The Aquanettas
Encyclopedia
The Aquanettas were an all-girl band from New York City that one New York Times writer said played "classic, basic rock-and-roll: just rugged guitar riffs and lyrics about the more bothersome aspects of romance". Their music was influenced by classic rock such as Led Zeppelin and punk bands such as X, mixed with surf rock overtones. The band was formed in the late 1980s in New York City, New York by vocalist Deborah Schwartz and Jill Richmond along with bassist Claudine Troise and drummer Stephanie Seymour. The Aquanettas toured nationally and secured a record deal with Canadian record label Nettwerk Productions who also distributed their recordings through IRS Records in the United States. They released one album for IRS/Nettwerk
, two Independent EPs and release three singles before breaking up in 1995.
where she met guitarist Jill Richmond. Schwartz began her career in NYC with the experimental/performance art group The Summit Ensemble and when Richmond moved to NYC one year later she re-hooked up with Schwartz and together they formed The Aquanettas along with bassist Claudine Troise and drummer Stephanie Seymour. It is reported that the band took their name from actress Burnu Acquanetta
, who supposedly attended a Phoenix, Arizona show in 1990.
When the band played the New Music Seminar in NYC they signed a deal with Canadian
record label Nettwerk Productions (who distributed their albums through IRS Records in the United States) and toured nationally, including being a support act for Nine Inch Nails
. Called a seminal all-female group from the early '90's by some writers, singer Joan Osborne
has covered their songs in concert and is a fan, so much so she would later make Deborah Schwartz her first signing on her Womanly Hips label. After being dissatisfied with the lack of promotion that IRS Records was giving the band they asked to be let go and toured Europe on their own in support of their Indy releases. Jill Richmond would later say she became fond of using a certain slang term used for describing female genitalia while on tour in Great Britain
. Their single, "Mind Full of Worry" is included on the soundtrack
of Hal Hartley
's 1994 film, Amateur
and in 1996 a remix of their song "Beach Party" was included on the soundtrack for the feature film Kissed, which was distributed by MGM in the United States.
Jill played with Mean Reds, with Vinny DeNunzio on drums, Kris Yiengst bass, and Elizabeth Presley on vocals. The Mike Hunt Band (Stones tribute band) was next, and is actually still going strong. Jill is Keith and Tammy Faye Starlight is Mick. Tammy and Jill are currently forming an original band called "Little T & J."
Debby was signed to Womanly Hips, Joan Osborne
's Label and recorded "Wrongs of Passage", her 1998 major-label release. Currently, she sings and plays bass with P.G. Six band and sang on their 2006 Drag City release "Slightly Sorry". Debby has been a singer with Loser's Lounge
since 1993. She is currently recording an album in NYC.
Stephanie joined Adam Roth's Psychic Penguin, a pop powerhouse band that featured strong melodies and wicked four-part harmonies. The members of Penguin liked to trade off instruments on stage, and Stephanie sang, played drums on a few songs, and played a lot of percussion in the band. After Penguin, she formed her own band and became lead singer and songwriter for Birdy. The band released two CDs ("Supernominal Paraphernalia" and "Quarantine") on the independent, collective, cooperative label Cropduster Records. She currently sings in The New Ugly, formed with her husband and former Winter Hours guitar player Bob Perry, and she occasionally sings in Loser's Lounge
in NYC.
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
, two Independent EPs and release three singles before breaking up in 1995.
The Aquanettas (1987 - 1995)
Lead vocalist Deborah Schwartz had moved from Voorheesville, NY to Manhattan in January 1986 after spending 3 months in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
where she met guitarist Jill Richmond. Schwartz began her career in NYC with the experimental/performance art group The Summit Ensemble and when Richmond moved to NYC one year later she re-hooked up with Schwartz and together they formed The Aquanettas along with bassist Claudine Troise and drummer Stephanie Seymour. It is reported that the band took their name from actress Burnu Acquanetta
Acquanetta
Acquanetta , nicknamed "The Venezuelan Volcano," was a B-movie actress known for her exotic beauty.-Early years:Although accounts differ, Acquanetta claimed she was born Burnu Acquanetta in Ozone, Wyoming...
, who supposedly attended a Phoenix, Arizona show in 1990.
When the band played the New Music Seminar in NYC they signed a deal with Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
record label Nettwerk Productions (who distributed their albums through IRS Records in the United States) and toured nationally, including being a support act for Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
. Called a seminal all-female group from the early '90's by some writers, singer Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...
has covered their songs in concert and is a fan, so much so she would later make Deborah Schwartz her first signing on her Womanly Hips label. After being dissatisfied with the lack of promotion that IRS Records was giving the band they asked to be let go and toured Europe on their own in support of their Indy releases. Jill Richmond would later say she became fond of using a certain slang term used for describing female genitalia while on tour in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. Their single, "Mind Full of Worry" is included on the 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 Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley is an American film director, screenwriter, producer composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s...
