Scrawl was an American
indie rock trio based in
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
, and active from the mid-1980s.
History
The band formed in 1985, originally under the name Skull.
The founding members were Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harshe (bass guitar, backing vocals, songwriting), and Carolyn O'Leary (drums). Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the
Meat Puppets, and inspired the band to find a new name, "Scrawl", that sounded a bit like Skull. Their first album, ''Plus, Also, Too'', was self-produced (with Andy Izold) and released in 1987 on the local label No Other Records. The following year the band was signed to the ill-fated
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove. Having successfully promoted and sold records by punk rock and early post-pun ...
U.S., for whom they released two albums, ''He's Drunk'' (produced by Jim Rondinelli) and ''Smallmouth'' (produced by
Gary Smith).
When Rough Trade U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 1990, the band placed a successful bid to purchase back their master recordings during an auction held during the label's Chapter 11 proceedings. Their next release, a seven-track EP called ''Bloodsucker'', was released on the Chicago-based Feel Good All Over label (then reissued on Simple Machines Records).
Drummer O'Leary left the group in May 1992, and was replaced by Dana Marshall.
They recorded their next album, ''Velvet Hammer'', in 1993. It was engineered by
Steve Albini (around the time he produced
Nirvana's ''
In Utero''), and released on the
Simple Machines
A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called leverage) to multiply force. Usually the term refer ...
label. The band was then signed their first major label deal with
Elektra, for whom they released two albums, ''
Travel On, Rider
''Travel On, Rider'' is the fifth studio album by Columbus, Ohio-based rock band Scrawl. It was released in 1996 on Elektra Records, making it the band's major-label debut. It was produced by Steve Albini and Jeff Powell.
In a favorable review, Gi ...
'', and ''Nature Film''. Only six weeks after ''Nature Film'' came out Elektra dropped Scrawl.
Marcy Mays appeared as lead singer on "My Curse" from the album ''
Gentlemen
A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...
'' by
the Afghan Whigs. The Whigs also recorded a cover of "Ready" from Scrawl's ''He's Drunk'' with Mays sharing vocals with
Greg Dulli. The recording was released as a B-side on the Afghan Whigs' Debonair single, and later appeared on a promotional CD ''
The B-Sides/The Conversation
''The B-Sides/The Conversation'' is a promo EP by the band The Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members ...
'' and on the remastered '
''Gentlemen' At 21''. Mays performed live with the Afghan Whigs at the
Reading Festival 1994 and, more recently, with the reunited Whigs at
All Tomorrow's Parties I'll Be Your Mirror USA 2012.
Discography
References
External links
Sue Harshe's MySpace page
{{Authority control
All-female bands
Musical groups from Columbus, Ohio
Proto-riot grrrl bands