Lynda L. Stipe (born September 30, 1962) is an American singer and bass guitarist. She is best recognized for her involvement in the bands
Oh-OK
Oh-OK was an American musical group from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1981 with singer/lyricist Linda Hopper, bassist/vocalist/lyricist Lynda Stipe, and drummer David Pierce. Other members later included drummer David McNair and guitarist Matthew Sw ...
,
Hetch Hetchy
Hetch Hetchy is a valley, a reservoir, and a water system in California in the United States. The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. For thousands of years bef ...
and Flash to Bang Time. She is the younger sister of
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
's lead singer
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence.
Pos ...
.
Biography
In 1980, Lynda Stipe became involved in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
' music scene when she was invited by her older brother
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence.
Pos ...
to serve as the opening act for one of his bands. Along with vocalist
Linda Hopper
Linda Elizabeth Hopper is the vocalist for the Atlanta, Georgia-based rock group Magnapop. Her pop punk/power pop vocal style helped to define the band's sound and she has co-written their minor hit singles " Slowly, Slowly" and " Open the Door" ...
and drummer David Pierce, the group performed several songs live at the
40 Watt Club
The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and new wave music.
The 40 Watt Club was the primary performance space for numero ...
. The songs written for that performance would be recorded in the studio for
Oh-OK
Oh-OK was an American musical group from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1981 with singer/lyricist Linda Hopper, bassist/vocalist/lyricist Lynda Stipe, and drummer David Pierce. Other members later included drummer David McNair and guitarist Matthew Sw ...
's first single. The band produced one single and an album before parting ways in 1984.
Stipe later formed
Hetch Hetchy
Hetch Hetchy is a valley, a reservoir, and a water system in California in the United States. The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. For thousands of years bef ...
with boyfriend and fellow musician Jay Totty in 1988, with her serving as lead vocalist and bass guitarist. In 1988, they recorded the
EP ''
Make Djibouti'' with several friends. It was issued through
Texas Hotel and was produced by Michael Stipe. Afterward, Stipe and Totty opted to continue recording as a duo. Hetch Hetchy's debut album ''
Swollen
Edema, also spelled oedema, and also known as fluid retention, dropsy, hydropsy and swelling, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin which feels tight, the area ma ...
'' was released in 1990 and marked a musical departure from the band's previous recordings. Produced by
Hahn Rowe
Hahn Rowe is an American violinist, guitarist, composer, and engineer/producer, involved in a wide range of projects. He also performs using the stage name Somatic.
Career
Originally a violinist and guitarist with New York City dream-poppers H ...
and
Tim Sommer
Timothy Andrew Sommer (born March 5, 1962 in New York City) is an American music journalist, musician, record producer and former Atlantic Records A&R representative. Sommer was the bass player for the slowcore/dreampop band Hugo Largo.
Mu ...
of
Hugo Largo
Hugo Largo was an American musical group formed in 1984, known for their unique lineup: two bass guitars, a violin and singer/performance artist Mimi Goese. Their sound has been characterized as art rock, dream pop, ambient and avant-rock.
Hist ...
, the music drew inspiration from
gothic rock,
dream pop
Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as ...
and British folk music.
Stipe has noted that the album better represented her writing abilities and contained arrangements that were better realized. A new Hetch Hetchy record was in development but Stipe and Totty broke off their relationship, effectively ending the group in 1991.
Discography
Oh-OK
Oh-OK was an American musical group from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1981 with singer/lyricist Linda Hopper, bassist/vocalist/lyricist Lynda Stipe, and drummer David Pierce. Other members later included drummer David McNair and guitarist Matthew Sw ...
Hetch Hetchy
Hetch Hetchy is a valley, a reservoir, and a water system in California in the United States. The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. For thousands of years bef ...
Other appearances
References
General
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*
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stipe, Lynda
1962 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
American rock singers
American women singer-songwriters
American women rock singers
Women bass guitarists
Musicians from Athens, Georgia
People from Decatur, Georgia
Guitarists from Georgia (U.S. state)
20th-century American women singers
20th-century American bass guitarists
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American bass guitarists
20th-century American women writers
Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)