Mistle Thrush was a female-fronted 1990s
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...
band based in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
. They've been described by the ''
Boston Herald'' as
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith has remained the only constant member. The band's ...
-meets-
Fairport Convention.
[Sonic Youth tests new material, Tristram Lozaw, '' Boston Herald'', 036, April 24, 1995.] Steve Morse of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' wrote that Valerie Forgione, the band's singer, has "some of the most versatile pipes since the dream-pop heyday of Kate Bush" and that the "band remains a local treasure". During the band's heyday, their songs frequently charted in
CMJ
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
's Top 200. According to the band's website, they're on hiatus but their last album was released in February 2002. In January 2011, they reunited to play their first concert since 2003. Forgione's current project is called Lovina Falls.
History
Formed in 1993 by guitarists Scott Patalano and Brad Rigney, bassist Ruben Layman, drummer Todd Demma and Forgione (ex-Funeral Party, Twelve Tone Failure), Mistle Thrush took their name from a
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
that eats the poisonous-to-most berries of the
mistletoe plant. Generally identified as
goth
A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were:
*Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history
*Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history
Goth or Goths may also refer to:
* Goth (surname) ...
—although the term, as ''
The Phoenixs
Brett Milano
__NOTOC__
Brett Milano (born 1957) is a Boston-based music critic and columnist. His fourth book, a biography of Game Theory's Scott Miller, was published in October 2015.
Music journalism and writing career
According to the ''Boston Globe'', M ...
later put it, "never quite suited them"—quickly found a home at
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
's
Bedazzled Records, who released the band's debut 7" in 1994. Later that same year, they released a 5-song CD entitled ''
Agus Amàrach''.
In May 1995 they advanced as far as the semi-finals of the 17th annual
WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
The Rock 'n' Roll Rumble (sometimes stylized "Rock & Roll Rumble"; formerly the " WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble"), begun in 1979, is a Greater Boston " battle of the bands" competition sponsored by Boston Emissions, an online local music program f ...
; by the time they put out their full-length debut (1995's ''
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension with water. Silt usually has a floury feel ...
''), Rigney had been replaced by former teenage
Boston hardcore
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier pun ...
semi-star Matthew Kattman (ex-Funny Wagon, Kingpin).
Two years later, they released ''
Super Refraction'' on the "fake"
indie label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
, Egg Records (bankrolled by major label
Elektra).
[Getting a leg up](_blank)
Brett Milano, ''The Phoenix'', January 17, 2002 The album landed them on the ''Boston Heralds "Local Best of 1997" list, with music critic Tristram Lozaw declaring it to be "
lky smart pop with sublime sonics". The album was nominated for a
Boston Music Award for Indie Label Album of the Year, with Forgione also being nominated for Outstanding Local Female Vocalist.
Signing a publishing deal with Warner-Chappell Music, they ultimately used most of the advance money buying out the remainder of their 5-album contract with Egg, with whom they'd become increasingly disillusioned.
During this time-period, band members involved themselves with other creative outlets since the band's recording career was effectively on hold. Forgione received positive reviews for her turn as
Mary Magdalene in the Boston Rock Opera's 2000 production of ''
Jesus Christ Superstar''. Jim Sullivan noted in the ''Boston Globe'' that Forgione "shines during her featured numbers" and that she "belt
out...
hesongs in a manner far from her work with... Mistle Thrush."
All of the legal wrangling involved in extracting themselves from their contract took its toll on the band and Kattman and Layman both left the band. Matthew Klain was recruited to take over on bass, and the band decided they could make do with just one guitarist. In early 2002 the band released what would be their final album, ''
Drunk with You'' on new
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
indie label, Ecstatic. The album was recognized by the Boston Music Awards with a nominations for Local Album of the Year, and Local Song of the Year (for the song "Small").
Discography
Singles and EPs
*"Beside" 7" single (1994,
Bedazzled)
*''
Agus Amàrach'' (1994, Bedazzled)
Albums
*''
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension with water. Silt usually has a floury feel ...
'' (1995, Bedazzled)
*''
Super Refraction'' (1997, Egg)
*''
Drunk with You'' (2002, Ecstatic)
Compilation appearances
*''Kindred Spirits'' CD (1994, Bedazzled) (song: "Whispers")
*''Soon'' CD (1994, Castle von Buhler) (song: "Beyond Reach")
*''Woke Up Smiling'' CD (1995, Bedazzled) (song: "She Is a Flower")
*''Wicked Deluxe'' CD (1996, Wicked Disc) (song: "51 Pegasi: Rocket Song, V.1")
*''Spring Fling'' CD (1996, Pulp Magazine) (song: "Flowereyed" (demo version))
*''No Secrets'' CD (1998, Big Heavy World) (song: "51 Pegasi: Rocket Song, V.2")
*''Notes from thee Real Underground Vol.1'' 3xCD, 2001,
Underground, Inc./
Invisible
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be ''invisible'' (literally, "not visible"). The phenomenon is studied by physics and perceptual psychology.
