Candy Ass Records
Encyclopedia
Candy Ass Records is an independent record label
run out of Portland, Oregon
by Jody Bleyle
, a member of the band Team Dresch
as well as member of Hazel (band)
and formerly of the queercore
bands Family Outing and Infinite Xs.
The label is best known for the 1995 release of the double LP compilation Free to Fight
. Featuring all-women bands and musicians such as The Third Sex
, Rebecca Gates of The Spinanes
, Fifth Column, Containe, Heavens to Betsy
, Excuse 17
, Lois
, Cheesecake and Team Dresch, all contributing songs dealing with women's safety, defense against harassment and rape
and pertinent topics surrounding these issues. The recording also featured self defense instructions led by Anna LoBianco and Staci Cotler, which were included in a 75 page illustrated booklet accompanying the LPs/CD. As well, the booklet contained a great variety of other contributions from women such as bell hooks
, Sue P. Fox and others, in the form of stories, practical advice and poems, all dealing with self defense.
Jody Bleyle is interviewed in the documentary film She's Real, Worse Than Queer speaking about Candy Ass Records and the release of Free to Fight, along with Alice Stagg, who contributed several segments on self defense on the recording and accompanied Team Dresch on the tour promoting the release.
Candy Ass also co-released, with Chainsaw Records, the first Team Dresch LP, Personal Best, in 1994 and the band's second LP, Captain My Captain, in 1995. Jody Bleyle also released recordings by her other band Hazel
.
After the release of Free to Fight, the label planned to issued several follow-up singles by various artists under the same name as the original compilation and dealing with the same issues. The first release, called Free to Fight #1, was a split single with Sleater-Kinney
and Cypher in the Snow
accompanied by self defense tips. However, this first release was also to be the last, due to the label's financial constraints.
Aside from these endeavors the label has also released recordings by many other artists, such as The Lookers (with Sarah Dougher
), Vegas Beat, and Cypher in the Snow
.
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
run out of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
by Jody Bleyle
Jody Bleyle
Jody Bleyle is an American musician, songwriter and independent record label owner.Jody Bleyle first gained public attention in the Pacific Northwest music scene of the 1990s, in the Portland, Oregon–based band Hazel. The group, formed in 1992, released two albums on the Sub Pop label, to critical...
, a member of the band Team Dresch
Team Dresch
Team Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
as well as member of Hazel (band)
Hazel (band)
Hazel was an United States alternative rock band based in Portland, Oregon. The group was a quartet, consisting of Jody Bleyle , Pete Krebs , Brady Smith , and Fred Nemo ....
and formerly of the queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
bands Family Outing and Infinite Xs.
The label is best known for the 1995 release of the double LP compilation Free to Fight
Free to Fight
Free to Fight is a project consisting of a 1995 double album and booklet, and a single later released by Candy Ass Records.The release is subtitled "an interactive self-defense project." The theme of the project is self-defense for women, and it includes records featuring all-women bands and a...
. Featuring all-women bands and musicians such as The Third Sex
The Third Sex
The Third Sex was a popular queercore band formed in 1993, in Portland, Oregon. The Third Sex featured Trish Walsh on guitar and vocals, Peyton Marshall on bass and vocals -- and, initially, a series of drummers. Although a smaller band, they helped propagate the queercore movement across the country...
, Rebecca Gates of The Spinanes
The Spinanes
The Spinanes was an indie band from Olympia, Portland and Chicago, in the 1990s. The founding members were Rebecca Gates and Scott Plouf ....
, Fifth Column, Containe, Heavens to Betsy
Heavens to Betsy
Heavens to Betsy was an American indie-punk band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1991. They were part of the DIY riot grrrl movement in the punk rock underground in the early 1990s, and were the first band of Sleater-Kinney vocalist/guitarist Corin Tucker....
, Excuse 17
Excuse 17
Excuse 17 was a punk rock band from Olympia, Washington that performed and recorded from 1993 to 1995.Carrie Brownstein, Becca Albee and CJ Phillips came together to form Excuse 17, a band that would only last a few years but would prove to be influential. Carrie and Becca both played guitar and...
, Lois
Lois Maffeo
Courtney Love is an American musician and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Although never achieving mainstream success, she has been closely involved with and influenced many independent musicians, especially in the 90s Olympia, Seattle and DC based musician.-as Lois Maffeo:albums*The...
, Cheesecake and Team Dresch, all contributing songs dealing with women's safety, defense against harassment and rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and pertinent topics surrounding these issues. The recording also featured self defense instructions led by Anna LoBianco and Staci Cotler, which were included in a 75 page illustrated booklet accompanying the LPs/CD. As well, the booklet contained a great variety of other contributions from women such as bell hooks
Bell hooks
Gloria Jean Watkins , better known by her pen name bell hooks, is an American author, feminist, and social activist....
