The Pussywillows

The Pussywillows were a group that featured Elinor Blake, Lisa Dembling and Lisa Jenio. Their recordings have appeared on the Kill the Moonlight soundtrack, and the Rutles Highway Revisited album.

The Pussywillows
OriginNew York City, United States
GenresPop
Years active1980s, 1990s
LabelsTelstar Records
Associated actsRaunch Hands
Ronnie Spector
Past membersElinor Blake
Lisa Dembling
Lisa Jenio
Sheryl Farber

Background

The Pussywillows were originally from New York City. It consisted of three friends, Elinor Blake, Lisa Dembling and Lisa Jenio who liked singing together girl group style.[1][2] With a singing style like that of 1960s groups, The Shangri-Las and The Ronettes, they would sing on stage wearing thrift-store dresses.[3] The group originally had some help in its formation by Mike Chandler of the group, Raunch Hands. Through Todd Adamson of the Telstar label they got some gigs. This in turn led to them recording Spring Fever! which was released on Telstar.[4][5] The tracks on the album were, "The Boat That I Row", "Come On Now", "Don't Say He's Gone", "Turn Her Down", "Everyone Will Know", "My Baby Looks But He Don't Touch" and "Baby Baby (I Still Love You)".[6] With "The Boat That I Row", the song was written by Neil Diamond and became a hit for Lulu.[7][8] Another song they covered was "Turn Her Down". It was recorded by girl group, The Cupons in the 1960s, and released on the Impact label.[9][10][11]

The group also did some recordings with Raunch Hands.[12] A big fan of the group was Ronnie Spector who would one day have them backing her on a set of recordings.[13][14]

Appearances

In December 1990, they played at the Funhouse in Bethlehem covering songs like Neil Diamond's "The Boat That I Row" and "My Baby Looks But He Don't Touch".[15] In January 1991 with their backing band, which included guitarist Ward Dotson on guitar, Will Rigby on drums and Spike Priggen on bass, they played at the CBGB club in Bleecker Street, Manhattan.[16]

Later years

Blake would later move to LA and by 1991 was using the name April March.[17][18] Lisa Jenio would later become a member and bass player for The Liquor Giants.[19]

The Pussywillows contributed their vocals, singing background on Ronnie Spector's Something's Gonna Happen album which was released in 2003.[20] They sang on "Communication", "For His Love", "Something's Gonna Happen" and "Whenever You're On My Mind" which were all Marshall Crenshaw compositions.[21]

Discography
Albums
Title Release info Year Notes #
Spring Fever! Telstar Records TR003 1988 [22][23]
Guest
Artist Release Title Release info Year Notes #
Ronnie Spector Something's Gonna Happen Bad Girl Sounds 10 2003 CD[24][25]
Various artists compilation appearances
Title Release info Year Song title Notes #
Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who Loves Them Gasatanka Records / Positive Music 6036 1990 "Twist Barbie" [26][27]
Rutles Highway Revisited (A Tribute To The Rutles) Shimmy Disc shimmy-041 1990 "Hold My Hand" [28]
Attack Of The Terrible Boots Mint Sound MSRCD4 1997 "Turn Her Down" [29]
Kill the Moonlight Sympathy For The Record Industry 482 1997 "Vindaloo" CD[30][31]
gollark: If you remind me when I'm available, which will be at arbitrary unknowable future times, I might join.
gollark: They're basically the same, fairly bad, language.
gollark: Besides, you are obviously too busy working on the train image generator neural network.
gollark: DO NOT learn Java.
gollark: You can connect carts together; thus, trains.

References
  1. SPIN, November 1993 - Page 30 Pop tart, April March gets her Ye' Ye' Out
  2. Mystery Island Publications, 08.01.07 - april march interview by lucy hell
  3. The New York Times, January 18, 1991 - POP/JAZZ; Delta Blues and Girl Groups In 2 New Incarnations By KAREN SCHOEMER
  4. New York Rock: From the Rise of The Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB, By Steven Blush - Page 304
  5. Discogs - The Pussywillows – Spring Fever!
  6. BestEverAlbums.com - Spring Fever! (album) by The Pussywillows
  7. The Forward, October 23, 2014 - Culture» Neil Diamond's 32nd Album Is His Best in 40 Years By Dan Epstein
  8. Brit Girls of the Sixties Volume Three: Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw & Lulu, By David Bret - -
  9. WFMU - Fringe Factory with DJ Vikki V: Playlist from November 11, 2015
  10. FreeMusicLib - The Pussywillows
  11. Popsike - Great 1964 Girl Group 45 CUPONS Turn Her Down IMPACT
  12. Mystery Island Publications, 08.01.07 - april march interview by lucy hell
  13. Yé-Yé Girls of '60s French Pop, By Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe - -
  14. Billboard, October 25, 2003 - Page 52 Retail, The Indies By Chris Morris
  15. The Morning Call, December 15, 1990 - PUSSYWILLOWS HAVE FUN AT THE FUNHOUSE BY MELANIE NOVAK
  16. The New York Times, January 18, 1991 - POP/JAZZ; Delta Blues and Girl Groups In 2 New Incarnations By KAREN SCHOEMER
  17. CMJ New Music Monthly, January 1999 - Page 20 on the verge, april march
  18. New York Rock: From the Rise of The Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB, By Steven Blush - Page 304
  19. Billboard, October 29, 1994 - Page 72 to 73 Retail, House Of Punk/Flipside Set Un- Masques Legendary Club by Chris Morris
  20. Billboard, October 25, 2003 - Page 52 Preservation Hall Label To Serve Up Jazz History - By Chris Morris
  21. Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life as a Fabulous Ronnette, By Ronnie Spector, Vince Waldron - 1989
  22. Discogs - The Pussywillows – Spring Fever!
  23. AllMusic - The Pussywillows, Spring Fever!
  24. Billboard, October 25, 2003 - Page 52 Preservation Hall Label To Serve Up Jazz History - By Chris Morris
  25. AllMusic - Ronnie Spector, Something's Gonna Happen
  26. AllMusic - Various Artists, Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who Loves Them, Releases
  27. AllMusic - Various Artists, Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who Loves Them, Credits
  28. Discogs - Various – Rutles Highway Revisited (A Tribute to the Rutles)
  29. Discogs - Various – Attack Of The Terrible Boots
  30. AllMusic - Various Artists, Kill the Moonlight, Overview
  31. AllMusic - Various Artists, Kill the Moonlight, Releases
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