Screamin' Sirens was an American

all-female band An all-female band is a musical ensemble, musical group in popular music that is exclusively composed of female musicians. This is distinct from a girl group, in which the female members are solely vocalists, though this terminology is not universa ...

from

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

that recorded from 1983 to 1987. The band combined

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...

and a dash of

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

to create an eclectic wild party music. Screamin' Sirens predated what is usually referred to as

alternative country Alternative country (commonly abbreviated to alt-country; also known as alternative country rock, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative) is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that diffe ...

, but influenced that subgenre's development.

History

:Formation Screamin' Sirens were formed in Hollywood, California in around 1983. The band was formed by drummer/vocalist Boom Boom Laffoon and vocalist Pleasant Gehman, who recalled in a 1986 '' Flipside'' interview:

I just wanted to have a really wild all-girl band that was like a gang or something. And Boom Boom was the only drummer I could think of so even though we hated each other I wound up calling her anyway. We had all the same ideas about bands and life and drinking and everything.

Laffoon brought in, "the best girl guitarist and vocalist I ever met," Rosie Flores. Boom Boom and Rosie previously played together in Keith Joe Dick and the Goners (with cowboy punk legend Gary Dixon as lead guitarist/songwriter. After going through two bassists who quickly left, Rosie answered the band's ad in the Hollywood Times and tried out for the band in October 1980.XX .. Then the band added guitarist Rosie Flores, namesake of the band Rosie and the Screamers, with whom Laffoon was acquainted from her time with Keith Joe Dick and the Goners. The trio added bassist Laura Bandit, a veteran of the minor punk bands One Doesn't Swallow and Hard as Nails, Cheap as Dirt. A fifth member of the group, Marsky Reins, played

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

in addition to guitar, helping the band to achieve a signature punked up country and western sound. Sporting cowboy boots and western skirts, the band delivered a high energy live show. "A lot of people tell us we've got more balls than any girl band they've seen because we get real wild onstage," Pleasant Gehman noted. "We're not into wimpiness at all." The band portrayed The She-Devils in Max Tash's film '' The Runnin' Kind'', which took its name from a song written by sister and brother Diane Boom Boom Dixon and Gary Dixon (Fur Dixon's husband). :Lineup changes The band had several lineup changes over the course of their existence, adding Miiko Watanabe on bass as well as former Pandoras drummer Casey Gomez. :Later bands Original drummer and songwriter Diane 'Boom Boom' Dixon went on to play with the Baloney Heads and the Real Dixons in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

. Pleasant Gehman became a writer and editor, professional dancer and a member of the Ringling Sisters. Rosie Flores went on to have a successful solo career in the alternative country and

scene. Genny Schorr, the original guitar player, was also in the original line-up of all girl band Backstage Pass and was involved in The Masque. She later owned Rock clothing store Strait Jacket with

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...

's manager Jake Riviera. She was associated with bands such as The Bangles as Stylist. Miiko Watanabe went on to play with American Girls. Fur Dixon went on to play in The Cramps, The Dixons, Fur Dixon and Blow Up, Fur Dixon and Steve Werner, and a new band she formed in 2015, WTFUKUSHIMA!

Personnel

* Diane ("Boom-Boom") Dixon:

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

and

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

* Pleasant Gehman: vocals * Annette Zilinskas:

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

and vocals * Genny Schorr: guitar & vocals * Fur Dixon: bass & vocals * Shayn Taylor-Shubert: bass and vocals; switched to lead

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

before quitting * Marsky Reins:

, rhythm guitar, vocals * Rosie Flores: lead

, vocals (replaced Shayn Taylor-Shubert) * Miiko Watanabe: bass * Laura Bandit: bass; later switched to rhythm guitar * Casey Gomez: drums * Kathryn Grimm: guitar * Brie Howard: played live with the band after shooting the film "The Running Kind"

Discography

:Albums *''Fiesta!''

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

Enigma Records Enigma Records (also known as Enigma Entertainment Corporation) was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. History Enigma Records launched as a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/d ...

produced by Michael Reid, Greg Humphrey & Brian Ahern *''Voodoo''

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

, Restless Records produced by Ethan James :Singles *UK Import 45 "You're Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" b/w "Runnin' Kind" 1984 Beach Culture Records *''Fiesta!''

produced by Michael Reid, Greg Humphrey & Brian Ahern :Compilations *"Sound of Hollywood Women" 1983 Mystic Records track: "Ugly & Slouchy" (compilation) *" Rodney on the ROQ" 1983 compilation track "Black And White Thunderbird", original song by the Delicates 1959. *"Hell Comes To Your House" 1983

compilation tracks: "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad", "Runnin' Kind" *

Enigma Variations Edward Elgar composed his ''Variations on an Original Theme'', Op. 36, popularly known as the ''Enigma Variations'', between October 1898 and February 1899. It is an orchestral work comprising fourteen variations on an original theme. Elgar ...

- 1985

compilation, track: "Maniac" *"Radio Tokyo Tapes" 1985 Compilation, Chameleon Records track "Little White Lies" *"Skaterock" 1986 Thrasher records track: "Heartbreak Train *"Reform School Girls (soundtrack) 1987 track: "Love Slave"

References

External links

* {{authority control All-female punk bands Restless Records artists Enigma Records artists

History

Personnel

Discography

See also

References

External links