Holly and the Italians
Encyclopedia
Holly and the Italians were a short-lived American
pop punk
band that was formed in Los Angeles, California
in 1978 by Chicago born singer and guitarist Holly Beth Vincent, bassist Mark Sidgwick, and drummer Steve Young. They relocated to London, England where, after playing on the pub circuit extensively, they quickly came to prominence as the opening act for fellow Americans Blondie
and were signed to disc jockey Charlie Gillett
's record label, Oval.
The 1980 release of the single "Tell That Girl to Shut Up
" garnered the band a recording contract with Virgin Records
. While the single was not a very big hit for Holly and the Italians, it would be in 1988 when it was covered by Transvision Vamp
. The band recorded their only album, The Right to Be Italian, produced by Richard Gottehrer
.
The album featured musical backing by several members of what later became "The World's most Dangerous Band": Paul Schaffer, Anton Fig, and Will Lee, now better known as the house band for The Late Show with David Letterman.
In August 1980, Holly & the Italians played the major Heatwave
festival near Toronto.
In 1982, Holly Beth Vincent released a solo album entitled Holly and the Italians. The album was critically acclaimed and the subsequent video gained some airtime on MTV
. Later that year, Vincent recorded a duet of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" with Ramones
frontman Joey Ramone
.
After a brief period during which she replaced Patty Donahue
in The Waitresses
, she sang in a combo called the Wild Things
with Anthony Thistlethwaite
(The Waterboys
) and Mick Taylor
(Rolling Stones) and recorded an album, America, under the name The Oblivious for Amy Ray's label Daemon Records
. In 1995, Holly toured and teamed up with Concrete Blonde
singer Johnette Napolitano
for a musical side project entitled Vowel Movement.
In 2007, Holly completed the record, Super Rocket Star which is available at CD Baby/iTunes and in 2009, Minnesota-California digital album at iTunes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band that was formed in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1978 by Chicago born singer and guitarist Holly Beth Vincent, bassist Mark Sidgwick, and drummer Steve Young. They relocated to London, England where, after playing on the pub circuit extensively, they quickly came to prominence as the opening act for fellow Americans Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
and were signed to disc jockey Charlie Gillett
Charlie Gillett
Charlie Gillett , was a British radio presenter, musicologist and writer, mainly on rock and roll and other forms of popular music...
's record label, Oval.
The 1980 release of the single "Tell That Girl to Shut Up
Tell That Girl to Shut Up
"Tell That Girl to Shut Up" was the second single from UK pop/rock band Transvision Vamp, released in 1988. It is taken from their debut album Pop Art and was originally recorded by Holly and the Italians and was written by Holly Beth Vincent....
" garnered the band a recording contract with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. While the single was not a very big hit for Holly and the Italians, it would be in 1988 when it was covered by Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp were a British alternative rock group. Formed in 1986 by Nick Christian Sayer and Wendy James the band enjoyed chart success in the late 1980s...
. The band recorded their only album, The Right to Be Italian, produced by Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
.
The album featured musical backing by several members of what later became "The World's most Dangerous Band": Paul Schaffer, Anton Fig, and Will Lee, now better known as the house band for The Late Show with David Letterman.
In August 1980, Holly & the Italians played the major Heatwave
Heatwave (festival)
Heatwave was a rock festival August 23, 1980, outside of Toronto at Mosport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario. The slogans used to promote the show were variously the "Punk Woodstock", the "New Wave Woodstock", or "The 1980s Big Beat Rock and Roll Party"....
festival near Toronto.
In 1982, Holly Beth Vincent released a solo album entitled Holly and the Italians. The album was critically acclaimed and the subsequent video gained some airtime on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Later that year, Vincent recorded a duet of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" with Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
frontman Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
.
After a brief period during which she replaced Patty Donahue
Patty Donahue
Patricia J. "Patty" Donahue was the American lead singer of the 1980s new wave group The Waitresses.-Career:...
in The Waitresses
The Waitresses
The Waitresses were an experimental new wave band from Akron, Ohio. The group was led by guitarist/songwriter Chris Butler with lead vocals performed by Patty Donahue.-Career:...
, she sang in a combo called the Wild Things
Wild Things
Wild Things is a 1998 erotic thriller film starring Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, Theresa Russell and Bill Murray. It was directed by John McNaughton. In some countries the film was released as Sex Crimes...
with Anthony Thistlethwaite
Anthony Thistlethwaite
Anthony "Anto" Thistlethwaite is a British multi-instrumentalist best known as a founder member of the folk-rock group The Waterboys and later as a long-standing member of Irish rock band The Saw Doctors.After a year busking in Paris, playing tenor saxophone around the streets of the Latin...
(The Waterboys
The Waterboys
The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...
) and Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
(Rolling Stones) and recorded an album, America, under the name The Oblivious for Amy Ray's label Daemon Records
Daemon Records
Daemon Records is an Atlanta, Georgia based, not-for-profit independent record label started by musician Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. The label is run mostly by the musicians who record on it....
. In 1995, Holly toured and teamed up with Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde is an alternative rock band based in the United States. They were initially active from 1982 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2004, and once again in 2010.-Biography:...
singer Johnette Napolitano
Johnette Napolitano
Johnette Napolitano is an American singer, songwriter and bassist best known as the lead vocalist/songwriter and bassist for the alternative rock group Concrete Blonde.- Solo career :...
for a musical side project entitled Vowel Movement.
In 2007, Holly completed the record, Super Rocket Star which is available at CD Baby/iTunes and in 2009, Minnesota-California digital album at iTunes.
Holly and the Italians discography
- "Tell That Girl to Shut UpTell That Girl to Shut Up"Tell That Girl to Shut Up" was the second single from UK pop/rock band Transvision Vamp, released in 1988. It is taken from their debut album Pop Art and was originally recorded by Holly and the Italians and was written by Holly Beth Vincent....
" b/w "Chapel of Love", 1980, Oval Records - Miles Away, 1980 - Virgin Records
- The Right to Be Italian, 1981 – Virgin Records (reissued with bonus tracks 2002 by Wounded Bird RecordsWounded Bird RecordsWounded Bird Records is a CD only, re-issue record label, that was founded in 1998 in Guilderland, New York. They re-release lesser known albums from both popular and lesser known artists, including Deborah Harry, Chic, David Blue, Marilyn Martin, Gordon Haskell, Jon Anderson, Adrian Belew, Ellen...
) - Holly and the Italians, 1982 – Virgin Records (reissued with bonus tracks 2002 by Wounded Bird Records) Credited to Holly Beth Vincent.
- America, 1994, Daemon Records
- Vowel Movement, 1995, Mammoth Records
- Demos Federico, 2003, Wounded Bird Records
- Super Rocket Star, 2007, CD Baby
- Minnesota-California,2009,iTunes
External links
- Holly and the Italians at Trouser Press