That Dog
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Defunct | 1997 (initially) |
| Fate | Reformed in 2011 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
That Dog (often stylized as that dog.) is a rock group originating from Los Angeles, established in 1992, disbanded five years later in 1997, and reformed in 2011. The founding members included Anna Waronker on lead vocals and guitar, Rachel Haden handling bass and vocals, her sister Petra Haden playing violin and providing vocals, along with Tony Maxwell on drums.
Critics have often likened the band’s musical style to that of Redd Kross, Wednesday Week, Dolly Mixture, and the Buzzcocks.
Origins
Anna Waronker, who serves as the lead singer and guitarist, is the daughter of music industry executive Lenny Waronker and vocalist Donna Loren. She is also the sibling of drummer Joey Waronker, known for his work with Beck, R.E.M., and Atoms for Peace. Anna is married to Steve McDonald from Redd Kross. Petra and Rachel Haden are daughters of renowned jazz bassist Charlie Haden.
The band’s inception began when Waronker teamed up with her friend Jenni Konner to write punk-influenced tracks. Waronker had been acquainted with Petra and Rachel since their high school days. After original drummer Maya Rudolph left to pursue college studies, Tony Maxwell took over the role of drummer.
Albums and Tours
Their debut album, That Dog, was first issued as a limited edition double 7-inch vinyl on independent label Magnatone Records in 1992. It was subsequently re-released on cassette and CD formats through Geffen. The group worked closely with label peers like Beck and Weezer, contributing backing vocals and instrumentation to Beck’s tracks "Girl of My Dreams," "Totally Confused," and "Steve Threw Up," as well as Weezer’s "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams," all featured as B-sides.
In 1995, they released Totally Crushed Out!, which met with limited commercial success. Band members also played on several songs for Mike Watt’s album Ball-Hog or Tugboat?.
On April 8, 1997, That Dog unveiled their third studio album, Retreat from the Sun. This record featured guitarist Kenny Woods, known for his work with Steven McDonald Group and Beck. The album included their only single to chart, "Never Say Never," which reached number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock charts. That year, they toured across the United States alongside bands such as Blur, The Wallflowers, and Counting Crows.
Breakup and Subsequent Endeavors
The group officially parted ways in September 1997. Since then, each member has pursued various musical ventures. Anna Waronker released solo projects including Anna (2002) and California Fade (2011) through her own Five Foot Two Records label. Petra Haden launched two solo albums: Imaginaryland in 1999 and a vocal-only reinterpretation of The Who’s The Who Sell Out in 2005. She became a member of The Decemberists in 2005 but has since ceased performing with them; Petra has also contributed to recordings by artists such as Green Day, guitarist Bill Frisell, and The Rentals. Rachel Haden has provided vocal support for bands including Jimmy Eat World, Say Anything, Ozma, and Nada Surf, along with a brief stint in the revived lineup of The Rentals. Tony Maxwell has composed scores for films like Chuck & Buck and The Good Girl, both penned by writer-director Mike White.
Anna Waronker remains active, frequently performing at venues around Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Petra, Rachel, and their third sister Tanya Haden—triplets—occasionally perform together under the name Haden Triplets.
Reunion
On June 21, 2011, the band revealed plans for a reunion concert scheduled for August 26 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles through their official Facebook page. Owing to overwhelming interest, an additional performance was arranged for August 28, with both events selling out rapidly. Supporting acts included Tenacious D and a Prince tribute ensemble fronted by Maya Rudolph, who, like Petra and Rachel Haden, is a member of The Rentals. The reunion continued into 2012 with two sold-out nights at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles on April 13, followed by two shows on May 24 and 25 at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. The Los Angeles concerts featured a larger string section along with some songs that had not been performed before.
In May 2012, Anna Waronker suggested the possibility of new material from the group. By 2017, Waronker, Rachel Haden, and Tony Maxwell were working on their fourth studio album; however, Petra Haden opted out of this project. On August 21, 2019, the band announced their upcoming fourth album, Old LP, which was released on October 4, 2019. The music video for the single "Just the Way" premiered on October 2, 2019.
Current members
- Anna Waronker – lead vocals, guitar (1992–1997, 2011–present)
- Rachel Haden – bass guitar, vocals (1992–1997, 2011–present)
- Tony Maxwell – drums (1992–1997, 2011–present)
Former member
- Petra Haden – violin, vocals (1992–1997, 2011–2017)
Studio albums
| Year | Details |
|---|---|
| 1994 | That Dog
|
| 1995 | Totally Crushed Out!
|
| 1997 | Retreat from the Sun
|
| 2019 | Old LP
|
Extended plays and singles
- That Dog double 7" (1993) Magnatone
- Buy Me Flowers 7" (1993) Guernica
- "Old Timer" (1994) DGC
- Waldo the Dog Faced Boy/That Dog split 10" (1994) WIN Records
- Grunge Couple 7" (1994) self-released
- "He's Kissing Christian" (1995) DGC
- "Never Say Never" (1997) DGC
- "If You Just Didn't Do It" (2019) UMe
Compilation appearances
- DGC Rarities: Volume 1 (1994) DGC – "Grunge Couple"
- Volume Nine (1994) Volume Magazine – "One Summer Night" (alternate version)
- Jabberjaw: Good to the Last Drop (1994) Mammoth Records – "Explain"
- The Poop Alley Tapes (1995) WIN Records – "Ridiculous"
- Spirit of '73: Rock for Choice (1995) Epic/550 Music – "Midnight at the Oasis" (Maria Muldaur)
- A Small Circle of Friends: A Germs Tribute (1996) Grass Records – "We Must Bleed" (Germs)
- Hear You Me! A Tribute to Mykel and Carli (1998) Vast Records – "Silently" (acoustic version)
Music videos
- Old Timer (1994, directed by Spike Jonze)
- He's Kissing Christian (1995, directed by Frank Sacramento)
- Never Say Never (1997, directed by Mark Kohr)
- Just the Way (2019, directed by Casey Storm)
External links
- [ AllMusic profile]
- Rolling Stone: That Dog page
- Articles with short description
- Indie rock musical groups from California
- Musical groups from Los Angeles
- 4AD artists
- Musical groups established in 1992
- Musical groups disestablished in 1997
- Musical groups reestablished in 2011
- 1992 establishments in California
- Female-fronted musical groups
- Mixed-gender musical quartets