Career

The original band of Suzanne Scott (bassist / vocalist), Paula Richards (guitarist / vocalist) and Karen Yarnell (drummer) got together in 1980 but first played as The Gymslips in August 1981. The band supported the Dolly Mixture

Dolly Mixture

Dolly Mixture were a British post-punk/new wave band formed in 1978 by bassist and vocalist Debsey Wykes , guitarist and vocalist Rachel Bor , and drummer Hester Smith...

 on a UK tour. They contributed the song Midnight city all girl compilation LP, "Making Waves". A tour supporting the Androids of Mu and Rock Goddess

Rock Goddess

Rock Goddess was an all-female heavy metal band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal era that briefly enjoyed cult status in the early 1980s in Great Britain.-History:...

 followed. In the spring of 1982 they recorded their first of five sessions for John Peel

John Peel

John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...

 after which they signed to Abstract Records. Their first single "48 Crash" (a cover of the Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro

Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro is an American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor.She scored a string of hit singles in the 1970s that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, and had a recurring role on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.-Music:Quatro began her...

 hit) was released in November 1982 and the follow-up "Big Sister" was released at the beginning of 983

983

Year 983 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Wood carvers commissioned by China's Song Dynasty complete a carving of the entire Buddhist canon for printing .* The reign of Amir Adhad ad-Dowleh of Buwayhid ends.* Sharaf ad-Dawla becomes Amir Buwayhid.* The...

. April 1983 saw the release of their "Rocking with the Renees" LP which also saw the band expand to a four piece with the addition of keyboardist Kathy Barnes. With two further John Peel sessions, good reviews for the "Robot Man" single and the release of the album in a different sleeve and with the title "Drink Problem" for the American market, The Gymslips' future looked bright. But twelve months of personnel and contractual problems led to Paula having to recruit a new line up and start all over again. With Karen Kay on bass, Sue Vickers on keyboards and Michelle Chowrimootoo on drums The Gymslips recorded their final Peel session in the summer of 1984 before issuing their last single "Evil Eye" (produced by the Angelic Upstarts

Angelic Upstarts

Angelic Upstarts are an English punk rock/Oi! band formed in South Shields in 1977. The band espoused an anti-fascist and socialist working class philosophy, and have been associated with the skinhead subculture...

' Mond Cowie) in early 1985 and then calling it a day soon after its release. Karen Yarnell went onto join Serious Drinking

Serious Drinking

Serious Drinking were a humorous punk rock band from Norwich, England whose lyrical themes often covered football and drinking.-History:The band formed in February 1981, taking their name from a Sounds headline to an interview with The Cockney Rejects, with most members having met at the University...

 and The Blubbery Hellbellies. Paula Richards joined The Deltones and then Potato 5 before again teaming up with Yarnell in band called The Renees and issuing the LP "Have you got it" as well as contributing the track "He called me a fat pig and walked out on me" to the female only compilation "Postcard from Paradise".

Discography

Singles and EP's

Title	Release date	Label	Catalog No:
"48 Crash/Miss Nunsweeta"	1982	Abstract	ABS011
"Big Sister/Yo-yo/Pie'n'Mash"	1983	Abstract	ABS014
"Robot Man/Multi Coloured Sugar/Take Away"	1983	Abstract	ABS015
"Evil Eye/Wonderland"	1985	Abstract	ABS033
"Evil Eye/Wonderland/Don't Lead Me On "	1985	Abstract	12ABS033

Albums

Title	Release date	Label	Catalog No:
"Rocking with the Renees"	1983	Abstract	ABT006