Babes in Toyland Biography
This hardcore rock trio spearheaded a new wave of US female bands at the turn of the 90s. Their origins can be traced back to 1987, when Kat Bjelland (Katherine Bjelland, 8 December 1963, Salem, Oregon, USA; vocals/guitar) moved to Minneapolis. Previously, she had played in a band, Sugar Baby Doll, with Courtney Love (later of Hole) and Jennifer Finch (later of L7) in San Francisco. Bjelland and Love formed Babes In Toyland with Lori Barbero (b. 27 November 1961, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; drums/vocals), but following one rehearsal Love was replaced by Michelle Leon (bass). The trio first came to prominence at the legendary singles club at Sub Pop Records, then made a lasting impression on a European support tour with Sonic Youth. A debut album, produced by Jack Endino, was recorded live with the vocals overdubbed. Soon afterwards, WEA Records A&R representative Tim Carr saw the band live in Minneapolis and was impressed. After signing to the label, they recorded the 1992 mini-album To Mother. Bjelland, meanwhile, was busy defending the band within the media, who were attempting to categorize them alongside other all-girl bands to create a convenient "movement": "Men and women play their instruments to a completely different beat. Women are a lot more rhythmic - naturally - than men. It doesn't even have anything to do with music, it all has to do with timing."
In 1992, Leon left and was replaced by Maureen Herman (b. 25 July 1965, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). Fontanelle received excellent reviews throughout the rock and indie press, and a support tour with Faith No More brought them further plaudits, as they signed with their first manager, Debbie Gordon. However, when the band took a break in 1993, press speculation suggested their imminent demise. Lori Barbero formed her own label, Spanish Fly, home of Milk, while Bjelland worked with her then husband Stuart Gray, singer with Australian noise outfit Lubricated Goat, on two projects, Crunt and KatSu. Babes In Toyland reconvened in time for the Lollapalooza tour and in 1995 Nemesisters was a powerful return to form, with memorable cover versions of Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" and Eric Carmen's "All By Myself" sitting well alongside strong original compositions such as "Memory" and "Scherezadian 22". Herman was replaced by Dana Cochrane in late 1996. Her former bandmates have subsequently concentrated on other projects, with Babes On Toyland put on extended hiatus. Bjelland, Barbero and bass player Jessie Farmer played a live show in Minneapolis on 25 November 2000, which was captured for posterity on the following year's Minneapolism.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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