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Gossip (band)

From Alfawiki
Gossip
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1999
Headquarters
Portland, Oregon
,
United States
Key people
Beth Ditto, Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, Hannah Blilie
ProductsIndie rock music albums and performances

Gossip—also known simply as Gossip—is an American indie rock group originating from Searcy, Arkansas, established in 1999. The band’s principal members have been vocalist Beth Ditto, multi-instrumentalist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, and drummer Hannah Blilie. Following a series of initial releases, they rose to prominence with their 2006 album Standing in the Way of Control, and subsequently released Music for Men in 2009. Their musical style fuses elements of post-punk revival, indie rock, and dance-rock. Their fifth studio effort, A Joyful Noise, debuted in May 2012. Although the band disbanded in 2016, they reunited for a 2019 tour celebrating Music for Men and issued the album Real Power in 2024.

Origins and early years

Gossip was formed in 1999 in Olympia, Washington, comprising singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, and drummer Kathy Mendonça. All three hailed from Searcy, Arkansas, with Mendonça relocating to Olympia for college before Howdeshell and Ditto followed suit. Prior to forming Gossip, Howdeshell and Mendonça had collaborated in Arkansas-based bands. The trio eventually shared a residence in Olympia, which cemented their formation as a band.

Their debut recording, the EP titled The Gossip, was released through indie label K Records in 1999 to coincide with a tour alongside Sleater-Kinney. They also appeared at the first-ever Ladyfest held in Olympia in 2000 and were subsequently featured in a Time article covering the event.

The band’s first full-length album, That's Not What I Heard, was launched by Kill Rock Stars on January 23, 2001. This was followed by the EP Arkansas Heat in May 2002. Their sophomore studio album, Movement, was released on May 6, 2003. After issuing their initial live album, Undead in NYC (September 2003), drummer Mendonça left to pursue a career in midwifery. She was succeeded by punk drummer Hannah Blilie, and at this point the group dropped "the" from their name, becoming simply "Gossip".

The first record featuring Blilie was Standing in the Way of Control, which came out on January 24, 2006 via Kill Rock Stars and later through UK-based Back Yard Recordings. Production was handled by Ryan Hadlock at Bear Creek Studio, with contributions from Fugazi's Guy Picciotto.

2007–2011: Breakthrough success and major label affiliation

Standing in the Way of Control earned Gold certification in the UK market. Gossip made their UK television debut performing the title track on BBC1's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.

In March 2007, they signed with Music With a Twist, a Sony Music imprint specializing in LGBT artists. That summer saw them participate in the multi-artist True Colors Tour 2007, which spanned 15 cities across both the United States and Canada. The tour was hosted by comedian Margaret Cho and headlined by singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper, featuring performers such as Debbie Harry, electronic duo Erasure, among others. Proceeds from this tour benefited the Human Rights Campaign.

Operating out of Portland, Oregon, Gossip toured alongside acts including Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre, and Brazilian band CSS. They also served as opening act for Scissor Sisters during their November 2006 tour dates.

On June 24, 2007, Gossip closed the John Peel stage at the prestigious Glastonbury Festival, delivering a tribute performance to Peel himself. They returned to Glastonbury in 2008 to perform on the main Pyramid Stage.

In April 2008, they issued Live in Liverpool for both UK and US audiences; this release was produced by renowned producer Rick Rubin and included a DVD featuring live footage. Their subsequent studio album, Music For Men, was released in June 2009. The lead single "Heavy Cross" achieved significant commercial success in Germany, earning triple gold status after selling over 450,000 copies. By September 2010, it had become recognized as the "most successful internationally produced single" ever within that market. In January 2011, "Heavy Cross" set a German chart record by remaining on the Top 100 for an uninterrupted span of 82 weeks.

2012–2016: A Joyful Noise era and hiatus

On March 12, 2012, the group unveiled their comeback track, "Perfect World," debuting on BBC Radio 1. Their fifth studio project, A Joyful Noise, produced by Brian Higgins of Xenomania, was released in late May that year. The album showcased a shift toward a more pop-oriented sound. Andy Gill from The Independent commended the release, whereas Pitchfork provided a more mixed critique. Following this, "Move in the Right Direction" was issued as the second single in May. Throughout the summer, the band took center stage at multiple music festivals.

In February 2016, Beth Ditto announced Gossip’s dissolution, revealing her intention to concentrate on her solo music endeavors and her fashion label.

2019–present: Anniversary tour and Real Power

Beth Ditto declared Gossip’s resurgence in March 2019 with a performance marking the 10th anniversary of Music for Men. This celebration expanded into an international tour culminating in Zurich by August 2019. In October 2020, Ditto posted images from studio sessions alongside Nathan Howdeshell and Kathy Mendonça.

The band revealed their second reunion in November 2023 with the release of "Crazy Again," the lead single from their sixth album, Real Power, which was launched on March 22, 2024.

During a BBC interview in March 2024, Ditto described how working with Howdeshell while developing her solo album evolved into a full-fledged Gossip project. After pausing activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ditto, Howdeshell, and Blilie completed Real Power, marking their first album release in twelve years.

That same year, Gossip toured across Europe and North America,[1] including headlining the Woodsies stage at Glastonbury Festival.[2]

Musical style

Gossip’s sound fuses soulful or gospel-inspired vocals with a dynamic punk-funk backdrop. The band members acknowledge influences ranging from rock acts such as the Birthday Party, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nirvana, and the Raincoats to genres like dance and hip hop. This eclectic mix aligns with their objective to produce music that transcends conventional genre classifications.

Band members

Current members

  • Beth Ditto – lead vocals, piano (1999–2016, 2019–2020, 2023–present)
  • Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards (1999–2016, 2019–2020, 2023–present)
  • Hannah Blilie – drums (2004–2016, 2019–2020, 2023–present)

Current touring musicians

  • Ted Kwo – bass guitar (2024–present)
  • Bijoux Cone – keyboards, guitar (2024–present)

Former members

  • Kathy Mendonça – drums (1999–2003, 2020)

Previous touring musicians

  • Christopher Sutton – bass guitar (2009–2013, 2019–2020)
  • Gregg Foreman – keyboards (2012–2013, 2019–2020)

Discography

Awards

  • 2010: received a nomination for the GLAAD Media Award in the "Outstanding Music Artist" category for the album Music for Men during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards.
  • June 18, 2012: BBC Radio 2 selected the single "Move in the Right Direction" as its Record of The Week.

|- | rowspan="3" | 2010 | "Heavy Cross" !scope="row"| Best International Hit | |- | rowspan="3" | Themselves !scope="row"| Best International Newcomer | |- !scope="row" rowspan="2" | Best International Group | |- | 2012 | |- | 2010 | Music for Men !scope="row" rowspan="2"| Alternative Music Album of the Year | |- | 2013 | A Joyful Noise | |- | 2007 | "Standing in the Way of Control" !scope="row"| Song of the Year | |- | 2010 | Themselves !scope="row"| Best Alternative | |- | 2007 | "Standing in the Way of Control" !scope="row"| Song of the Year | |- | 2009 | Themselves !scope="row"| Best International Discovery[3] |

External links

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