's 1994 film, Amateur
Amateur (film)
Amateur is a 1994 film written and directed by Hal Hartley starring Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan and Elina Löwensohn.-Title:The title is also an acronym, encompassing elements of the film* Accountancy* Murder* Amnesia* Torture* Ecstasy...
and in 1996 a remix of their song "Beach Party" was included on the soundtrack for the feature film Kissed, which was distributed by MGM in the United States.
Albums
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Type |
| March 20, 1990 | Love With a Proper Stranger | IRS | LP |
| 1992 | The Aquanettas | ' | EP |
| July 5, 1993 | Roadhaus | Giant/Rockville Dutch East India Trading Dutch East India Trading is an independent record label based in Rockville Centre, New York. It has released music by such artists as Sun Dial, The Orb, The Smiths, Soul-Junk, Die Monster Die, Prong, The Cure, Robert Wyatt, A Guy Called Gerald, Bongwater, Opium Den, Indian Bingo, Meat Beat... |
EP |
Singles
| 1990 | Beach Party | IRS | Single |
| 1991 | Whoa! | Mayor Label Records | Single |
| 1992 | Super Absorbent | Prize Pagoda | Maxi Single |
Soundtracks
| Year | Song | Movie / Album | Record Label | Release Type |
| 1994 | Mind Full of Worry | Amateur Amateur (film) Amateur is a 1994 film written and directed by Hal Hartley starring Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan and Elina Löwensohn.-Title:The title is also an acronym, encompassing elements of the film* Accountancy* Murder* Amnesia* Torture* Ecstasy... |
Matador Records Matador Records Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have... |
Soundtrack / Compilation |
| 1996 | Beach Party (Remix) | Kissed Kissed Kissed is a 1996 Canadian film, directed and co-written by Lynne Stopkewich, based on Barbara Gowdy's short story "We So Seldom Look On Love"... |
Nettwerk Productions | Soundtrack |
Compilations
| 1990 | Nettwerk Sound Sampler Vol. III | Nettwerk Productions | Compilation |
After the band
Claudine played bass with instrumental band The Vice Royals featuring Pete "The Other White Meat" Linzell, Jay Sherman Godfrey's "The Lazy Jaycees," and Nancy Sexton and the Sugar Monkeys.Jill played with Mean Reds, with Vinny DeNunzio on drums, Kris Yiengst bass, and Elizabeth Presley on vocals. The Mike Hunt Band (Stones tribute band) was next, and is actually still going strong. Jill is Keith and Tammy Faye Starlight is Mick. Tammy and Jill are currently forming an original band called "Little T & J."
Debby was signed to Womanly Hips, Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...
's Label and recorded "Wrongs of Passage", her 1998 major-label release. Currently, she sings and plays bass with P.G. Six band and sang on their 2006 Drag City release "Slightly Sorry". Debby has been a singer with Loser's Lounge
Loser's Lounge
Loser's Lounge is an ongoing tribute project which performs music by songwriters and bands like Queen, Serge Gainsbourg, Neil Diamond, Paul Williams, Lee Hazlewood, Devo, and David Bowie. Each show explores greater- and lesser-known works by a single artist, or pits two musical forces against one...
since 1993. She is currently recording an album in NYC.
Stephanie joined Adam Roth's Psychic Penguin, a pop powerhouse band that featured strong melodies and wicked four-part harmonies. The members of Penguin liked to trade off instruments on stage, and Stephanie sang, played drums on a few songs, and played a lot of percussion in the band. After Penguin, she formed her own band and became lead singer and songwriter for Birdy. The band released two CDs ("Supernominal Paraphernalia" and "Quarantine") on the independent, collective, cooperative label Cropduster Records. She currently sings in The New Ugly, formed with her husband and former Winter Hours guitar player Bob Perry, and she occasionally sings in Loser's Lounge
Loser's Lounge
Loser's Lounge is an ongoing tribute project which performs music by songwriters and bands like Queen, Serge Gainsbourg, Neil Diamond, Paul Williams, Lee Hazlewood, Devo, and David Bowie. Each show explores greater- and lesser-known works by a single artist, or pits two musical forces against one...
in NYC.
External links
- [ Allmusic.com entry]
- Artistdirect.com entry
- VH1.com The Aquanettas