Mary's Danish
Encyclopedia
Mary's Danish were an alternative rock
band that was formed in Los Angeles, California
in the late 1980s and released a series of albums until 1992. The band creatively blended of rock, funk, country and soul elements.
Mary's Danish was led by two female lead singers, Gretchen Seager and Julie Ritter. David Archbold King and Louis Gutierrez {of Louis & Clark and The Three O'Clock
} played guitar, with Christopher Scott "Wag" Wagner on the bass, and James Oliver Bradley Jr. later replacing Nick Zeigler on drums.
The band produced four albums, two with Elektra Records
and two with Morgan Creek Records. Their first album There Goes the Wondertruck was released in 1989. It featured the single "Don't Crash the Car Tonight" which gained the band an initial following.
The band had some early success, and was chosen by Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times
as one of 1989's brightest newcomers. That same year they were listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of their "Top Five New Faces." Hollywood Reporter referred to the band in a review as having "spirited anarchy and rocksolid musicianship."
A live album was released later in 1989 entitled Experience (Live + Foxy Lady). The band subsequently switched to Morgan Creek, with Circa being released in 1991 and American Standard in 1992. However, the experience with Morgan Creek was from all accounts not a happy one, and a dispute with the label ended with the band and Morgan Creek parting ways.
Their 1992 cover of I Fought the Law
was featured in the film "Buffy The Vampire Slayer
" (1992), and the accompanying soundtrack release "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Soundtrack".
Mary's Danish has not released an album since 1992.
Three members of the band, Seager, Gutierrez and Wagner, later formed another act called Battery Acid. They released one album entitled "Rita". Both Seager and Ritter sang backup on Mother's Milk
, the 1989 release by Red Hot Chili Peppers
.
The band has occasionally reunited for concerts. In June 1997, Mary's Danish got together for a show at the Viper Room
in Los Angeles. They appeared at the House of Blues
in LA in June 1999.
Julie Ritter later released two albums. The first, in 1995, on New Alliance Records. A spoken word album called "Medicine Show". And then a debut album, "Songs of Love and Empire", on Luxstar Recordings in 1999.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
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 the late 1980s and released a series of albums until 1992. The band creatively blended of rock, funk, country and soul elements.
Mary's Danish was led by two female lead singers, Gretchen Seager and Julie Ritter. David Archbold King and Louis Gutierrez {of Louis & Clark and The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
} played guitar, with Christopher Scott "Wag" Wagner on the bass, and James Oliver Bradley Jr. later replacing Nick Zeigler on drums.
The band produced four albums, two with Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and two with Morgan Creek Records. Their first album There Goes the Wondertruck was released in 1989. It featured the single "Don't Crash the Car Tonight" which gained the band an initial following.
The band had some early success, and was chosen by Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
as one of 1989's brightest newcomers. That same year they were listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of their "Top Five New Faces." Hollywood Reporter referred to the band in a review as having "spirited anarchy and rocksolid musicianship."
A live album was released later in 1989 entitled Experience (Live + Foxy Lady). The band subsequently switched to Morgan Creek, with Circa being released in 1991 and American Standard in 1992. However, the experience with Morgan Creek was from all accounts not a happy one, and a dispute with the label ended with the band and Morgan Creek parting ways.
Their 1992 cover of I Fought the Law
I Fought the Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
was featured in the film "Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 1992 American action/comedy/horror film about a Valley girl cheerleader named Buffy who learns that it is her fate to hunt vampires. The original script for the film was written by Joss Whedon, who later created the darker and more acclaimed TV series of the same name...
" (1992), and the accompanying soundtrack release "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Soundtrack".
Mary's Danish has not released an album since 1992.
Three members of the band, Seager, Gutierrez and Wagner, later formed another act called Battery Acid. They released one album entitled "Rita". Both Seager and Ritter sang backup on Mother's Milk
Mother's Milk
Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1989, on EMI America Records. It was the first album to feature the band's most well-known lineup...
, the 1989 release by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
.
The band has occasionally reunited for concerts. In June 1997, Mary's Danish got together for a show at the Viper Room
Viper Room
The Viper Room is a nightclub located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. It was opened in 1993 and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004. The club became known for being a hangout of Hollywood elite, and was the site where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on...
in Los Angeles. They appeared at the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
in LA in June 1999.
Julie Ritter later released two albums. The first, in 1995, on New Alliance Records. A spoken word album called "Medicine Show". And then a debut album, "Songs of Love and Empire", on Luxstar Recordings in 1999.
External links
- The life and premature death of Mary's Danish (L.A. Weekly)
- http://www.usm.maine.edu/~collom/julieritter.html Julie Ritter Performance Archive