Babes in Toyland, classic or dud...the band *and* the book

The book, meanwhile -- just amazing, the details Karlen brings to the fore. And also the various revelations -- for instance, that Lori Barbero apparently was very unlucky in love and lust as people kept trying to hit on Kat and Michelle in the early days instead. I *so* don't get this -- Lori looks fantastic, thank you very much! And sounds like from the book that she's the one you'd want to hang around with as a friend anyway! Also deeply amusing -- and pure grist for the mill for any Sonic Youth haters -- is the fact that Fontanelle producer Lee Ranaldo comes across as a complete, utter and *total* tool.

The weekend of the London 'Babes' show, my friend C from home (Mpls) arrived and I showed her the advert for the gig, knowing nothing to be amiss. C went WTF? because she'd seen Lori out the night before arriving here and Lori mentioned NADA about being over at the same time as C. So we called Lori in Mpls, who went apeshit, saying Kat had told her it was a Katastrophy Wife tour. Kat is now in DEEP SHIT - I just think of her as an unsuccessful version of Courtney.

BiT: Good band, neither classic nor dud.

PS: I was at that show too Ned.

Amazing there isn't more on Babes in Toyland on here - just listening to Fontanelle again, for the first time in quite a few years, a fantastic album, and it is not the only one. Hasn't aged at all, far less than their contemporaries.

Remember seeing them headlining a gig where Jacob's Mouse and Truman's Water supported and it still goes down as one of the best gigs I've seen.

Jesus, that would have been a GREAT show to be at.

A bit of digging around tells me it was September 93 at the Kentish Town Forum, which would mean I was 17 - it really blew me away, each successive band was better than the last, and although Truman's Water were perhaps my preference, there was no doubt Babes in Toyland took the laurels, they were awesome.

I never saw them, but I got their first two albums. I got To Mother in the spring/summer of 1991 after hearing John Peel play some of the tracks - it turned out he'd got the name of every single song wrong because someone had put the labels on the wrong sides of his promo copy. I bought Spanking Machine later that year - it took me a while to track it down as it obviously wasn't a massive seller and had already been out for more than a year. I remember feeling quite embarrassed going into record shops, asking if they had 'Spanking Machine', and getting funny looks before being sent on my way empty handed. When I eventually got it, it was on purple vinyl, which is obviously A GOOD THING.

used to be really into this band in hs - saw them a few times - totally forgotten until just now!

checking out fontanelle as we speak

lol people trying hard to be so tough in the 90s - dunno abt all this

maybe ill try jesus lizard next

Pain In My Heart is so classic

I got Spanking Machine when it came out, that thing really packed a lot of wallop. Saw 'em live too, with Jacob's Mouse as well I think, but maybe in about '92?

Man, I was so into this band, and Fontanelle in particular, at the time. I hardly ever think about them now though, but when I do I dig out their albums. They still sound really great, but only in short bursts. I find it difficult to get through an entire album in one go anymore, for some reason.
But god, I played Fontanelle to DEATH backintheday. And "Bruise Violet" is forever awesome imo.

I saw 'em at Reading festival, '93, '94 or something. I got crushed when the mosh pit toppled as one to the floor. Good times, great memories tbh.

Amazing band and veeeery under appreciated nowadays compared to some of their contemporaries

i got to see these guys live back in the fontanelle period, got free tix off the radio. kat was impressive but the drummer far more so, i have never seen a drummer get quite so, er, physical with a kit

I wrote about 'Spanking Machine' for Devon Record Club. I still think it's a truly remarkable record. http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2012/09/15/babes-in-toyland-spanking-machine-round-34-robs-choice

"So, when Tom asked us to being a debut album, I immediately thought of first releases which..."

Katastrophy Wife were pretty good, ah?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At6gbwUJS9Y

Annnnnd...

http://www.vanyaland.com/2014/06/27/return-nemesisters-babes-toyland-confirm-reunion-new-material/

yesssssssss

interview:

http://boingboing.net/2014/11/17/babes-in-toyland-will-play-fir.html

There were a slew of tickets for last night's Irving Plaza show available on Stub Hub for $8.00. Wasn't sure how rocky things were - apparently Maureen was fired a couple weeks ago:
http://www.stereogum.com/1825931/reunited-babes-in-toyland-split-with-maureen-herman/news/

Anyway we went... Great show and admittedly cool for once to not be in a sea of nostalgic greyhairs. At least half the crowd were young punkers who knew the words to everything.
Love that Lori plays with the sticks turned around.

Saw them in London in May and they were astonishing. Sad Maureen's not with them any longer.

Sad news from Maureen

I really hoped it wouldn't come to this, but I need help. Please see video for details, but I have to get 11 teeth extracted, not leaving many left. I'll need partial dentures to eat and talk. I'm raising money for Maureen's Denture Fund. Click to Donate https://t.co/rax96LuTLY

— Maureen Herman (@maureenherman) March 7, 2022

I read Michelle Leon's book recently ('I Live Inside'), definitely worth a read.