /string section based works - Songs from the Coalmine Canary on the Durtro / Jnana label was co-produced by Antony Hegarty, of Antony and the Johnsons, and Joe Budenholzer of Backworld. Hegarty also played piano, sang backup vocals and co-wrote several songs on the album.[3] The song "Strangelove", co-written by Little Annie and Hegarty, was used as the soundtrack for Levi's "Dangerous Liaisons" advertising campaign in 2007, garnering several awards, including the Cannes Lions – International Advertising Festival, 2007 (Bronze Lion ) for "Best Use of Music".[4]

Little Annie has performed on stage with Marc Almond, supporting him in 2007 in several appearances at Wliton's Music Hall, where she performed with pianist Paul Wallfisch of the band Botanica, and his 30 Years Of Hits Tour two years later. In 2008 she and Paul Wallfisch recorded the album When Good Things Happen to Bad Pianos, which includes a cover of U2's song "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". In 2010 Annie and Paul released their second album, Genderful through Southern Records. In 2011 Little Annie became the singer of the Italian band Larsen appearing on the albums La Fever Lit 2010 & Cool Cruel Mouth (Tin Angel). In 2013 - Little Annie and Baby Dee released State of Grace on Tin Angel Records touring together North America and Europe. In 2015 Annie had her first gallery show since 2007 at Gavin Brown Enterprises Curated by Boo-Hooray Gallery the show called NYC/ Miami showcased her artwork done between 2013 thru 2015, consisting of monocgromatic tumbling cityscapes juxtaposed with vibrant mandalas reflecting her recent relocation to Miami. She & Paul Wallfisch reunited to tour with SWANS. Annie recorded Trace her 8th solo album in Toronto with Ryan Driver, Opal/ Onyx and Paul Wallfisch. Produced by Jean Martin it will be released by Tin Angel in spring 2016.

Discography

Compilation appearances

List of musical (recorded) collaborations

Publications

References

  1. ↑ Little Annie Discography, Discogs
  2. ↑ Matthew Johnson (25 February 2007). "Little Annie: Ghosts of Old New York". ReGen Magazine. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  3. ↑ "Little Annie, Songs from the Coalmine Canary". Brainwashed. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "My Favorite Ad: Levi’s Dangerous Liaisons". Design is___. May 22, 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2010.

Official website

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