Bratmobile

Infobox musical artist
Name = Bratmobile

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Img_capt = Drummer Molly Neuman background left, guitarist Erin Smith, foreground left, singer/songwriter Allison Wolfe, right
Img_size = 280
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Background = group_or_band
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born =
Died =
Origin = Olympia, Washington
United States
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Punk rock
Surf punk
Garage rock
Occupation =
Years_active = 1991–1994;
1999–2003
Label = Kill Rock Stars (1991—1994)
Lookout! Records (1999—2003)
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.killrockstars.com/bands/bratmobile/ killrockstars.com/bratmobile]
Current_members =
Past_members = Allison Wolfe
Erin Smith
Molly Neuman
Jon Nikki
Audrey Marrs
Marty Violence
Notable_instruments =

Bratmobile was an American punk band. Growing from the Northwest and Washington, DC underground and influenced by indie pop in the United States as well as Britpop, girl groups, surf, and punk rock, Bratmobile was a first-generation Riot Grrrl band.

Beginnings

Bratmobile formed when University of Oregon students Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman collaborated on an influential feminist fanzine, "Girl Germs". The band played its first show as a two-woman act at Olympia's North Shore Surf Club on Valentine's Day, 1991, with Molly and Allison sharing duties on guitar, drums, and vocals.

During spring break 1991, Allison and Molly went to Washington, DC to follow Beat Happening and Nation of Ulysses on tour and try to work on a new form of Bratmobile. Beat Happening's Calvin Johnson had previously introduced Molly to nascent guitarist Erin Smith from Bethesda, Maryland during the Christmas holiday in December, 1990 at a Nation of Ulysses show in Washington, DC. Smith was co-author, with her brother, of the much-revered TV pop culture fanzine "Teenage Gang Debs" when Allison and Molly asked her to jam with them. It clicked, and in July 1991 the trio played their first show as a 3-piece with Molly Neuman on drums, Erin Smith on guitar, and Allison Wolfe on vocals. They were just in time to play at the historic International Pop Underground Convention in Olympia, Washington, becoming the only band to appear twice.

From their first shows, Bratmobile were considered an exciting and important addition to the fertile early '90s NorthWest scene. From 1991 to 1994 Bratmobile released a classic album, "Pottymouth", and an EP, "The Real Janelle", on Kill Rock Stars, as well as "The Peel Session" recording before the intense media scrutiny and inner pressures of the Riot Grrrl movement hastened the band's breakup (on stage, no less) in 1994.

Hiatus

For five years, the Brats honed their skills in other bands and developed their lives with other pursuits. Molly Neuman moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and began working at East Bay punk record label Lookout! Records, for which she used to act as general manager and co-owned, before running the label into the ground. She also played in The PeeChees and The Frumpies and continued to perfect her stylish, powerful drumming. Allison Wolfe moved to Washington, D.C, and she and Maryland-based Erin Smith started a new band together called Cold Cold Hearts. Allison's feminism and activism found many significant outlets and Erin's guitar playing grew more accomplished and technical while always staying true to her minimalist pop leanings.

Reformation

In 1999, the three women decided to reunite for a low-key show in Oakland's Stork Club. The chemistry was right, and the band was relaunched to go on tour with Sleater-Kinney.

In 2000, Bratmobile released their second full length studio album, "Ladies, Women and Girls", to an audience who had never forgotten them and never found a replacement for their unique brand of punk. The album delighted critics and earned Bratmobile new fans as they toured with Sleater-Kinney, The Donnas, The Locust, and more. "Ladies, Women and Girls" was released on Neuman's Lookout! Records and produced by Tim Green of Nation of Ulysses and The Fucking Champs. Jon Nikki (Prima Donnas, Gene Defcon, Mocket, Sarah Dougher, Sir, Puce Moment) added guitar, bass and keyboard parts to flesh out the famously minimal Brat sound.

On May 7, 2002, Bratmobile released their third album, "Girls Get Busy". On "Girls Get Busy", Bratmobile's best lady friend, Audrey Marrs, (Mocket, Gene Defcon) adds keyboards that help give the album its distinctive new sound. Roadie extraordinaire Marty Violence (Young Pioneers) also contributed bass, a Bratmobile first.

After dedicating most of 2002 and 2003 to promoting "Girls Get Busy" via touring, each of the principal members went back to do other things. While the band didn't formally break up Allison Wolfe did post a message on January 30, 2004 in the Bratmobile message board concerning the status of the band:

Discography

*"Kill Rock Stars" compilation, CD/LP, (Kill Rock Stars)
*"A Wonderful Treat" compilation cassette
*"Kiss & Ride" 7" (Homestead Records)
*"The Embassy Tapes" cassette
*"Throw" compilation CD (Yoyo Recordings)
*Tiger Trap/ Bratmobile split 7" (4-Letter Words)
*Heavens to Betsy/ Bratmobile split 7" (K Records)
*"International Pop Underground" live LP/CD/CS (K Records)
*Neapolitan Metropolitan boxed 7" set (Simple Machines)
*Brainiac/ Bratmobile split 7" (12X12)
*"Teen Beat 100" compilation 7" (Teen Beat)
*Veronica Lake/ Bratmobile split 7" (Simple Machines)
*"Julep" compilation LP/CD (Yo Yo)
*"Pottymouth" LP/CD/CS (Kill Rock Stars)
*"The Real Janelle" LPEP/CDEP (Kill Rock Stars)
*"The Peel Session" CDEP (Strange Fruit)
*"Wakefield Vol. 2" V/A CD boxed set (Teen Beat)
*"Ladies, Women and Girls" CD/LP, (Lookout! Records)
*"Plea For Peace Take Action" compilation CD (Sub City)
*"Boys Lie" compilation CD (Lookout! Records)
*"Yo Yo A Go Go 1999" compilation CD (Yoyo Recordings)
*"Lookout! Freakout Episode 2" compilation CD (Lookout! Records)
*"Songs For Cassavetes" compilation CD (Better Looking Records)
*"Girls Get Busy" CD/LP (Lookout! Records)
*"Lookout! Freakout Episode 3" CD (Lookout! Records)
*"Turn-On Tune-In Lookout!" DVD (Lookout! Records)

External links

* [http://www.killrockstars.com/bands/bratmobile/index.html Kill Rock Stars] , Bratmobile's record label (1991-1994)
* [http://www.lookoutrecords.com/bands/band.php3?bnd_id=311 Lookout! Records] , Bratmobile's record label (1999-2003)
* [http://members.aol.com/bugpartyzone/brat2.html Bratmobile fansite 2]
* [http://dissonance.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=202438 Interview with Allison Wolfe on Dissonance Radio, October 2006]