Ednaswap
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Ednaswap was a rock group originating from Los Angeles, California, established in 1993 and ceasing activity around 1998. Throughout their five-year span, they issued three full-length albums and one EP under prominent labels such as East West, Elektra Records, and Island Records.
The band gained notable recognition for the track "Torn", composed by Scott Cutler and Anne Preven alongside English musician Phil Thornalley. Initially recorded by Danish singer Lis Sørensen, the song featured on Ednaswap’s first album and was subsequently covered by several artists, most famously Natalie Imbruglia, whose rendition peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and dominated worldwide airplay rankings.
History
Songwriters Scott Cutler and Anne Preven founded Ednaswap in 1993, enlisting Rusty Anderson and Paul Bushnell to complete the lineup. The name "Ednaswap" originated from a dream Anne Preven had about a poorly received band bearing that title.
Following the production of an acoustic demo, Ednaswap secured a deal with East West. Their eponymous 1995 album marked their sole release with East West, experiencing limited distribution before the label dropped them. Subsequently, they signed with Island Records and briefly adopted the moniker Edna Swap.
The song "Torn," appearing on their 1995 debut and later included on 1997’s Wacko Magneto, achieved widespread attention primarily through Natalie Imbruglia’s cover version, which sold over a million copies in the UK and held the top position on Billboard Airplay for 14 consecutive weeks. Despite this achievement, Ednaswap did not attain significant commercial success themselves and disbanded in April 1999. They reassembled under the name Annetenna in 2001.
Ednaswap’s musical style shifted throughout their career. Their debut album exhibited a post-grunge influence, while Chicken and Wacko Magneto embraced a grungier hard rock sound reminiscent of bands like Veruca Salt and Hole’s Live Through This era. The Wacko Magneto record has been characterized as combining elements from artists such as the Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix. With Wonderland Park, they transitioned toward melodic pop rock accented by heavier tones, again drawing comparisons to Hole’s stylistic approach. Prior to disbanding, the group contemplated revisiting the heavier direction found in Wacko Magneto. Later, Annetenna’s output adopted an even more refined pop aesthetic than that of Wonderland Park.
Members
- Past members
- Anne Preven – lead vocals
- Scott Cutler – guitar
- Rusty Anderson – guitar
- Paul Bushnell – bass guitar
- Scot Coogan – drums
- Carla Azar – drums
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Ednaswap
|
| 1997 | Wacko Magneto
|
| 1998 | Wonderland Park
|
Extended plays
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Chicken
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Glow" | Ednaswap |
| "Torn" | ||
| 1997 | "Clown Show" | Wacko Magneto |
| "Back on the Sun" | Wonderland Park |