Pussy Galore (band)
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Pussy Galore was an American Noise rock band that formed in Washington D.C. during 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up untill their demise in 1990.
History
The band's earliest incarnation consisted of guitarist and vocalist Jon Spencer, guitarist Julie Cafritz and drummer John Hamill though this line-up would be subject to both change and expansion in later years. Following the self released 7" Feel Good About Your Body, they added guitarist Neil Haggerty and replaced Hamill with former Sonic Youth drummer Bob Bert. They further expanded the line-up by taking on Christina Martinez as a guitarist though she was not really a musician, she had simply taken the photograph for the 7", and recorded the EP Groovy Hate Fuck. The EP, like all of their early releases would be self released on their own Shove records label.
Just prior to the EPs release, they publicly vented their hatred for Dischord Records boss Ian McKaye and made themselves even more unpopular amongst Washington's Hardcore punk scene. They subsequently left for New York were they released a limited-edition cassette only cover album of the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street. They followed this up in January 1987 with another self released mini-set Pussy Galore 5000. Shortly after this Martinez left and formed Boss Hog a few years later.
In September 1987, Pussy Galore recorded their debut album and their first recording for another label, Right Now!. Shortly following the release of Right Now!, Haggerty left the band and was replaced by Kurt Wolf but he was to return to the Pussy Galore line-up following the release of the Sugar Shit Sharp EP with Wolf leaving to join Loudspeaker. Their final release for Caroline Records, the full-length set Dial M for Motherfucker, was released in 1989 and continued their formula of nihilistic guitar noise and Punk rock provocation.
They released a split single in 1989, a cover of Black Flag's "Damaged II" with Tad on the other side, for Sub Pop Records and another split single with Black Snakes for Japanese indie Supernatural records. They were now a three-piece after Julie Cafritz left to join Free Kitten with Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon. The trio of Spencer, Haggerty and Bert released one final album in 1990 called Historia De La Musica Rock for Caroline Records before calling it a day the same year.
Spencer co-founded Boss Hog with former Pussy Galore guitarist Christina Martinez in the late '80s just prior to the dissolution of Pussy Galore itself. He continued with this new band but later left to form the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, returning to Boss Hog occassionally. Neil Haggerty continued his noise-terrorist career with self-confessed heroin addict Jennifer Herrema in noise rock duo Royal Trux, which the pair had formed in Chicago during 1987.
Albums
- Exile on Main Street LP (1986)
- Right Now! LP (1986)
- Dial 'M' For Motherfucker (aka New Album By Pussy Galore) LP (1989)
- Historia De La Musica Rock LP (1990)