Bangs (band)
Encyclopedia
Bangs was a punk rock band from Olympia, Washington
, formed in 1997 by guitarist
Sarah Utter, after recruiting high-school friend Jesse Fox on drums
and Maggie Vail (she had to learn how to play bass guitar
to be in the band, being that the only instruments she played before were drums, guitar, cello
, and clarinet
).
Bangs toured with and/or played shows with Sleater-Kinney, the Gossip, Unwound, Blonde Redhead, The Makers, Witchypoo, the Donnas, Shannon Wright, Murder City Devils, and Karp, to name a few. Maggie also played bass in Frenchie and the German Girls, and sang backups in the famous party-band Gene Defcon. Sarah played in one of the last incarnations of Witchypoo, and has since devoted herself full-time to painting with the exception of a one-off show in Los Angeles with noisemaker David Scott Stone. Jesse quit the band after a long U.S. tour, and Bangs went through a succession of drummers (Heather Dunn, Kyle Ermatinger) before gelling with Olympia's, Peter David Connelly. They recorded their last EP, Call and Response, in a frigidly cold farmhouse basement with engineer Justin Trosper
of Unwound
.
Although the band had plenty of associations with the riot grrrl
movement (Maggie Vail's sister is Bikini Kill
's Tobi Vail
), Bangs didn't identify as a riot grrrl band. They preferred the term "rock band", crediting The Go-Go's
, The Ramones, Gary Numan
, Chrissie Hynde
, Elvis Costello
, and Cheap Trick
with inspiration. The band put out all of their releases on Kill Rock Stars
except for one 7", which was released on the tiny Olympia label Ten-In-One Records. They toured the United States extensively, and also played shows in England, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand, where they were featured on the island country's nightly national news.
Bangs broke up in September 2004 after Sarah moved to Los Angeles. Their last show, at Olympia's Eagles Hall and part of Kill Rock Stars 'Yeah! Fest!' was festive and bittersweet. Maggie has since relocated to Portland, OR, where she plays in the bands Romancing and Leti Angel. Peter David continues to live in Olympia and play in his engaging pop band The Mona Reels as well as other groups such as The November Witch, Tumwater Video, and The Devon Williams Band. Sarah has since relocated back to the northwest and spends her time painting pictures of animals and playing bass with Craig Extine and Kris Cunningham in the band Western Hymn.
In July 2010 the band reunited for 4 shows. One warm up gig in Olympia followed by 3 shows (Portland, Olympia, and Seattle) benefiting their friend, Natalie Cox's, cancer fund.
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
, formed in 1997 by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Sarah Utter, after recruiting high-school friend Jesse Fox on 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 ....
and Maggie Vail (she had to learn how to play bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
to be in the band, being that the only instruments she played before were drums, guitar, cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
).
Bangs toured with and/or played shows with Sleater-Kinney, the Gossip, Unwound, Blonde Redhead, The Makers, Witchypoo, the Donnas, Shannon Wright, Murder City Devils, and Karp, to name a few. Maggie also played bass in Frenchie and the German Girls, and sang backups in the famous party-band Gene Defcon. Sarah played in one of the last incarnations of Witchypoo, and has since devoted herself full-time to painting with the exception of a one-off show in Los Angeles with noisemaker David Scott Stone. Jesse quit the band after a long U.S. tour, and Bangs went through a succession of drummers (Heather Dunn, Kyle Ermatinger) before gelling with Olympia's, Peter David Connelly. They recorded their last EP, Call and Response, in a frigidly cold farmhouse basement with engineer Justin Trosper
Justin Trosper
Justin Trosper is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, born in Olympia, Washington. He fronted Tumwater/Olympia, Washington band Unwound from 1991 to 2002. He has also been a member of bands such as Replikants, The Young Ginns, and Worst Case Scenario...
of Unwound
Unwound
Unwound was a United States post-hardcore band based in Tumwater/Olympia, Washington. Formed in 1991, the band consisted of Justin Trosper , Vern Rumsey , and Brandt Sandeno , all of whom had previously been in a band called Giant Henry. Brandt Sandeno quit Unwound in 1992 and was replaced by...
.
Although the band had plenty of associations with 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...
movement (Maggie Vail's sister is Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
's Tobi Vail
Tobi Vail
Tobi Vail is an independent musician, DIY zinester, and feminist activist from Olympia, Washington, noted primarily as the drummer of the defunct punk band Bikini Kill. She formed one of her first bands as the drummer for The Go Team when she was 15, later collaborating in several other groups...
), Bangs didn't identify as a riot grrrl band. They preferred the term "rock band", crediting 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....
, The Ramones, Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
, Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
, Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
, and Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
with inspiration. The band put out all of their releases on Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
except for one 7", which was released on the tiny Olympia label Ten-In-One Records. They toured the United States extensively, and also played shows in England, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand, where they were featured on the island country's nightly national news.
Bangs broke up in September 2004 after Sarah moved to Los Angeles. Their last show, at Olympia's Eagles Hall and part of Kill Rock Stars 'Yeah! Fest!' was festive and bittersweet. Maggie has since relocated to Portland, OR, where she plays in the bands Romancing and Leti Angel. Peter David continues to live in Olympia and play in his engaging pop band The Mona Reels as well as other groups such as The November Witch, Tumwater Video, and The Devon Williams Band. Sarah has since relocated back to the northwest and spends her time painting pictures of animals and playing bass with Craig Extine and Kris Cunningham in the band Western Hymn.
In July 2010 the band reunited for 4 shows. One warm up gig in Olympia followed by 3 shows (Portland, Olympia, and Seattle) benefiting their friend, Natalie Cox's, cancer fund.
Releases
- Tiger Beat (1998)
- Mailorder Freaks Singles Club 7" (Kill Rock StarsKill Rock StarsKill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
1999) - Sweet Revenge (2000)
- Call + Response (2002)
Compilations
- Turbo's Tunes
- Fields And StreamsFields and StreamsFields and Streams is a double CD compilation album released by the label Kill Rock Stars on May 7, 2002.-Track list:CD 1# "Memo From The Desk of the Quails - The Quails# "Sex Object - Manda & The Marbles# "Waste of Time" - The Coolies...
, 2 CD compilation, (Kill Rock Stars 2002) - Mollie's Mix