Chainsaw Kittens
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in Norman, Oklahoma, United States |
| Defunct | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Norman, Oklahoma , United States |
Key people | Tyson Meade, Trent Bell |
| Products | Alternative rock music |
The Chainsaw Kittens emerged from the American alternative rock movement, fusing components of pop, glam rock, punk, new wave, and influences from the British Invasion era. Their songwriting explored a variety of subjects, including religion, the Stonewall riots, and notable cultural icons such as Federico Fellini and Oscar Wilde.
Originating in Norman, Oklahoma, the group’s name symbolized their youthful energy alongside their signature "chainsaw guitar tone." Their career spanned from 1989 until 2000, with a debut sound characterized in a 1991 SPIN critique as "The Smiths meet the New York Dolls meet the devil." Early on, they were recognized for their "thrift-store transvestism" aesthetic, which they eventually downplayed as it began to eclipse their musical identity. Despite multiple personnel shifts, lead vocalist and songwriter Tyson Meade, previously of Norman’s alt-rock band Defenestration, together with guitarist and producer Trent Bell, remained the core members throughout.
Although commercial acclaim eluded them during their active period, the Chainsaw Kittens have been hailed as "[a]rguably the best American band who never made it" amid the 1990s alternative rock surge.
Their visibility increased when a character in the 1995 movie Empire Records sported a "Chainsaw Kittens" t-shirt.
The band reunited for live sets at the Norman Music Festival in April 2008 and again in September 2017 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of The Opolis, a music venue in Norman.
On October 4, 2017, drummer Eric Harmon died at age 48 due to colon cancer.
Albums
- Violent Religion (Mammoth, 1990)
- Flipped Out in Singapore (Mammoth, 1992)
- Pop Heiress (Atlantic/Mammoth, 1994)
- Chainsaw Kittens (Mercury/Scratchie, 1996)
- The All American (Four Alarm, 2000)
EPs
- High in High School (Mammoth, 1992)
- Angel on the Range (Mammoth, 1993)
- Candy for You (Scratchie, 1996)
Singles
- "Mother (of the Ancient Birth)" b/w "Death-Sex Rattletrap" (Mammoth Records, 1990)
- "Lazy Little Dove" b/w "Extinction Stomp" (Echostatic/Spacebaby, 1995)
- "Grandaddy's Candy" b/w "Bones in My Teeth" (Scratchie, 1996)
Soundtrack Contributions
- Bug (Lionsgate/Sony/RED Distribution, 2007) – track No. 3 "She Gets"
- Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth soundtrack – track No. 11 "Waltzing With A Jaguar"