Since objects can be seen by light in ...
) (songs: "Heavy-Set John", "Jody Stone")
*''Maximum Wage, A Bureau of Dissonant Culture Compilation'' CD (2001, Bureau of Dissonant Culture) (song: "Drowning For William")
Noteworthy bands they've played with
Aerosmith,
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (sometimes abbreviated to BRMC) is an American rock band from San Francisco, California. The group originally consisted of Peter Hayes (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Robert Levon Been (vocals, bass, guitar), and Ni ...
,
The Boo Radleys
The Boo Radleys are an English alternative rock band who were associated with the shoegazing and Britpop movements in the 1990s. They originally formed in Wallasey, England in 1988, with Rob Harrison on drums, singing, singer/electric guitar, g ...
,
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American musical project and band led and started by Anton Newcombe. It was formed in San Francisco in 1990.
The group was the subject of the 2004 documentary film called '' Dig!'', and have gained media not ...
,
The Candy Butchers,
Cranes,
Cindytalk
Cindytalk is an experimental music project, founded in 1982. Cindytalk operated as a group for many years, but more recently has been a solo project by Cinder (musician), Cinder (previously known as Gordon Sharp), a Scottish performer and the o ...
,
David J,
The Fixx
The Fixx are a rock band from London, England, founded in 1979. The band's hits include " One Thing Leads to Another", " Saved by Zero", " Are We Ourselves?", and " Secret Separation", each of which charted in the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot ...
,
Garbage,
Gigolo Aunts
Gigolo Aunts are an American power pop band, who formed in 1981.
Biography Early history
The band was formed by middle school students Steve Hurley, Dave Gibbs, Phil Hurley, and Paul Brouwer in 1981 in Potsdam, New York, United States, origin ...
,
Helium
Helium (from el, ἥλιος, helios, lit=sun) is a chemical element with the symbol He and atomic number 2. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas and the first in the noble gas group in the periodic table. ...
,
Ivy
''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...
,
Love and Rockets,
Love Spit Love
Love Spit Love was an alternative rock band founded in 1992 by singer Richard Butler during the 1990s hiatus of the Psychedelic Furs.
History
When the Psychedelic Furs went on extended hiatus in 1992, Richard Butler contacted guitarist Richard ...
,
Lush,
Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev is an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in Buffalo, New York.
Original personnel were Morphine
Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. T ...
, My Own Worst Enemy,
Amanda Palmer,
The Push Stars, Rockets burst from the Streetlamps,
Seven Mary Three
Seven Mary Three (occasionally abbreviated to 7 Mary 3 or 7M3) was an American rock band. They released seven studio albums and one live album, and are best known for their hit single "Cumbersome".
Career Formation
Seven Mary Three formed in ...
,
Slowdive
Slowdive is a British rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell on vocals and guitar, Neil Halstead on vocals and guitar, Christian Savill on guitar, Nick Chaplin on bass and Simon Scott on d ...
,
Sonic Youth,
Splashdown
Splashdown is the method of landing a spacecraft by parachute in a body of water. It was used by crewed American space capsules prior to the Space Shuttle program, by SpaceX Dragon and Dragon 2 capsules and by NASA's Orion Multipurpose Crew ...
,
Spiritualized
Spiritualized (stylised as Spiritualized®) are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Jason Pierce (often known as J. Spaceman), formerly of Spacemen 3. After several line up-changes, in 1999, the band centered on Pi ...
,
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Mor ...
,
Jen Trynin
Jennifer Trynin (born 1963), is an American singer-songwriter and author from Boston, Massachusetts.
Career
She recorded her debut album '' Cockamamie'' in 1994 while running her own desktop publishing business. The track "Better Than Nothi ...
,
Steve Wynn
Stephen Alan Wynn (''né'' Weinberg; born January 27, 1942) is an American real estate developer and art collector. He is known for his involvement in the American luxury casino and hotel industry. Early in his career he oversaw the construction ...
.
[After 18 Years of The Cure, Robert Smith Gets Happy, Jim Sullivan, ''The Boston Globe'', C16, November 28, 1997]
References
;Other sources
*Matthew Chabe
Mistle Thrush: Drunk With You ''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'', July 11, 2002
*Tristram Lozaw,
Mistle Thrush says goodbye to its Gothic-rocking roots, ''
Boston Herald'', April 18, 1997
External links
Official website*
*
Boston Soundcheck Magazine', Interview
* https://lovinafalls.com Lovina Falls - Valerie Forgione's current project
{{Authority control
Alternative rock groups from Massachusetts
American shoegaze musical groups
Musical groups established in 1993
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
1993 establishments in Massachusetts
Underground, Inc. artists
American gothic rock groups
Ethereal wave musical groups