Scrawl
Encyclopedia
Scrawl is a musical trio based in Columbus, Ohio
. The founding members are Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harshe (bass guitar, backing vocals, songwriting), and Carolyn O'Leary (drums). Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the Meat Puppets
. Their first album, Plus, Also, Too, was self-produced (with Andy Izold) and released in 1987 on the local label No Other Records. The following year the band was signed to the ill-fated Rough Trade Records
U.S., for whom they released two albums, He's Drunk (produced by Jim Rondinelli) and Smallmouth (produced by Gary Smith
).
Their raw, somewhat primitive sound is influenced by the UK post-punk scene of the late 1970s (e.g., The Raincoats
, The Slits
, The Mekons), but their American inflection greatly influenced the Riot Grrrl
sound of the 1990s. When Rough Trade U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 1990, the band was forced to bid for their master recordings at auction during the label's Chapter 11 proceedings. Fortunately, they succeeded. Their next release, a seven-track EP called Bloodsucker, was released on the Chicago-based Feel Good All Over label (then reissued on Simple Machines Records).
Drummer O'Leary left the group in May 1992, and was replaced by Dana Marshall.
They recorded their next album, Velvet Hammer, in 1993. It was engineered by Steve Albini
(around the time he produced Nirvana
), and released on the Simple Machines
label. The band was then signed their first major label deal, to Elektra, for whom they released two albums, Travel On, Rider, and Nature Film.
Marcy Mays also appeared as lead singer on "My Curse" from the album "Gentlemen
" by The Afghan Whigs
and performed live with them at the Reading Festival 1994.
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The founding members are Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harshe (bass guitar, backing vocals, songwriting), and Carolyn O'Leary (drums). Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
. Their first album, Plus, Also, Too, was self-produced (with Andy Izold) and released in 1987 on the local label No Other Records. The following year the band was signed to the ill-fated Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
U.S., for whom they released two albums, He's Drunk (produced by Jim Rondinelli) and Smallmouth (produced by Gary Smith
Gary Smith (record producer)
Gary Smith is an entrepreneur, record producer, and artist's manager known for his work recording albums by alternative rock musicians since the mid-1980s at Fort Apache Studios...
).
Their raw, somewhat primitive sound is influenced by the UK post-punk scene of the late 1970s (e.g., The Raincoats
The Raincoats
The Raincoats are a British post-punk band. Ana da Silva and Gina Birch formed the group in 1977 while they were students at Hornsey College of Art, London, England.-Career:...
, The Slits
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock band. The quartet was formed in 1976 by members of the bands The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The members were Ari Up , who died of cancer in October 2010, and Palmolive , with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members, Kate Korus and...
, The Mekons), but their American inflection greatly influenced the Riot Grrrl
Riot grrrl
Riot grrrl was an underground feminist punk movement based in Washington, DC, Olympia, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and the greater Pacific Northwest which existed in the early to mid-1990s, and it is often associated with third-wave feminism...
sound of the 1990s. When Rough Trade U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 1990, the band was forced to bid for their master recordings at auction during the label's Chapter 11 proceedings. Fortunately, they succeeded. Their next release, a seven-track EP called Bloodsucker, was released on the Chicago-based Feel Good All Over label (then reissued on Simple Machines Records).
Drummer O'Leary left the group in May 1992, and was replaced by Dana Marshall.
They recorded their next album, Velvet Hammer, in 1993. It was engineered by Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
(around the time he produced Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
), and released on the Simple Machines
Simple Machines
Simple Machines was a record label that operated out of Arlington, Virginia. The label was masterminded by Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson and, at its peak, had four paid workers- Toomey, Thomson, Pat Graham and Mickey Menard...
label. The band was then signed their first major label deal, to Elektra, for whom they released two albums, Travel On, Rider, and Nature Film.
Marcy Mays also appeared as lead singer on "My Curse" from the album "Gentlemen
Gentlemen (album)
Gentlemen is the fourth studio album by the alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs. It was released in 1993 on Elektra Records in America and Blast First in England and was produced by Greg Dulli.-Track listing:...
" by The Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs were a soul-influenced American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. PopMatters described the band as "beyond simple genre categorization, and though lauded by the music press, never got their just due."-Band history:...
and performed live with them at the Reading Festival 1994.
Discography
| Release Date | Album | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1987 | Plus, Also, Too | No Other Records | Debut album |
| November 1988 | He's Drunk | Rough Trade Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove... |
- |
| November 1989 | Smallmouth | Rough Trade | Produced by Gary Smith Gary Smith (record producer) Gary Smith is an entrepreneur, record producer, and artist's manager known for his work recording albums by alternative rock musicians since the mid-1980s at Fort Apache Studios... (Throwing Muses Throwing Muses Throwing Muses is an alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects. The group was originally fronted by two lead singers, Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly, who both wrote the... , Pixies, The Chills The Chills The Chills are a guitar and keyboard-based rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, they were one of the proponents of the Dunedin Sound.- History :... , Walkabouts) |
| October 1991 | Bloodsucker | Feel Good All Over Records | Followed by tours with the Afghan Whigs, Meat Puppets Meat Puppets The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix... , Fugazi and My Bloody Valentine |
| January 1993 | Velvet Hammer | Simple Machines | - |
| 1996 | Travel On, Scrawl | Elektra 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.... |
EP |
| September 1996 | Travel On, Rider | Elektra 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.... |
- |
| April 1998 | Nature Film | Elektra | Scrawl's swan song Swan song "Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song... . Combination of new material and re-recordings of Rough Trade/Simple Machines era material. |