Angelica (band)
Encyclopedia
Angelica were an all-girl punk rock band from Lancaster, England
. Holly Ross
(lead vocals and guitar), Brigit Colton (bass guitar), Claire Windsor (guitar) and Rachel Parsons (drums) formed the band while still at school in 1994 and performed until 2003. Their music was influenced by punk music mixed with surf rock overtones, and feminist
lyrics.
" on the independent label Deceptive Records
in 1997, they were regulars on the independent music
scene, making numerous appearances on BBC Radio 1
's Evening Session and the legendary John Peel
show as well as supporting The Beautiful South
at the Galpharm Stadium
(formerly McAlpine Stadium) in Huddersfield
. After disagreements with Deceptive Records management, they switched labels to Fantastic Plastic
. In August 1999, their "Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?
" single was voted Alternative Record of the Year by the Evening Session audience. Their follow-up single in November 1999, "Bring Back Her Head
", peaked at No 8 in the Indie Charts. The band finished the year with a Peel Session and a showcase set on Lamacq Live. In January 2000, Angelica played at the NME
Premier Awards with Ash
and Muse
. In April 2000, their EP The End of a Beautiful Career
, recorded in Matrix Studios London
and produced by Paul Tipler, reached No 4 in the Indie charts. In August 2000, the band played at the Reading and Leeds Festivals
, and their single "Take Me I'm Your Disease
" entered the Indie charts at No 1.
In 2002, Angelica completed a European tour supporting Babes in Toyland
and also appeared on the UK
Ladyfest
Tour. Their first full-length album, The Seven Year Itch
, was produced by Kat Bjelland
of Babes in Toyland
and Katastrophy Wife. Angelica also ended the year by headlining the Lancaster Music Co-op benefit weekend. The band played in September 2002 at the Lancaster
venue, The Yorkshire House. At some point after this performance, the band split.
Bridget Colton and Rachel Parsons have been appearing with the Lancastrian band The Adventures of Loki
since 2003. Holly Ross is now playing with The Lovely Eggs
. Rachel Parsons is now playing with Carpe Diem.
Singles:
Compilation appearances:
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
. Holly Ross
Holly Ross
Holly Ross was the guitarist and lead vocalist from Angelica; an all-female punk rock band from Lancaster, England.Her singing was described as "soft as butter Lancastrian tones."...
(lead vocals and guitar), Brigit Colton (bass guitar), Claire Windsor (guitar) and Rachel Parsons (drums) formed the band while still at school in 1994 and performed until 2003. Their music was influenced by punk music mixed with surf rock overtones, and feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
lyrics.
Members
- Holly RossHolly RossHolly Ross was the guitarist and lead vocalist from Angelica; an all-female punk rock band from Lancaster, England.Her singing was described as "soft as butter Lancastrian tones."...
- lead vocals, guitar - Claire Windsor - guitars
- Brigit Colton - vocals, bass guitar
- Rachel Parsons - drums and percussion
Career
Beginning with their first single, "Teenage Girl CrushCheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
" on the independent label Deceptive Records
Deceptive Records
Deceptive Records was a British independent record label formed in 1992 by Steve Lamacq, Tony Smith and Alan James, which concentrated on rock and alternative rock. The most famous group signed to the label were Elastica....
in 1997, they were regulars on the independent music
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
scene, making numerous appearances on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Evening Session and the legendary John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
show as well as supporting The Beautiful South
The Beautiful South
The Beautiful South were an English alternative rock group formed at the end of the 1980s by two former members of Hull group The Housemartins, Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway. The duo were initially joined by Sean Welch , Dave Stead and Dave Rotheray , all of whom stayed with the group throughout...
at the Galpharm Stadium
Galpharm Stadium
The Galpharm Stadium, formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, is a multi-use sports in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of Huddersfield Town and Super League side, Huddersfield Giants.-The Stadium:...
(formerly McAlpine Stadium) in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
. After disagreements with Deceptive Records management, they switched labels to Fantastic Plastic
Fantastic Plastic Records
Fantastic Plastic Records is a London based record label. It was independent until 15 June 2007 when the Sanctuary Group was bought by the Universal Music Group.-Current artists:* Bearsuit* Bricolage* Guillemots* Luke Haines* New Cassettes* Oppenheimer...
. In August 1999, their "Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?
Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?
"Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?" is a song by Angelica, released as the band's second single. It had a limited release of 1000 copies on Fantastic Plastic Records and was voted Alternative Record of the Year by BBC Radio 1's Evening Session audience...
" single was voted Alternative Record of the Year by the Evening Session audience. Their follow-up single in November 1999, "Bring Back Her Head
Bring Back Her Head
"Bring Back Her Head" is a song by Angelica, released as the band's third single. It was released on limited edition 7" and CD by Fantastic Plastic Records. The single peaked at #8 in the Indie Charts...
", peaked at No 8 in the Indie Charts. The band finished the year with a Peel Session and a showcase set on Lamacq Live. In January 2000, Angelica played at the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
Premier Awards with Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
and Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
. In April 2000, their EP The End of a Beautiful Career
The End of a Beautiful Career
The End Of A Beautiful Career is the first mini-album from the band Angelica, released on Fantastic Plastic Records. It includes the singles "Bring Back Her Head" and "Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?" and reached #4 in the Indie Charts...
