The Frumpies were an American
lo-fi
Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...
punk rock band formed in 1992 in
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region.
Europea ...
, United States. The original line-up consisted of singers/guitarists
Tobi Vail,
Kathi Wilcox, and
Billy Karren
William Francis Karren is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist of the punk/ riot grrrl band Bikini Kill, formed by Kathleen Hanna, with Karren, Tobi Vail and Kathi Wilcox. He was also active in many other music projects, inclu ...
(all of whom were also a part of the legendary
riot grrrl
Riot grrrl is an underground feminist punk movement that began during the early 1990s within the United States in Olympia, Washington and the greater Pacific Northwest and has expanded to at least 26 other countries. Riot grrrl is a subcul ...
band
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill is an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990. The group consisted of singer and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band pioneered the r ...
), and
Bratmobile
Bratmobile was an American punk band from Olympia, Washington, active from 1991 to 2003, and known for being one of the first-generation "riot grrrl" bands. The band was influenced by several eclectic musical styles, including elements of pop, ...
drummer
Molly Neuman
Molly Neuman (born June 18, 1972) is an American drummer, writer and publisher, originally from the Washington, D.C. area who has performed in such influential bands as Bratmobile, the Frumpies, and the PeeChees. She was a pioneer of the early- ...
.
Their debut was the 7-inch single ''Alien Summer Nights'' on the
Chainsaw Records
Chainsaw Records is an independent record label run by Donna Dresch that is devoted to Queercore bands. The label is in Portland, Oregon.
History
''Chainsaw'' began life as a zine published by Donna Dresch in the late 1980s. Musicians and writ ...
label. ''Babies and Bunnies'' was recorded in 1993, with future
Make-Up
Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protect ...
and
Weird War
Weird War, briefly known as Scene Creamers, is an indie rock band based out of Washington, D.C. The current lineup consists of Ian Svenonius on vocals, Michelle Mae on bass guitar, Alex Minoff on guitar, and Sebastian Thomson on drums.
Weird ...
bassist
Michelle Mae
Michelle Mae is an American musician from the state of Washington, who is known for playing in rock 'n' roll groups such as The Make-Up and Weird War.
Biography
Mae began playing with underground bands in Olympia, Washington in the mid-1990s, in ...
signing on long enough to record "Tommy Slich."
After a two-year hiatus, the Frumpies reunited in 1996, releasing the EP ''Eunuch Nights''. The CD collection ''Frumpie One Piece'' assembled all of the band's previous singles.
The group's last release was the 2000 EP "Frumpies Forever."
Discography
*''Alien Summer Nights'' (7" EP) CHSW 6, released 1993.
*''Babies & Bunnies'' (7" EP) KRS213, released 1993-08.
*''Tommy Slich'' (7", EP) Lookout 091, released 1993.
*''Safety First'' (7", EP) WIJ31V, released 1994.
*''Eunuch Nights'' (7" EP) KRS322, released: 1998-09-23.
*''Frumpie One-Piece'' (CD) KRS335, released: 1998-10-23.
*''Frumpies Forever'' (7" EP) KRS366, released: 2000-08-01.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frumpies, The
Punk rock groups from Washington (state)
Musical groups from Olympia, Washington
Riot grrrl bands
Garage punk groups