somewhat obscure female-vocalist-led groups you love

[ulysses]

Eclectic music heals all. :)

Rose Chronicles


Over the Rhine


Danielle Howle (w/ and w/out various backing bands)

[flamingyouth]

1. Penetration, great British punk band from the late '70s

[Fenris]

20. Pauline Murray is one of the best vocalists ever.

She fucking rocks.

[flamingyouth]

22. Indeed

:thumbsup:

[Mojambo]

94. Absolutely! n/t

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

2. letters to cleo

i used to have such a crush on kay hanley

[huntsvilledem]

5. off topic but your screen name KICKS ASS

ok done here

[arcos]

3. Lali Puna n/t

[GOPisEvil]

4. Sleater-Kinney!

They RAWK!!! :bounce:

[Kire]

6. agree

and Holly Go Lightly

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

14. now that you metion it grrl bands, let's throw in le tigre

[flamingyouth]

16. And Bratmobile!

[GOPisEvil]

17. Or L-7!

[flamingyouth]

19. Oh yeah.

Hell, how could I have forgotten THEM? :D

[miss_kitty]

18. Sleater-Kinney! I lived on that road. n/t

[drumwolf]

7. not "somewhat" obscure, in my case

Nightblooms - noisy indie rock from the Netherlands in the early '90s, similar to Swervedriver in that they melded hard rock with shoegazer indie

The Primitives - okay, they weren't THAT obscure during their actual existence in the late '80s and early '90s, but they seem to be pretty much forgotten. British power-punk-pop band that got play on "modern rock" stations here at the time.

The Flatmates - also '80s British power-punk-pop but far more obscure than the Primitives, I don't even think they were ever on a major label.

[HEyHEY]

8. The Be Good Tanyas

[RandomKoolzip]

29. Hey, they're pretty good!

I've only heard a few tunes by them, but I liked what I heard.

[carpetbagger]

9. Renaissance.

Their end was somewhat ignoble and prolonged, but in their prime they managed to put out some incredible pieces of art-rock/symphonic-rock.

Annie Haslam had the best female voice in rock music.

[flamingyouth]

25. And they had Keith Relf from the Yardbirds in them

(If I'm thinking of the right Renaissance.)

[Kenneth ken]

32. I will second that

or third, since flamingyouth is also recalling the "correct" Renaissance, with Keith Relf.

Gorgeous voice = Annie Haslam.

[Tsiyu]

52. That's mine, too

Saw them live at Atlanta's Fox Theater with Sea Level and a bunch of other obscure bands. They were more awesome live than on their albums.

There was a band called "MooLoo" ( not sure of spelling) I enjoyed. had a number one in Italy.

[ScrewyRabbit]

10. Cowboy Junkies?

Maybe not obscure enough...

[graywarrior]

11. Nico w/Velvet Underground

Ya, so I'm old.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

12. also, the geraldine fibbers

everyone needs to hear the wonder that i carla bozulich

[whalerider55]

13. my faves...

The Roches

Genya Ravan and Ten Wheel Drive

Tracy Nelson and Rare Earth

Eastmountainsouth

whalerider55

[crickets]

36. I love The Roches

Alison Moyet and Yaz are another favorite.

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. Cocteau Twins.

Elizabeth Fraser's voice is just amazing.

[Zero Division]

33. Knew someone else would get to that answer before me

I just found out that Liz Fraser's voice is found in one of the tracks in the first LOTR movie (it's the part where the elves are singing a lament for Gandalf, a very fitting place for her ethereal voice).

I'd also like to mention Throwing Muses, which features two amazing female vocalists, Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly. Both of whom never shy from attempting some very interesting and odd vocalizations in their songs.

[tigereye]

37. Throwing Muses were one of my favorites

[Spider Jerusalem]

38. Yeah, and she's also on Massive Attack's "Mezzanine"...

and The Future Sound of London's "Lifeforms: Paths 1-7" (both of which are more than worth picking up, if you don't have them).

[Zero Division]

53. Yes, I've heard the song "Teardrop" from Mezzanine

I heard Mezzanine a long time ago at a friend's place. It's one of those albums I've always planned on buying, but just haven't gotten around to it.

Just checked her website, which I haven't done in a long while. It's been update since then and has some tracks on which she's contributed her vocals that I haven't seen before: http://www.elizabethfraser.com/h/enter.html Previously, I'd only heard the trance track "Underwater" that's also found on that page.

I'll have to check out that album from Future Sound of London, as well, sometime.

