The Aquanettas

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Aquanettas


Img_capt = deletable image-caption
Background = group_or_band
Years_active = 1987–1995
Origin = New York City, New York, USA flagicon|United States
Genre = Post-punk, Rock,Alternative rock
Label = IRS
Nettwerk
Giant/Rockville
Mayor Label Records
Prize Pagoda
Past_members =

* Deborah Schwartz - Vocals
* Jill Richmond - Guitars
* Claudine Troise - Bass guitar
* Stephanie Seymour - Drums and percussion
Associated_acts = Birdy
The Mike Hunt Band

The Aquanettas were an all-girl band from New York City that one New York Times writer said played "classic, basic rock-and-roll: just rugged guitar riffs and lyrics about the more bothersome aspects of romance" [Schoemer, Karen [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE3DF1231F93BA35755C0A966958260&n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FSubjects%2FM%2FMusic In Rocking East Village, The Beat Never Stops] New York Times article. Published: June 8, 1990] . Their music was influenced by classic rock such as Led Zeppelin and punk bands such as X, mixed with surf rock overtones. The band was formed in the late 1980s in New York City, New York by vocalist Deborah Schwartz and Jill Richmond along with bassist Claudine Troise and drummer Stephanie Seymour. The Aquanettas toured nationally and secured a record deal with Canadian record label Nettwerk Productions who also distributed their recordings through IRS Records in the United States. They released one album for IRS/Nettwerk, two Independent EPs and release three singles before breaking up in 1995.

The Aquanettas (1987 - 1995)

Lead vocalist Deborah Schwartz had moved from Voorheesville, NY to Manhattan in January 1986Kahn, Brenda [http://www.womanrock.com/interviews/debby_s.html WomanRock] InterviewsDebby Schwartz] after spending 3 months in Los Angeles, California where she met guitarist Jill Richmond. The band played their first gig in Malibu, CaliforniaFact|date=September 2008 with bassist Robin Barnette,Fact|date=September 2008 a student of Matt Lee, Richmond's on and off boyfriend at the time.Fact|date=September 2008 Schwartz began her career in NYC with the experimental/performance art group The Summit Ensemble [ [http://www.desktopstudio.net/saints/bios.html#DEBBIE The Saints of Festus] ] and when Richmond moved to NYC one year later she re-hooked up with Schwartz and together they formed The Aquanettas along with bassist Claudine Troise and drummer Stephanie Seymour. It is reported that the band took their name from a 1950s actress, Burnu Acquanetta, who supposedly attended a Phoenix, Arizona show in 1990. The name The Aquanettas came from Matt Lee who suggested the name based on the hairspray he used to do his pompadour with as a joke.Fact|date=September 2008

When the band played the New Music Seminar in NYC they signed a deal with Canadian record label Nettwerk Productions [Parks, Trey [http://www.music-reviewer.com/07_98/debut12a.htm music-reviewer.com] review of Debby Schwartz solo CD and interview. July 1998] (who distributed their albums through IRS Records in the United States) and toured nationally, including being a support act for Nine Inch Nails. Called "a seminal all-female group from the early '90's" by some writers, [ [http://www.globalinventure.com/pop/beatles-pop/birdy_supernominal_paraphernalia.html The Inventures] overview of the band "Birdy", drummer Stephanie Seymour's band after The Aquanettas.] singer Joan Osborne has covered their songs in concert [Farber, Jim [http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1996/04/22/1996-04-22_a_night_of_full-blown_joan__.html NY Daily News] "A Night of Full-Blown Joan in her New York Homecoming, Osborne sings Loud and Proud" April 22, 1996] and is a fan, so much so she would later make Deborah Schwartz her first signing on her "Womanly Hips" label. [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5926309/joan_osborne_signs_artists_to_her_label Rolling Stone] "Joan Osborne Signs Artists To Her Label" November 22, 1997] After being dissatisfied with the lack of promotion that IRS Records was giving (not giving) the band they asked to be let go and toured Europe on their own in support of their Indy releases. Jill Richmond would later say she became fond of using a certain slang term used for describing female genitalia while on tour in Great Britain. [Goldman, Andrew [http://www.observer.com/node/41300?observer_most_read_tabs_tab=2 The New York Observer] "No C-Word, Please, We're American! Brits Export Last Linguistic Taboo" April 4, 1999] Their single, "Mind Full of Worry" is included on the soundtrack of Hal Hartley's 1994 film, Amateur and in 1996 a remix of their song "Beach Party" was included on the soundtrack for the feature film [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116783/fullcredits Kissed] , which was distributed by MGM in the United States.

Discography

Albums

Compilations

After the band

Claudine played bass with instrumental band The Vice Royals featuring Pete "The Other White Meat" Linzell, Jay Sherman Godfrey's "The Lazy Jaycees," and Nancy Sexton and the Sugar Monkeys.

Jill played with Mean Reds, with Vinny DeNunzio on drums, Kris Yiengst bass, and Elizabeth Presley on vocals. The Mike Hunt Band (Stones tribute band) was next, and is actually still going strong. Jill is Keith and Tammy Faye Starlight is Mick. Tammy and Jill are currently forming an original band called "Little T & J."

Debby was signed to Womanly Hips, Joan Osborne's Label and recorded "Wrongs of Passage", her 1998 major-label release. Currently, she plays bass with Reshuffle and Lightening Kites. She also sings with P.G. Six and will appear on their upcoming 2006 Drag City release. Debby has been a singer with Loser's Lounge since 1993. She contributed music/lyrics to the musical [http://www.cavemanrobot.com The Adventures of Caveman Robot] in 2006.

Stephanie joined Adam Roth's Psychic Penguin, a pop powerhouse band that featured strong melodies and wicked four-part harmonies. The members of Penguin liked to trade off instruments on stage, and Stephanie sang, played drums on a few songs, and played a lot of percussion in the band. After Penguin, she formed her own band and became lead singer and songwriter for Birdy. The band released two CDs ("Supernominal Paraphernalia" and "Quarantine") on the independent, collective, cooperative label Cropduster Records. She currently sings in The New Ugly, formed with her husband and former Winter Hours guitar player Bob Perry, and she occasionally sings in Loser's Lounge in NYC.

References

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gkogtq2ztu45~T0 Allmusic.com entry]
* [http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,398120,00.html Artistdirect.com entry]
* [http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/aquanettas/artist.jhtml?_requestid=563157 VH1.com The Aquanettas]