Scarling

Scarling.
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	2001 in Los Angeles, California, United States
Founder	Jessicka Addams, Christian Hejnal
Headquarters	Silver Lake, Los Angeles, United States
Products	Music albums, singles
Website	www.scarling.com

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Scarling, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 2025

Scarling. was an American noise pop group established in Los Angeles in 2001, featuring lead singer Jessicka Addams and guitarist Christian Hejnal.

Name

The term Scarling., created by Jessicka in 1999, was described on their official site in 2001 as a fictional word with varied interpretations, such as "the tiniest trace left on your heart after healing from a serious wound" and "a musical group originating from Los Angeles." The distinctive name is characterized by a lowercase "s" and concludes with a period.

Formation & Sweet Heart Dealer (2002–2004)

Following the breakup of her previous band Jack Off Jill, Jessicka formed Scarling. with guitarist Christian Hejnal. The two were introduced by guitarist Lisa Leveridge and began composing and recording in the San Fernando Valley, eventually assembling their first full lineup.

In early 2002, Jessicka reached out to Long Gone John, the proprietor of Sympathy for the Record Industry. On March 19, 2003, Scarling. released their inaugural single, "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole," produced by Chris Vrenna and featuring cover artwork by Mark Ryden.

Their first album, Sweet Heart Dealer, was released in April 2004, also produced by Vrenna with packaging designed by Ryden. That same year, Jessicka appeared on the cover of ROCKRGRL magazine. Scarling. performed at the Robert Smith-curated Curiosa Festival, sharing the stage with bands like Interpol, The Rapture, and The Cure. Smith described their sound as "dark, desperate, chaotic, gorgeous pop music," and nominated Sweet Heart Dealer for the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize.

After drummer Garey Snider left three weeks before Curiosa, Samantha Maloney temporarily took over drumming duties until Beth Gordon became the permanent drummer. With Radio Sloan stepping in as temporary bassist, Scarling. played prominent venues such as The Bottom Of The Hill and The Troubadour.

On October 21, 2004, Robert Smith guest DJed on John Peel’s final Peel Session broadcast, which included Scarling.’s track "Crispin Glover." Smith also featured Scarling. on his iTunes Celebrity Playlist alongside influential artists like Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, and Nirvana, describing their song as "Beautiful shadows."

So Long, Scarecrow & touring (2005-2007)

Early in 2005, Scarling announced their sophomore album, So Long, Scarecrow, released on August 23 following the single "We Are the Music Makers." The album was co-produced by Rob Campanella at The Committee to Keep Music Evil studio and garnered widespread critical praise. Alternative Press awarded it a perfect 5 out of 5 rating, while Simon Price of The Independent lauded its hazy guitar textures reminiscent of early '90s British noise-pop. No-Fi Magazine characterized it as merging influences such as Blonde Redhead and Sonic Youth, delivering 13 tracks that leave audiences wanting more. Venus magazine noted Scarling's contribution to advancing goth music through a sweeter yet distorted sound paired with Jessicka’s evolved vocal style.

In December 2005, Scarling embarked on their first tour across the UK, selling out most shows and creating considerable excitement. Their single "City Noise" was included on compilations like Alright, This Time Just the Girls Vol. 2 and the 2006 release Staring To The Sun. Songs from So Long, Scarecrow, including "Bummer," were featured on Showtime's The L Word and an Urban Outfitters/Filter magazine compilation. Additionally, the medical drama Grey's Anatomy named a season 2 episode "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole".

Throughout 2006, Scarling toured extensively throughout both the United States and Europe. They co-headlined with UK shoegaze band Amusement Parks on Fire and supported acts such as The Wedding Present and Depeche Mode, broadening their reach within key international markets.

Hiatus (2007–2013)

Scarling. is headquartered in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California. On February 14, 2006, during a pause in touring, Jessicka and guitarist Christian Hejnal became engaged. They wed on October 13, 2007, at the Oviatt Penthouse located in Los Angeles. Following their marriage, the band took a six-year break as Jessicka dedicated her efforts to her visual art career.

On June 26, 2010, Scarling. performed at the wedding of Bravo's Shear Genius finalist Janine Jarman and Matthew Wolcott, held at the Houdini Mansion in Hollywood.

Resumption of activity (2013–2014)

After presenting her art exhibition titled "Little Grey Secrets," Jessicka announced the revival of Scarling. The band released the digital single "Who Wants To Die For Art?" on iTunes in the United States on October 29, 2013. Soon thereafter, Jessicka encountered health issues.

On May 13, 2014, Mark Ryden issued The Gay Nineties Old Tyme Music: Daisy Bell, an album featuring Scarling among other artists performing "Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)". This limited edition release—pressed on 180 g red vinyl with only 999 hand-numbered copies—was partially available at the Michael Kohn gallery. Proceeds from the album benefited Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization supporting music education programs in underserved elementary schools.

Discography

Studio albums

Sweet Heart Dealer (2004)
So Long, Scarecrow (2005)

External links