[Jean Louise Finch]

47. Kristin Hersh is amazing

And deserves her own thread! I definitely like Throwing Muses, but her solo stuff is among my favorites, less rocky, but, in my opinion, infinitely more interesting. "Strange Angels" in particular, and her absolutely whacked out "Strings" record.

Plus, she's incredibly intense live.

[Zero Division]

56. Yes! Very true!

It's a been a while, but I did have the privilege of borrowing her solo albums from a friend for a short period. I'll grant you it was definitely more interesting, although I felt like a lot of it was the kind of music that grows on one, rather than being immediately appealing (which is not really a negative criticism, in my opinion: some of my favorite bands have been that way).

Alas, I've missed the opportunity the see her live on two occasions. :(

[redqueen]

77. I love them too

[tuvor]

21. Altered Images!

Fronted by Clare Grogan!



Is Lone Justice obscure? Maria McKee's voice is uniquely amazing.

[RandomKoolzip]

23. At the top of my list is Glass Eye.

Led by the inimitable K. McCarty. There's also:

Fish and Roses
The Bellrays
My Favorite
Eric's Trip (not female-led, but female co-run)
Helicopter Helicopter
Forget Casettes
Slapp Happy
Amon Duul II (when Renate Knauss would sing)
Heavens to Betsy
Bleach
Red Aunts
Third Sex
The Wives
Gore Gore Girls
Rutabega
The Avengers
Many more...I'll think of some more later.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

24. the sundays were great, too

they never broke huge here and their sound got ripped off by early cranberries albums

i'd love to know what harriet wheeler is up to these days

[GOPisEvil]

28. I was just about to post The Sundays!

Harriet Wheeler has a great voice, and it's just as good live!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

31. never got to see them

did they ever officially break up?
they disappeared safter their last album in 97 and i cant find any new info on any of them

[Beaverhausen]

93. The Sundays- their melodies and her voice are amazing

simple yet so compelling. Melodies placed in very odd parts of the chords. Great live. Heard a while ago they were recording something but it's been awhile.

[cade]

103. I've been looking for news about them

haven't heard anything. I really love the sundays.

[Dogmudgeon]

109. Oops!

Wrong place!

--bkl

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

26. Not very obscure but Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano ROCKS!

[jdj]

46. Love Jonette, and PJ Harvey, as well.

[flvegan]

27. Brilliant Sins and Guano Apes...n/m

[sundog]

30. Brand New Heavies

[Howardx]

34. the bellrays

aretha fronts the mc5

[flamingyouth]

40. Oh HELL yeah!

How on earth could I have forgotten them? They ROCK.

[RandomKoolzip]

42. Right on! See my list....

Not enough people know about this incredible band. An insanely hot MC5 punk band, kicking out the rawest, craziest jams imaginable, with a black chick who sounds like Tina Turner with more range in front....what's not to love? They should be huge.

In ten years, I swear the Bellrays will be THEE big "cult" band.

[flamingyouth]

44. My husband's band opened for them once

They're really cool people.

[RandomKoolzip]

48. I can believe it.....

Thery were going to play in Nashville, but I couldn't go 'cuzza work. I sent one of my co-workers (a real cool black guy into punk rock) to the show as my eyes and ears and he HATED them. His specific critique:"They ain't all that."

Someday, he'll be soooo psyched to be able to say he saw them back when.

[FlashHarry]

102. I thought, Tina Turner fronts the Stooges.

But I was close...

[Robb]

35. The Red Aunts.

My crush on the bass player remains solid to this day. Something undeniably hot about a woman with the set list written in sharpie up her arm, drunk and profane. :)

[tigereye]

41. The Human Switchboard

had a great woman organist... Myrna MArcarian. Apparently she is in a new band in NYC ... Ruby Fruit or something similar... have to look it up, since a friend sent me some info about it.

also the Slits.

[RandomKoolzip]

45. Have to mention Mellow Candle, too....

Very much in the Fairport Convention/Fotheringay vein, from the early seventies.

Plus:

The Shams
Anything Lydia Lunch has ever done (my heroine!)
Ix-Ex-Splue
Divine Horsemen (co-led by Chris D. from the Flesheaters)


Human Switchboard were pretty great, too.....

[tigereye]

64. we used to see them quite a bit here

Myrna was really cool.I haven't encountered too many others who know about them.

[Maestro]

39. Aterciopelados

http://www.aterciopelados.com/

[theoceansnerves]

43. electrelane (all female)

somewhat less obscure: slumber party, stereolab, etc.

