Daisy Chainsaw
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in London, England |
| Founder | KatieJane Garside, Crispin Gray |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Daisy Chainsaw was a rock group originating from London, England, established in 1989 by vocalist KatieJane Garside and guitarist Crispin Gray. Garside contributed to the band's initial EPs and their 1992 debut album, Eleventeen, before departing in 1993. Her successor, Belinda Leith, took over vocal duties for the band's last album, For They Know Not What They Do (1994), prior to the group's breakup in 1995.
Career
The formation of the band occurred when Garside answered a guitar advertisement placed by Gray. Their performances were distinguished by dramatic and theatrical components, particularly highlighted by Garside's powerful onstage energy. The band gained recognition with the release of the Love Sick Pleasure EP, which featured the popular track "Love Your Money." Their exposure was further amplified through appearances on prime-time television programs such as ITV's The Chart Show and Channel 4's The Word. Despite an invitation to perform on Top of the Pops, they declined due to Garside suffering from a throat infection. The single "Love Your Money" reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1992.
Daisy Chainsaw turned down a contract offer from Madonna's Maverick Records and instead signed with independent label One Little Indian. Their follow-up singles Pink Flower (which attained number 65 in the UK) and Hope Your Dreams Come True experienced moderate chart success, as did their debut album Eleventeen, which peaked at number 62 on the UK Albums Chart.
To promote Eleventeen, the band embarked on an extensive UK tour alongside grunge act Mudhoney and alternative rock group Hole. Courtney Love acknowledged Garside as one of the pioneering figures of the "riot grrl" movement, although Daisy Chainsaw was not formally associated with that scene.
In 1992, Daisy Chainsaw toured with Sheep on Drugs and Elephant Witch.
Garside exited the band in 1993 amid speculation about mental health concerns following her intense stage conduct and subsequently withdrew from public view until 1999. Belinda Leith joined as lead singer and recorded the final album For They Know Not What They Do, which was released in 1994 after a tour across England. Prior to the album's release, Leith left to pursue other artistic ventures, including collaborations with Terry Hall.
Afterwards, remaining members rebranded themselves as Dizzy Q Viper with Crispin Gray assuming vocal responsibilities before eventually disbanding. They later formed Vapid Dolly, incorporating vocals by Hanayo. In the early 2000s, Garside and Gray reunited musically in Queenadreena. Presently, Garside performs with Liar, Flower, while Gray is active with Starsha Lee and his solo project Alien Airforce.
In May 2021, Crispin Gray gave an in-depth interview reflecting on Daisy Chainsaw's legacy and his subsequent musical projects. The track "Love Your Money" is planned for a limited edition 7" vinyl re-release in Spring 2024 through Easy Action Records.
Discography
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||||||||||||
| Eleventeen |
|
62 | |||||||||||
| For They Know Not What They Do |
|
— | |||||||||||
| "—" indicates album did not chart or was not released. | |||||||||||||
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Love Sick Pleasure |
|
| Pipachi |
|
| You're Gruesome |
|
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||||||||||||
| "Love Your Money" | 1991 | 26 | Eleventeen | ||||||||||
| "Pink Flower" / "Room Eleven" | 1992 | 65 | |||||||||||
| "Hope Your Dreams Come True" | — | ||||||||||||
| "The Future Free" | 1994 | — | For They Know Not What They Do | ||||||||||
| "Love Me Forever" | — | ||||||||||||
| "—" signifies single did not chart or was unreleased. | |||||||||||||