, recorded in Matrix Studios London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and produced by Paul Tipler, reached No 4 in the Indie charts. In August 2000, the band played at the Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
, and their single "Take Me I'm Your Disease
Take Me I'm Your Disease
"Take Me I'm Your Disease" is a song by Angelica, released as the band's final single, on Fantastic Plastic Records. As with previous Angelica singles, it was limited edition. It went straight in at #1 in the Indie Charts...
" entered the Indie charts at No 1.
In 2002, Angelica completed a European tour supporting Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland (band)
Babes in Toyland was an American alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1987. The band was formed by Oregon native Kat Bjelland , with Lori Barbero and Michelle Leon , who was later replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992...
and also appeared on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Ladyfest
Ladyfest
Ladyfest is a community-based, not-for-profit global music and arts festival for female artists that features bands, musical groups, performance artists, authors, spoken word and visual artists, films, lectures, art exhibitions and workshops; it is organized by volunteers. The first ever Ladyfest...
Tour. Their first full-length album, The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch (album)
The Seven Year Itch is the first full-length album by Angelica released on Victory Works records. It was produced by Kat Bjelland of Babes in Toyland and Katastrophy Wife who also sang guest vocals on "Golden Lillies".-Track listing:...
, was produced by Kat Bjelland
Kat Bjelland
Katherine "Kat" Bjelland is an American musician who is currently the lead singer-guitarist of the band Katastrophy Wife, and is the former lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Babes in Toyland....
of Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland (band)
Babes in Toyland was an American alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1987. The band was formed by Oregon native Kat Bjelland , with Lori Barbero and Michelle Leon , who was later replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992...
and Katastrophy Wife. Angelica also ended the year by headlining the Lancaster Music Co-op benefit weekend. The band played in September 2002 at the Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
venue, The Yorkshire House. At some point after this performance, the band split.
Bridget Colton and Rachel Parsons have been appearing with the Lancastrian band The Adventures of Loki
The Adventures of Loki
The Adventures of Loki were a 3 piece punk rock band from Lancaster, United Kingdom.The band was formed from ex-Angelica members; Brigit Colton and Rachel Parsons , who then teamed up with ex-Fifty Heads Wide guitarist and vocalist Steve Wade....
since 2003. Holly Ross is now playing with The Lovely Eggs
The Lovely Eggs
The Lovely Eggs are a two piece, indie rock band from Lancaster, England.They consist of married couple Holly Ross and David Blackwell. Ross was formerly the lead singer and guitarist in the girl band, Angelica...
. Rachel Parsons is now playing with Carpe Diem.
Discography
Albums:- The End of a Beautiful CareerThe End of a Beautiful CareerThe End Of A Beautiful Career is the first mini-album from the band Angelica, released on Fantastic Plastic Records. It includes the singles "Bring Back Her Head" and "Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?" and reached #4 in the Indie Charts...
(2000) (Mini-Album) - The Seven Year ItchThe Seven Year Itch (album)The Seven Year Itch is the first full-length album by Angelica released on Victory Works records. It was produced by Kat Bjelland of Babes in Toyland and Katastrophy Wife who also sang guest vocals on "Golden Lillies".-Track listing:...
(2002)
Singles:
- "Teenage Girl CrushTeenage Girl CrushTeenage Girl Crush was the 7" only first single by Angelica, released in 1997, on Deceptive Records. That year it was placed at #31 on John Peel's Festive Fifty. The title track also featured on Deceptive Records' Deceptive Fifty compilation CD...
" (1997) - "Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?"Why Did You Let My Kitten Die?" is a song by Angelica, released as the band's second single. It had a limited release of 1000 copies on Fantastic Plastic Records and was voted Alternative Record of the Year by BBC Radio 1's Evening Session audience...
" (1999) - "Bring Back Her HeadBring Back Her Head"Bring Back Her Head" is a song by Angelica, released as the band's third single. It was released on limited edition 7" and CD by Fantastic Plastic Records. The single peaked at #8 in the Indie Charts...
" (1999) - "Take Me I'm Your DiseasePuddingPudding most often refers to a dessert, but it can also be a savory dish.In the United States, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, though it may also refer to other types such as bread and rice pudding.In the United Kingdom and...
" (2000)
Compilation appearances:
- Deceptive FiftyDeceptive FiftyDeceptive Fifty was a various artists compilation album issued by Deceptive Records to celebrate fifty releases on the label. It was released in 1998.-Track listing:# "Thundersley Invacar" # "Stutter"...
(1998) - Ladyfest UK 2001Ladyfest UK 2001Ladyfest UK 2001 was a various artists compilation CD released to coincide with the 2001 UK Ladyfest event in Glasgow.-Track listing:# Katastrophy Wife - "Gone Away"# Angelica - "Velveteen Dreams "# Electrelane - "Spartakade"...
(2001) - Ladyfest UK 2003 (2003)