Huggy Bear (band)

Huggy Bear
Company type	Independent band
Industry	Music
Founded	1991 in Brighton, United Kingdom
Defunct	December 1994
Area served	United Kingdom
Products	Music albums, EPs, singles

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Huggy Bear (band), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 2025

Huggy Bear was a British riot grrrl group established in 1991 in Brighton; their activity spanned three years, concluding with their final performance in December 1994.

History

Developing concurrently with the riot grrrl scene originating in Olympia, Washington, which featured bands like Bikini Kill, Huggy Bear embraced the label "girl-boy revolutionaries," highlighting both their political ideology and mixed-gender lineup. They deliberately avoided widespread media attention and refrained from disclosing full names on their record releases. Although major record companies showed interest, Huggy Bear chose to remain signed to the independent label Wiiija.

Their experimental first EP, Rubbing the Impossible to Burst, appeared in 1992. That same year, they worked closely with Bikini Kill during riot grrrl’s height of influence, resulting in a split album issued by Catcall Records (Huggy Bear) and Kill Rock Stars (Bikini Kill) entitled Our Troubled Youth/Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah. Later EPs were gathered into the compilation Taking the Rough with the Smooch.

On 14 February 1993, Huggy Bear performed the track "Her Jazz" on the British television show The Word. After their performance, a confrontation occurred during a segment featuring the Barbi Twins, leading to their removal amid allegations of physical conflict. This event attracted considerable media coverage and was likened to the infamous Sex Pistols incident involving Bill Grundy. John Robb later challenged accounts of violence, attributing the disruption to aggressive security personnel.

At the start of 1994, Jon Slade departed from the band. Huggy Bear went on to release two additional singles and their sole full-length album, Weaponry Listens to Love, which also marked their final output. By December 1994, they disbanded in line with their original three-year plan.

In 2024, a retrospective volume titled Killed (Of Kids) was published, containing zines, memorabilia, and an oral history. The launch event at New River Studios featured performances by former members Hill, Slade, and Rowley—their first live appearance together in three decades.

Other projects

Several Huggy Bear members also played as the Furbelows. In 1993, Rowley and Johnson issued an EP under The Element of Crime via Soul Static Sound records, collaborating with musicians from Linus, Skinned Teen, Sister George, and Blood Sausage. Elliott and Johnson became part of Blood Sausage, while Rowley contributed live support and artwork for Skinned Teen; Elliott also appeared on their 1994 album.

Following Huggy Bear’s dissolution, Hill formed Phantom Pregnancies alongside Delia from Mambo Taxi and Sean from Wat Tyler. Slade briefly joined I'm Being Good before moving to Comet Gain. Since 2020, he has been playing bass in Snoozers with Nadia Buyse (Dubais) and Steve Dore (Casual Dots).

Jo Johnson has pursued a solo career in ambient music since 2012, releasing her first digital album Weaving on Further Records in 2014. Other works include The Serpentine Path (Going In), The Wave Ahead EP (Mysteries of the Deep), and 2024’s Let Go Your Fear (Castles in Space). During the pandemic, she collaborated with pianist Hilary Robinson to release Session One in 2021.

In 2019, Chris Rowley established Adulkt Life with former members of Male Bonding. Their debut performance took place at the Lexington in London on 27 November 2019. They released their first single along with a digital zine titled "County Pride" on What's Your Rupture? in August 2020, followed by the album Book Of Curses. Their sophomore album There Is No Desire was released in 2023.

In 2025, Jon and Chris teamed up with Lise Frances, formerly of Help She Can't Swim, to form Unmarry Me. They issued a 7" record on Happy Soul Records and participated in a split single release alongside Lungleg.

Line-up

Niki Eliot: vocals and bass
Jo Johnson: vocals and guitar
Karen Hill: drums and piano
Chris Rowley: trumpet, piano, and vocals
Jon Slade: guitar

Albums

Our Troubled Youth (Huggy Bear), mini LP split with Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah (Bikini Kill), released 8 March 1993, CATCALL / Kill Rock Stars 206
Weaponry Listens to Love, LP/CD format, issued 21 November 1994, WIIIJA

Compilations

We Bitched, cassette format, 1992, WIIIJA [demo tracks including exclusive material]
Huggy Nation / Kisser Boy Kisser Girl, cassette, 1992, Soul Static Sound [various artists compilation featuring Huggy Bear and related projects]
Taking the Rough with the Smooch, LP/CD, 1993, KILL ROCK STARS/WIIIJA [collection of early releases]
For Every Wolf That Roams, live recording on cassette, 1994, Famous Monsters of Filmland

Singles and EPs

Rubbing the Impossible to Burst 7", September 1992, WIIIJA 16, limited to 2000 copies
Kiss Curl for the Kid's Lib Guerrillas, 7", December 1992, WIIIJA 18
"14 February" / "Into the Mission" – one-sided 7" distributed at a Brighton show, February 1993
Her Jazz, 7", 1993, CATCALL/WIIIJA – Trouble001
Shimmies in the Super 8, double 7", 1993, DUOPHONIC, limited edition of 800 copies [includes Huggy Bear alongside other artists]
Don't Die, 7", August 1993, WIIIJA 23
Long Distance Lovers, 7", 1994, GRAVITY No.9
Main Squeeze, miniCD, 1994, FELLAHEEN RECORDS Jack 011-2

External links