[LincolnMcGrath]

49. electrelane kicks

#1 IS FORGET CASSETTES

[Tom Kitten]

50. Essential Logic

I loved Lora Logic the moment I first heard "Beat Rhythm News"...

[paulk]

90. my favorite record back in 1980!

we're in a room, it doesn't matter where...

crazy sax.

[RandomKoolzip]

51. Does anybody remember TEAM DRESCH?! They're totally forgotten now....

But back in the mid-90's they kicked so much ass. Great Lesbian Punk band. Their song "Uncle Phranc" is a classic by any standard. Great drummer, too.

[Tsiyu]

54. Forgot about the Cosmic Sausages.

At least I thought it was a woman singing....

Donna the Buffalo are pretty good, not sure if a chick fronts them, though

[RandomKoolzip]

55. How about Melt Banana?

Tiny little Japanese girl who sounds like the guy from Napalm Death belching.


(BTW: thanks for that PM reply the other day!)

[Tsiyu]

57. Did anyone mention Ciba mato?

Or however you spell that band-too funny. this is a fun thread.


(and thanks for your PM too. Lovefest alert! Lovefest alert!)

[Kat45]

58. Girlschool -- British all-female metal band

Saw them in a club back in the eighties; they were great.

[tigereye]

65. I have their record somewhere

I used to buy pretty much any band with women in it.. since there were so few compared to now.

[Forkboy]

59. Melt Banana,27,Lamb,Peccatum,God Is My Co-Pilot....

Blonde Redhead,Dirt Merchants,Pain Teens

[NuttyFluffers]

60. gee, this is hard to choose... does Lords of Acid count?

fronted by Traci Lords.

or 4 Non Blondes (they were just a one hit wonder, counts, yes)

or then maybe Miranda Sex Garden
or Mira
or Dubstar
or Deee-Lite
or Sunscreem
or Switchblade Symphony
or Pizzicato Five
or Shonen Knife

one of those gotta be relatively unheard of.

[Spider Jerusalem]

61. NOT Traci Lords.

Vocalist for Lords of Acid was Nikkie van Lierop (stage name: Jade4U).

[Zomby Woof]

62. Dead Can Dance

[ulysses]

76. NICE choice.

:thumbsup:

[redqueen]

80. I only have one of their CDs

The lead vocalist is a woman? Geez... I need to pay more attention.

[no name no slogan]

85. There's two of 'em actually (M & F)

But she sings most of the songs. IIRC Brenden only does one or two songs per LP.

[the Princess]

63. Showing my age

Does anyone remember the Runaways???? The starter group of Joan Jett and Lita Ford?? They kicked ass!

[tigereye]

67. I do!

God they were so young. They could take the Donnas in a fight. Well. Maybe not at their ages...;) Guess they would use the skills learned with maturity.

[liontamer]

68. can you fill in the names?

I only recognize joan jett and lita ford

[the Princess]

106. Yes I can

Jackie Fox in the back - bass
Cherie Curry - blonde in the front - lead focals
Sandy West - deark blonde - drums

:)

[paulk]

91. hello Dad! hello Mom!

I'm your

ch-ch-ch-ch-

cherry bomb!

[flamingyouth]

97. Cherrie Currie was my favorite

Aside from Joan Jett, who obviously totally rules.

"Cherry Bomb" - the staple of every slumber party in the '70s! :D

[MissMillie]

66. Grey Eye Glances

good stuff

[Bridget Burke]

69. Romeo Void

"I might like you better if we slept together...."

[faithnotgreed]

70. the innocence mission

[flamingyouth]

71. A belated addition... Sahara Hotnights from Sweden

I like them. :)

[mvd]

79. Looks like I'll be getting their CD and adding them soon

:hi:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

72. Renaissance

(Well, it's obscure NOW)

[arcane1]

73. The Gathering, Lacuna Coil, and Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush being the most obscure, and perhaps best, of the three

:toast:

[-..__...]

74. Wendy O. Williams (Plasmatics).

Maybe not that obscure?




http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.modernatomic.com/plasmatics/gallery.html&h=439&w=452&sz=48&tbnid=BOQhOrxnJ14J:&tbnh=120&tbnw=123&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2B%2522plasmatics%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN%26as_qdr%3Dall

[Tom Kitten]

75. thought of some more

most are somewhat obscure I suppose
Les Calamities
the Raincoats
the Cucumbers
Liliput
the Raggedy Annes
Frightwig
Heavens to Betsy
Dickless
Destroy All Monsters
the Obituaries
the Brood
the Chefs
Throwing Muses
Scrawl
Opal, then later as Mazzy Star

I'm sure there's more.

