Ah, queercore, we're talking about you yet again. If you were young and gay in the mid 90s you probably have extremely fond memories of Team Dresch. Probably the single most important queercore band, not only for being recognized as the band that helped bring the movement to the forefront of indie music for a short time, but also because of the fact that Donna Dresch and Jody Bleyle were both running labels that were focused on releasing good music, most of it queer. Also, the members of Team Dresch were all extremely talented musicians and that set the bar higher for the next crop of queer bands.
To this day my favorite song is from their first 7" release on Kill Rock Stars. The guitar lead is pretty much the best thing in the world. I spent much time bonding with someone over this song, two young queer girls obsessed with music connected by the usps. Hearing this song was a turning point - finally there was music for me, made by people like me - and I never looked back. Seeing Team Dresch and Bikini Kill at Gilman is one of those shows that will forever be burned in my memory. Anyway, the song...
Hand Grenade
Team Dresch released two full length albums and had assorted tracks on compilations. This song comes from the Free To Fight compilation that Chainsaw and Candy-Ass co-released. It's a fun and funny short song that I always liked for the slight silliness of it. Plus, a nod to Ann Bannon! Before the Ann Bannon revival was going crazy!
Song For Ann Bannon
Last summer I saw the band play. They had played shows occasionally over the years after their breakup. I had avoided seeing them, afraid of going back and ruining it all. It was actually pretty awesome to see the crowd last year. A great mix of those of us who were around the first time and a whole crop of kids who were too young to have seen them back then. Last I heard, they are supposed to be recording a new record and based on the new songs they played last year I'm pretty excited!
5 comments:
Team Dresch were the Beatles of queercore, and Tribe 8 were the Stones.
To this day, I think Personal Best is probably my favorite album of the 90s. Play two bars and I'm 21 again. I even have Free to Fight on vinyl.
that may be the best comparison i've ever heard! not surprisingly, i'll take the beatles over the stones any day.
the start of "personal best" is one of the most effective beginnings of a record ever. tension and release. brilliant.
when free to fight came out i bought the cd and the vinyl. somewhere along the way i lost the vinyl! i think an ex took off with a lot of my vinyl...
I love them both, with all my heart. Missing Team Dresch playing here in 94 was the event that convinced me never to miss a show for a fight with a girlfriend. The fight will still be there, the show will not.
that is a good rule to live by. i have an ex who used to pull shit when I had to play a show. not cool!
Kaia is still turning out music, and she just released an online album of old clips from the 90's. It includes a rare version of "Hand Grenade" acoustic. It's worth tracking down. I also have an even rarer audio copy of the TD Homocore show, Labor Day, 1994 from the Fireside bowl in Chicago. I keep saying I am going to move it to CD before I lose the tape. It was recorded from the soundboard, and it's probably one of my most prized possessions. I had mono during the show, and I was lying in the bowling lanes to cool my fever in between sets.....
Post a Comment