Pretty Mary Sunshine
Encyclopedia
Pretty Mary Sunshine was a band
formed in Seattle, Washington
in March 1993.
Almost as quickly as they were formed, they were signed to A&M Records
. Instead of unifying the five piece, being signed to a major record label
hastened their disintegration. "PMS" was contracted to produce two album
s for A&M Records but they only "officially" released one. What was intended to be their first album was recorded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
by Record producer
Keith Cleversley (one time producer of The Flaming Lips
).
The only song from the ill-fated "Oklahoma sessions" that A&M Records released, was "Can I Stay?" (featured in the cult movie soundtrack
of S.F.W.
). In an attempt to market Pretty Mary Sunshine as an indie-rock band, A&M Records also released two previously recorded tracks from the band's demo tape recorded at the Electric Eel Studio, in Seattle.
"Bird Medicine" - the full-length disc the band did manage to release was recorded at A&M Studio "C" in the Winter of 1994-1995. The band was completely dissatisfied with the recording process in Hollywood, with tensions between Kurt & Patrice escalating as the producers steered the band into a sound neither liked. "Bird Medicine" was released with no marketing, support or promotion from A&M. The release date was held back for nearly a year due to attorney squabbles about credits in the liner notes. The band supported the release of this album solely to fulfill contractual obligations with a disastrous tour of the United States
in 1995.
The band broke-up in early 1996, after finally being dropped by their label after a debauched U.S. tour.
Kurt and Patrice went on to form Frownland with the original drummer
, Pam Barger, Paul Hutzler (guitar, multi-instrumentalist and bass guitar
player, Sean Wheatley, of Pretty Mary Sunshine. Joe Howard, aka Joe Skyward, went on to join the Posies
and Sunny Day Real Estate
. Jerry O'Neill went on to record some solo material and then seemingly dropped out of the music world entirely.
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
formed in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in March 1993.
Almost as quickly as they were formed, they were signed to A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. Instead of unifying the five piece, being signed to a major record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
hastened their disintegration. "PMS" was contracted to produce two album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s for A&M Records but they only "officially" released one. What was intended to be their first album was recorded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
by Record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Keith Cleversley (one time producer of The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
).
The only song from the ill-fated "Oklahoma sessions" that A&M Records released, was "Can I Stay?" (featured in the cult movie soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of S.F.W.
S.F.W.
S.F.W. is a 1994 film directed by Jefery Levy. It is based on a novel by Andrew Wellman, and stars Stephen Dorff, Jake Busey and Reese Witherspoon, in one of her first lead roles.-Plot:...
). In an attempt to market Pretty Mary Sunshine as an indie-rock band, A&M Records also released two previously recorded tracks from the band's demo tape recorded at the Electric Eel Studio, in Seattle.
"Bird Medicine" - the full-length disc the band did manage to release was recorded at A&M Studio "C" in the Winter of 1994-1995. The band was completely dissatisfied with the recording process in Hollywood, with tensions between Kurt & Patrice escalating as the producers steered the band into a sound neither liked. "Bird Medicine" was released with no marketing, support or promotion from A&M. The release date was held back for nearly a year due to attorney squabbles about credits in the liner notes. The band supported the release of this album solely to fulfill contractual obligations with a disastrous tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1995.
The band broke-up in early 1996, after finally being dropped by their label after a debauched U.S. tour.
Kurt and Patrice went on to form Frownland with the original drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, Pam Barger, Paul Hutzler (guitar, multi-instrumentalist and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player, Sean Wheatley, of Pretty Mary Sunshine. Joe Howard, aka Joe Skyward, went on to join the Posies
The Posies
The Posies are an alternative rock/power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham, Washington by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. They are best known for their radio hits "Golden Blunders" , as well as "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Flavor of the Month"...
and Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
. Jerry O'Neill went on to record some solo material and then seemingly dropped out of the music world entirely.
Members
- Patrice Tullai - (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) Currently of Frownland and (alicedean) ...http://www.alicedean.us - Kurt Elzner - (rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
) Of the Purdins, Mazzy StarMazzy StarMazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith...
and currently of Frownland and Pet Knives. - Jerry O'Neill aka Gerald Weymeth - (lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, tamburaTamburaThe tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...
, and harmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
) Of John the Baptist (band), the Purdins, Dolly Rocker and Green Gel Records. - Pam Barger - (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) Of Two Nice GirlsTwo Nice GirlsTwo Nice Girls were a self-styled "lesbian rock" band from Austin, Texas, featuring singer-songwriter Gretchen Phillips.The group's original line up was*Gretchen Phillips - guitar, bass, mandolin and vocals...
, the Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone QuartetThe Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone QuartetThe Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet is an all-female, jazz saxophone quartet from Seattle, Washington. They actually consist of five members...
and currently of Frownland. - Joe Howard aka Joe Skyward - (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) Of Sky Cries MarySky Cries MarySky Cries Mary is an American trance rock musical group from Seattle, Washington, that formed in the late 1980s.The husband and wife team of Roderick Wolgamott Romero and Anisa Romero sing dual lead vocals...
, Sunny Day Real EstateSunny Day Real EstateSunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
and the PosiesThe PosiesThe Posies are an alternative rock/power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham, Washington by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. They are best known for their radio hits "Golden Blunders" , as well as "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Flavor of the Month"...
. - Sean Wheatley - (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) Currently of Frownland. - Andy Harderson - (lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
) Of Faceless Chaos. - Mark Wilcox - (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) Of Faceless Chaos, The Verge, and The Cringe. - Bobby Tamkin - ([drums]) of xuxufang, on unreleased recordings from the electric eel.
Discography
- "Jessica b/w Can I Stay?" 7" (Spontaneous Underground aka A&M Records) 1994 - Featuring Pam Barger, Kurt Elzner, Patrice Tullai, Joe Howard and Jerry O'Neill.
- S.F.W.S.F.W.S.F.W. is a 1994 film directed by Jefery Levy. It is based on a novel by Andrew Wellman, and stars Stephen Dorff, Jake Busey and Reese Witherspoon, in one of her first lead roles.-Plot:...
soundtrack "Can I Stay?" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111048/)(A&M RecordsA&M RecordsA&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
) 1994 - Featuring Pam Barger, Kurt Elzner, Patrice Tullai, Joe Howard and Jerry O'Neill. - Bird Medicine (A&M Records) 1995 - Featuring Kurt Elzner, Patrice Tullai, Sean Wheatley, Andy Harderson and Mark Wilcox.