Sugar Babydoll
Encyclopedia
Sugar Babydoll was a continuous, on-and-off musical project
initially formed in Portland, Oregon
by Courtney Love
in 1981. The group, which in its latter stages included guitarist/vocalist Kat Bjelland
and bassist Jennifer Finch
, was a precursor to the Pagan Babies
, formed by Love and Bjelland in San Francisco in 1984. In a VH1
: Behind the Music
documentary on Love, both Love and Bjelland noted that the band, in its early stages, was more about "taking pictures" and having fun rather than playing music.
. Upon returning to Portland in 1983, Love met Kat Bjelland at the Satyricon nightclub
. Both Love and Bjelland were frequent visitors to the rock club, known in the 1980s as a hub for punk rock
shows and rock musicians. Bjelland was from nearby Woodburn
, while Love had grown up in various cities throughout the state, including Marcola
, Corvallis
, Salem
, Eugene
, and Portland.
According to Bjelland, after the two had met, Love, who was looking to form an all-female rock group, "fell to her knees" and begged "please, please be my guitarist." Bjelland accepted, and Love then recruited Jennifer Finch
, a friend she had met while in California, into the group as the bass player
.
Little is known about what culminated from the group's musical endeavors; although a demo tape was made from Love and Bjelland's subsequent band, the Pagan Babies
, there is no known recording information or history of Sugar Babydoll. What is known, however, was the band's tumultuous breakup. Both Love and Bjelland were experimenting with drugs at the time, and abusing pharmaceuticals, such as Valium. According to Jennifer Finch, Love's drug experimentation began to "interfere with the creative process", to the point that, according to Bjelland, Love would "take all of her clothes off, walk around in circles, talk about stuff— not play music."
Over the next several years, the band moved between Oregon and California, before it was abandoned all together. By 1985, the group had officially split. Love returned yet again to San Francisco, this time with Bjelland, where they formed another group, the Pagan Babies, which was also short-lived. Despite the lack of success in the group, all three women would go onto much greater musical projects: Love went on to form the immensely successful Hole
in 1989, while Bjelland formed the more low-key, though also successful Babes in Toyland
in 1987. Love briefly moved to Minneapolis where Bjelland formed Babes in Toyland, and played bass in the band for several weeks before being ejected and replaced by Michelle Leon. Jennifer Finch would go on to perform in the all-female punk band L7
for its first six years, as well as Betty Blowtorch
.
In 1994, Love and Bjelland reunited for a short period of time, collaborated on the song "I Think That I Would Die" from Hole
's platinum-selling album, Live Through This
(1994).
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
initially formed in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
by Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
in 1981. The group, which in its latter stages included guitarist/vocalist Kat Bjelland
Kat Bjelland
Katherine "Kat" Bjelland is an American musician who is currently the lead singer-guitarist of the band Katastrophy Wife, and is the former lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Babes in Toyland....
and bassist Jennifer Finch
Jennifer Finch
Jennifer Finch , born August 5, 1966, is an American photographer and musician, notable for her involvement in the all-female punk rock group L7.-Music:...
, was a precursor to the Pagan Babies
Pagan Babies (band)
The Pagan Babies were a short-lived American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed by Kat Bjelland and Courtney Love circa late 1985...
, formed by Love and Bjelland in San Francisco in 1984. In a VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
: Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
documentary on Love, both Love and Bjelland noted that the band, in its early stages, was more about "taking pictures" and having fun rather than playing music.
History
Courtney Love had originally come up with the name and idea for the band in the early 1980s when she was a teenager in Portland. She formed the group with friends Ursula Wehr and Robin Barbur in 1981, when Love was seventeen years old, but aborted the project and left Portland. Love moved to San Francisco in 1982, where she had a brief stint as a singer for Faith No MoreFaith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
. Upon returning to Portland in 1983, Love met Kat Bjelland at the Satyricon nightclub
Satyricon nightclub
Satyricon Nightclub was a nightclub in the Old Town neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States, best known for providing a place for local and touring alternative rock bands to play. Located at 125 N.W...
. Both Love and Bjelland were frequent visitors to the rock club, known in the 1980s as a hub for punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
shows and rock musicians. Bjelland was from nearby Woodburn
Woodburn, Oregon
Woodburn is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 1889, the community had been platted in 1871 after the arrival of the railroad. The city is located in the northern end of the Willamette Valley along Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem...
, while Love had grown up in various cities throughout the state, including Marcola
Marcola, Oregon
Marcola is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, northeast of Springfield on the Mohawk River.-History:The post office at this location was established in 1876 and originally called "Isabel" for early settler Isabel Applegate. About 1900, a railroad was built through...
, Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, and Portland.
According to Bjelland, after the two had met, Love, who was looking to form an all-female rock group, "fell to her knees" and begged "please, please be my guitarist." Bjelland accepted, and Love then recruited Jennifer Finch
Jennifer Finch
Jennifer Finch , born August 5, 1966, is an American photographer and musician, notable for her involvement in the all-female punk rock group L7.-Music:...
, a friend she had met while in California, into the group as the bass player
Bass Player
Bass player can refer to:*Bass Player , an album by Rhombus*Bass Player , a magazine for bassists*Bassist, or bass player, a musician who plays the bass guitar...
.
Little is known about what culminated from the group's musical endeavors; although a demo tape was made from Love and Bjelland's subsequent band, the Pagan Babies
Pagan Babies (band)
The Pagan Babies were a short-lived American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed by Kat Bjelland and Courtney Love circa late 1985...
, there is no known recording information or history of Sugar Babydoll. What is known, however, was the band's tumultuous breakup. Both Love and Bjelland were experimenting with drugs at the time, and abusing pharmaceuticals, such as Valium. According to Jennifer Finch, Love's drug experimentation began to "interfere with the creative process", to the point that, according to Bjelland, Love would "take all of her clothes off, walk around in circles, talk about stuff— not play music."
Over the next several years, the band moved between Oregon and California, before it was abandoned all together. By 1985, the group had officially split. Love returned yet again to San Francisco, this time with Bjelland, where they formed another group, the Pagan Babies, which was also short-lived. Despite the lack of success in the group, all three women would go onto much greater musical projects: Love went on to form the immensely successful Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
in 1989, while Bjelland formed the more low-key, though also successful Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland may refer to:* Babes in Toyland , an American punk rock band* Babes in Toyland , a 1903 operetta by Victor Herbert* Babes in Toyland , a musical comedy starring Laurel and Hardy...
in 1987. Love briefly moved to Minneapolis where Bjelland formed Babes in Toyland, and played bass in the band for several weeks before being ejected and replaced by Michelle Leon. Jennifer Finch would go on to perform in the all-female punk band L7
L7
-Music and culture:* Square , from the thumbs and forefingers of two hands forming the shape "L7"* Bustin' Out of L Seven, an album by Rick James* L7 , a grunge/punk band from Los Angeles, California* L-Seven, post-punk band from Detroit, Michigan...
for its first six years, as well as Betty Blowtorch
Betty Blowtorch
Betty Blowtorch was an all-female American hard rock band from Southern California.-Biography:The band was formed in 1998 by three members of Butt Trumpet. After releasing the 2001 album, Are You Man Enough?, the group toured with Nashville Pussy. During the tour, drummer Judy Molish and guitarist...
.
In 1994, Love and Bjelland reunited for a short period of time, collaborated on the song "I Think That I Would Die" from Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
's platinum-selling album, Live Through This
Live Through This
Live Through This is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. It was released by Geffen Records on April 12, 1994, just four days after frontwoman Courtney Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in their home....
(1994).