The Holy Sisters of the Gaga Dada
Encyclopedia
The Holy Sisters of the Gaga Dada were an eclectic band from Santa Cruz, California
, USA
formed in 1981. They were voted "Best Alternative Rock Band of the Year" by L.A. Weekly. The collaboration of keyboardist
Mary Jean Shaffer and guitarist
Blanca Black, the Holy Sisters reveled in eccentric, quasi-religious imagery and feminist politics. Other original members included Heidi Puckett (bass) and Jeff Grubic (tenor sax). As the band morphed from conceptual entity to frequent club performers, Black left and two new members were added, Jill Fido (bass
) and Charles Bingham (drums
). Kim Sockit later replaced Puckett, and Zero Jessephski, Jr. replaced Bingham, making the Holy Sisters of the Gaga Dada an all-female band. The group would later move to Hollywood, California.
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
formed in 1981. They were voted "Best Alternative Rock Band of the Year" by L.A. Weekly. The collaboration of keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Mary Jean Shaffer and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Blanca Black, the Holy Sisters reveled in eccentric, quasi-religious imagery and feminist politics. Other original members included Heidi Puckett (bass) and Jeff Grubic (tenor sax). As the band morphed from conceptual entity to frequent club performers, Black left and two new members were added, Jill Fido (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Charles Bingham (drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
). Kim Sockit later replaced Puckett, and Zero Jessephski, Jr. replaced Bingham, making the Holy Sisters of the Gaga Dada an all-female band. The group would later move to Hollywood, California.
Personnel
- Jill Fido: bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, 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... - Wild Kim Sockit: guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, penny whistle, vocals - Mary Jean Shaffer: keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Zero Jessephski, Jr.: 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 ....
, toys, percussion
Discography
- Let's Get Acquainted (1986; Bomp! RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - At Dianne's Place (compilation; includes "Round and Round") (1987; Penultimate Records)
- Gaga at the Gogo EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
(1989; Bomp! RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - Radio Tokyo Tapes Vol. 4 (compilation; includes one song, a cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Paranoid" by Black SabbathBlack SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
) (1989; Chameleon Records)