Jump to content

Dum Dum Girls

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Dum Dum Girls, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 2025
Dum Dum Girls
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded2008
FounderDee Dee (Kristin Gundred)
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
United States
ProductsStudio albums, EPs, singles

Dum Dum Girls was a Los Angeles-based American rock ensemble initiated in 2008 as the solo recording endeavor of singer-songwriter Dee Dee (born Kristin Gundred). The band's name is a tribute to the Vaselines' album Dum Dum and Iggy Pop's track "Dum Dum Boys".

History

The initial Dum Dum Girls release appeared in late 2008 as a five-track CDR issued through Dee Dee's own label, Zoo Music. This was succeeded by an EP on Captured Tracks and a 7-inch record released via HoZac Records. These early works attracted notice, culminating in a contract with Sub Pop in July 2009.

Their first full-length album, I Will Be, launched in March 2010, garnered widespread critical praise. It was co-produced by Dee Dee alongside Richard Gottehrer, renowned for his collaborations with Blondie and for co-writing classics such as "My Boyfriend's Back". The album featured guest guitar contributions from Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Brandon Welchez from Crocodiles. The cover art displayed a photograph of Dee Dee’s late mother. Following the album’s release, Dee Dee assembled a touring lineup that made its live debut supporting Girls (band).

In 2011, the EP He Gets Me High was released, including a cover of a song by The Smiths and marking the introduction of Sune Rose Wagner from The Raveonettes as co-producer. Their sophomore album, Only in Dreams, arrived in September 2011 featuring singles such as "Coming Down" and "Bedroom Eyes". This record was uniquely recorded by the complete band. On December 1, 2011, they performed "Bedroom Eyes" on the television program Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

The 2012 EP End of Daze, which was preceded by the single "Lord Knows", received accolades including "Best New Track" and "Best New Music" from Pitchfork.

On October 31, 2013, Dum Dum Girls revealed plans for their third studio album, Too True, which was released on January 28, 2014. The lead single "Lost Boys & Girls Club" debuted through H&M. Dee Dee acknowledged influences that included Suede, Blondie, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Pretenders, Madonna, and The Stone Roses.

In December 2014, Converse issued a split single titled "On Christmas" by Dum Dum Girls as part of their holiday compilation EP Noise to the World 2.

Other projects

The Mayfair Set—a duo comprising Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs and Dee Dee—released a self-titled single along with the Young One 12-inch EP in 2009.

In 2011, Dee Dee collaborated with Tamaryn to cover "Teenage Lust" by the Jesus and Mary Chain under the name Les Demoniaques. That same year, Dee Dee joined forces with Sniper and J.B. Townsend from Crystal Stilts to record the one-sided 7-inch single "Faraway Friend" as Zodiacs, which was distributed exclusively through Captured Tracks’ mail order service. In 2013, Dee Dee and her husband launched the single "Something That Feels Bad Is Something That Feels Good" under the moniker Haunted Hearts; this project later produced the full-length album Initiation in 2014.

In 2012, drummer Sandra Vu established the band Sisu, known for combining distorted synthesizer textures with pop-oriented melodies.

Dee Dee composed the theme music for the animated series Beware the Batman in 2013. Additionally, she contributed vocals to "Play for Today," a duet featured on Belle and Sebastian's 2015 release Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance.

In May 2015, Dee Dee partnered with UUV/Andrew Miller to release "Is There Any Other One?" under the name HUNI. She also appeared on Lemonade's track "Dancer on the Shore" in August of that year. Later in November, Sub Pop issued a collaborative 7-inch single featuring "Red Sun" b/w "Echo," created alongside Merchandise from 4AD.

On January 28, 2016, Dee Dee announced the end of Dum Dum Girls and introduced her solo venture under the name Kristin Kontrol. Her debut solo album, X-Communicate, was released by Sub Pop on May 27, 2016.

Final roster

  • Dee Dee (Kristin Gundred) – lead vocals, guitar (2008–2016)
  • Jules Medeiros – guitar, backing vocals (2010–2016)
  • Malia James – bass guitar, backing vocals (2011–2016)
  • Sandra Vu – drums, backing vocals (2010–2016)
  • Andrew Miller – guitar

Previous members

  • Bambi (Katie Brouillette Serbian) – bass, backing vocals (2010–2011)
  • Frankie Rose – drums, backing vocals (2010)
  • Jeremy Rojas – bass guitar
  • Andrew Montoya – drums
  • Brandon Welchez – guitar
  • Chuck Rowell – keyboards

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

  • "Longhair" (2008, HoZac Records)
  • "Jail La La" (2010, Sub Pop)
  • "Pay for Me/Before It's Gone" split with Male Bonding (2010, Sub Pop)
  • "Stiff Little Fingers" (2010, Hell Yes! Records)
  • "Bhang Bhang, I'm a Burnout" (2010, Slumberland Records)
  • "Coming Down (Edit)" (2011, Sub Pop)
  • "Merry Xmas, Baby (Please Don't Die)" collaboration with Crocodiles (2011, Hell Yes! Records)
  • Rookie Tunes split flexi disc with Supercute! (2012, Drawn & Quarterly)
  • "Lord Knows" (2012, Sub Pop)
  • "Lost Boys & Girls Club" (2013, Sub Pop)
  • "Rimbaud Eyes" (2014, Sub Pop)
  • "On Christmas" (2014, self-released)
  • "Coming Down" (2015, Sub Pop)
  • "Red Sun" collaboration with Merchandise (2016, Sub Pop)

Compilation albums

  • Blissed Out cassette release (2010, Art Fag Recordings)

Compilation contributions

  • "Longhair" featured on Rough Trade Shops Indiepop 09 (2009, Cooperative Music)
  • "Longhair" and "Mercury Mary" included on HoZac Hookup Klub Round One (2010, HoZac Records)
  • "Brite Futures" appeared on Yeti 7 and the 7-inch EP Hollow Hollow Eyes/Moon Tan/Brite Futures/The Weekend Starts Here (2010, Yeti Publishing LLC/Art Fag Recordings)
  • "New Beginning" included in Chickens in Love compilation (2010, 826LA/Origami)
  • "Jail La La" featured on The Hyper Fidelity compilation (2010, Cargo Records)
  • "Coming Down (Radio Edit)" on Hand Picked: Sub Pop 2011 from Ours to Yours compilation (2011, Sub Pop)
  • "Lost Boys and Girls Club" included in Hey! Ho! Let's Go! (15 Tracks of the Best New Music) collection (2013, Uncut)
  • "On Christmas" featured on digital EP Noise to the World 2 (2014, Converse)
  • "I Was Never Punk" included in Stupid Punk Boy compilation (2015, Girlsville)
  • "Coming Down" featured on Music from the Original Series Orange Is the New Black Seasons 2 & 3 soundtrack (2015, Universal Music Enterprises)
  • "Letter to Hermione" (David Bowie cover) included on A Salute to the Thin White Duke – The Songs of David Bowie tribute album (2015, Cleopatra Records)

Videos

  • "Catholicked"
  • "Jail La La"
  • "Bhang Bhang, I'm a Burnout"
  • "He Gets Me High"
  • "Bedroom Eyes"
  • "Coming Down"
  • "Lord Knows"
  • "Lost Boys & Girls Club"
  • "Too True to Be Good"
  • "Are You Okay?"
  • "Rimbaud Eyes"
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Dum_Dum_Girls&oldid=86635"