, Sue P. Fox and others, in the form of stories, practical advice and poems, all dealing with self defense.
Jody Bleyle is interviewed in the documentary film She's Real, Worse Than Queer speaking about Candy Ass Records and the release of Free to Fight, along with Alice Stagg, who contributed several segments on self defense on the recording and accompanied Team Dresch on the tour promoting the release.
Candy Ass also co-released, with Chainsaw Records, the first Team Dresch LP, Personal Best, in 1994 and the band's second LP, Captain My Captain, in 1995. Jody Bleyle also released recordings by her other band Hazel
Hazel (band)
Hazel was an United States alternative rock band based in Portland, Oregon. The group was a quartet, consisting of Jody Bleyle , Pete Krebs , Brady Smith , and Fred Nemo ....
.
After the release of Free to Fight, the label planned to issued several follow-up singles by various artists under the same name as the original compilation and dealing with the same issues. The first release, called Free to Fight #1, was a split single with Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
and Cypher in the Snow
Cypher in the Snow
Cypher in the Snow were an all women queercore band from San Francisco.One of the band's first appearances was at the Dirtybird Queercore Festival in San Francisco in 1996. This historic festival also featured Tribe 8, Sta-Prest, Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live, The Need and many others...
accompanied by self defense tips. However, this first release was also to be the last, due to the label's financial constraints.
Aside from these endeavors the label has also released recordings by many other artists, such as The Lookers (with Sarah Dougher
Sarah Dougher
-Career:Dougher has a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of Texas. Apart from her musical endeavours, Dougher teaches courses on the History of Women in Rock music and Lyric Poetry in the Women's Studies department at Portland State University...
), Vegas Beat, and Cypher in the Snow
Cypher in the Snow
Cypher in the Snow were an all women queercore band from San Francisco.One of the band's first appearances was at the Dirtybird Queercore Festival in San Francisco in 1996. This historic festival also featured Tribe 8, Sta-Prest, Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live, The Need and many others...
.
Artists appearing on Candy Ass Records
- Cheesecake
- Containe
- Cypher in the SnowCypher in the SnowCypher in the Snow were an all women queercore band from San Francisco.One of the band's first appearances was at the Dirtybird Queercore Festival in San Francisco in 1996. This historic festival also featured Tribe 8, Sta-Prest, Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live, The Need and many others...
- Excuse 17Excuse 17Excuse 17 was a punk rock band from Olympia, Washington that performed and recorded from 1993 to 1995.Carrie Brownstein, Becca Albee and CJ Phillips came together to form Excuse 17, a band that would only last a few years but would prove to be influential. Carrie and Becca both played guitar and...
- Fifth Column
- Rebecca Gates
- HazelHazel (band)Hazel was an United States alternative rock band based in Portland, Oregon. The group was a quartet, consisting of Jody Bleyle , Pete Krebs , Brady Smith , and Fred Nemo ....
- Heavens to BetsyHeavens to BetsyHeavens to Betsy was an American indie-punk band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1991. They were part of the DIY riot grrrl movement in the punk rock underground in the early 1990s, and were the first band of Sleater-Kinney vocalist/guitarist Corin Tucker....
- Heavy Johnson Trio
- LoisLois MaffeoCourtney Love is an American musician and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Although never achieving mainstream success, she has been closely involved with and influenced many independent musicians, especially in the 90s Olympia, Seattle and DC based musician.-as Lois Maffeo:albums*The...
- The Lookers
- Mizzery
- New Bad ThingsNew Bad ThingsNew Bad Things were a Portland, Oregon indie rock band active during the 1990s. They recorded for Candy Ass Records,Rainforest Records, Lissy's Records, Pop Secret, Punk in my Vitamins Records, Kill Rock Stars, and Freewheel Records....
- Ovarian Trolley
- Sleater-KinneySleater-KinneySleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
- Surf Maggots
- Team DreschTeam DreschTeam Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
- The Third SexThe Third SexThe Third Sex was a popular queercore band formed in 1993, in Portland, Oregon. The Third Sex featured Trish Walsh on guitar and vocals, Peyton Marshall on bass and vocals -- and, initially, a series of drummers. Although a smaller band, they helped propagate the queercore movement across the country...
- Thirty Ought Six
- Vegas Beat
- VeronicaVeronica (singer)Veronica is a dance music singer and theatrical actress. Along with singers Ultra Nate, Deborah Cox, she is considered to be one of the divas of the 1990s club music scene...