[-..__...]

82. More...

The Avengers
X-Ray Specs
Teenage Jesus and the Jerks (Lydia Lunch)
Rubber Rodeo
Robin Lane and The Chartbusters
City Thrills

[mvd]

78. Letters to Cleo for starters

Kay's a crush of mine. For Letters To Cleo fans, she has a recent solo CD called Cherry Marmalade that's also fantastic!

Others:

The Donnas
Sleater-Kinney
The Painkillers
Rilo Kiley
Catatonia
Lillix
Joydrop
Luscious Jackson

I'm sure there are more, but those come to mind now.

[Gothic Sponge]

81. Inger Lore from the Nymphs

I have a ton obscure female singers!

[lazarus]

83. Big Pig

I can't break away....

[-..__...]

84. Cycle Sluts From Hell

[no name no slogan]

86. Pale Saints, Lush, Slowdive

All were part of the shoegaze/"Scene That Celebrates Itself®" bands that cropped up in and around London in the late 80s/early 90s.

Lush later remade thmselves into a BritPop band in the mid-90s, and 3/5 of Slowdive later became Mojave 3. Various Pale Saints have been sighted on other projects by other groups, etc.

[Tom Kitten]

87. how could I forget?

the Gits
the Slits
the Bush Tetras
Bongwater
Bikini Kill
The Frumpies
Tragic Mulatto
7 Year Bitch
Wednesday Week
The Mad Violets
The Pandoras
Adult Net
the Pain Teens
Eight Eyed Spy (Lydia Lunch)

[Snow]

88. Anonymous Four!!!!

wait, they're not obscure, are they? And they're all-girl, not just girl-led. But they are anonymous....

[ulysses]

89. heh!

Not exactly what I had in mind, but a fine choice nonetheless. Love Anonymous Four, especially the 11,000 Virgins disc.

[paulk]

92. Bush Tetra

"Can't Be Funky"

if you haven't got a soul


hey, you wanted obscure...

[Beaverhausen]

95. EastMountainSouth

http://www.eastmountainsouth.com/

[Mojambo]

96. The Muffs

Dance Hall Crashers and Save Ferris are two others that jump to mind for me personally.

[Missy Vixen]

98. Doesn't anyone else here like Garbage?

They're tremendous.

Julie

p.s. Isn't Everything But The Girl female-led as well?

[Spider Jerusalem]

99. Garbage = "somewhat obscure"? Where are YOU from?

[MrSandman]

100. Evangeline...nt

[Tom Kitten]

101. from Japan...

The 5.6.7.8.s



and of course Shonen Knife!

[NamVetsWeeLass]

104. 4 Non Blondes....... n/t

[sandnsea]

116. Linda Perry

My first thought. What a talent, I love her voice. She's a great producer too.

[NightTrain]

105. The Stumbleweeds

Hillbilly boogie band from Boston. Their 2001 debut release, "Pickin' 'n' Sinnin'," once spent a full week in my dashboard CD deck!

[AbbeyRoad]

107. That Dog

I'd also say the Cranberries, but I don't think they'd qualify for obscure.

[Dogmudgeon]

108. Heather Nova

--bkl

[Dogmudgeon]

110. 28th Day / Barabara Manning

2 cool 2 b deep 6ed

--bkl

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

111. Mother Earth - Tracy Nelson (1970s)

What a beautiful voice, very bluesy. She's still recording, too.

I'm also fond of the band that does the Sealab 2021 theme, Calamine, with Julie Stepanek.

[ghostsofgiants]

112. Let's see...

Pretty Girls Make Graves
Elysian Fields
The Distillers
The Sounds
Stephanie Pakrul
Leona Naess
The Sneaker Pimps
Eisley
Horrorpops
Sahara Hotnights
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Tegan and Sara
The Soviettes
Epoxies

That's all I can think of right now.

[chuckrocks]

113. OH SWEET JESUS

GIVE ME AN EVENING WITH KARIN AND I HAVE AN EVENING WITH BEAUTY AND TRANQUILITY

[Tsiyu]

114. The Cramps

and Michelle Malone....how soon we forget....

[nightperson]

115. The Waitresses.

Patty Donahue's young death is a big deal to me. More.

[jus_the_facts]

117. Ann and Nancy Wilson o' Heart......

...always come to mind first for me...."Oooo he's a MAGIC MAN Momma!" :o :headbang:



...oh you said obscure....uhmmm The Donna's are pretty ROCKIN'! :D