American Girls (band)
Encyclopedia
American Girls were an all-women band based in California
, USA
.
American Girls originally started as a film project, which fizzled. After some personnel changes and more rehearsing, the band surprised those who hadn't previously taken it seriously by taking on a life of its own. The band invariably sustained many comparisons to the Go-Go's
, who were popular at the time as well as signed to the same label, IRS Records. However, American Girls featured veterans of the all-women band scene including Brie Howard
who had played drums
for Fanny
and Miiko Watanabe who played bass
with the Screamin' Sirens
. They recorded one album only, which was intended as a demo but was determined to be good as it was, it was pressed to vinyl in its original form. The eponymous debut album was released in 1986. The cover shows the band in a hotel room, with booze, a deck of cards, and a copy of the National Enquirer
.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
American Girls originally started as a film project, which fizzled. After some personnel changes and more rehearsing, the band surprised those who hadn't previously taken it seriously by taking on a life of its own. The band invariably sustained many comparisons to the Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
, who were popular at the time as well as signed to the same label, IRS Records. However, American Girls featured veterans of the all-women band scene including Brie Howard
Brie Howard
Brie Howard is an American musician and actress. She has also appeared or been credited under the names Brie Brandt, Brie Darling, and Brie Howard Darling....
who had played drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
for Fanny
Fanny (band)
Fanny was an American girl band, led by June Millington. They were pioneers as one of the first rock bands to feature all women, and the third to sign to a major record label, after Goldie & the Gingerbreads and The Pleasure Seekers...
and Miiko Watanabe who played bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
with the Screamin' Sirens
Screamin' Sirens
Screamin' Sirens were an all-women band that combined country music, punk rock, rockabilly and a dash of funk for their own wild party music. They pre-dated what is usually referred to as alternative country, but undoubtedly influenced it. They were based in Hollywood, California...
. They recorded one album only, which was intended as a demo but was determined to be good as it was, it was pressed to vinyl in its original form. The eponymous debut album was released in 1986. The cover shows the band in a hotel room, with booze, a deck of cards, and a copy of the National Enquirer
The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....
.
Personnel
- Brie HowardBrie HowardBrie Howard is an American musician and actress. She has also appeared or been credited under the names Brie Brandt, Brie Darling, and Brie Howard Darling....
: lead VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, LinnDrumLinnDrumThe LinnDrum is a drum machine manufactured by Linn Electronics. It was released in 1982 as a successor to the Linn LM-1. The LinnDrum has 15 drum sounds sampled from real drums, a sequencer for programming rhythm patterns and five trigger inputs....
programming, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Hilary ShepardHilary Shepard TurnerHilary Shepard Turner , alternately billed as Hilary Shepard or Hilary Shapiro, is an American actress.Shepard was born in New York City, New York. In the late 1980s, Shepard was a lead singer and percussionist in the short-lived all-girl group American Girls.When that group ended, she moved into...
: lead vocals, percussion - DB Tressler: guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Miiko Watanabe: bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Teresa James: keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocals
- Early Members*
- Louise Goffin: rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals