- (This page is about the American band. For the German band of the same name, see Scrawl(2)).
Scrawl was an American indie rock trio based in Columbus, Ohio, and active from the mid-1980s.
The band formed in 1985, originally under the name Skull. The founding members were Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harshe (bass guitar, backing vocals, songwriting), and Carolyn O'Leary (drums). Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the Meat Puppets, and inspired the band to find a new name, "Scrawl", that sounded a bit like Skull. Their first album, Plus, Also, Too, was self-produced (with Andy Izold) and released in 1987 on the local label No Other Records. The following year the band was signed to the ill-fated Rough Trade Records U.S., for whom they released two albums, He's Drunk (produced by Jim Rondinelli) and Smallmouth (produced by Gary Smith).
When Rough Trade U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 1990, the band placed a successful bid to purchase back their master recordings during an auction held during the label's Chapter 11 proceedings. Their next release, a seven-track EP called Bloodsucker, was released on the Chicago-based Feel Good All Over label (then reissued on Simple Machines Records).
Drummer O'Leary left the group in May 1992, and was replaced by Dana Marshall.
They recorded their next album, Velvet Hammer, in 1993. It was engineered by Steve Albini (around the time he produced Nirvana's In Utero), and released on the Simple Machines label. The band was then signed their first major label deal with Elektra, for whom they released two albums, Travel On, Rider, and Nature Film. Only six weeks after Nature Film came out Elektra dropped Scrawl.
Links to Peel[]
Peel seemed to have discovered Scrawl in early 1989 when he played tracks from their 'He's Drunk' album, released on the Rough Trade label. A year later, Peel didn't seem to play any material from their 1990 album release, 'Smallmouth'. However, he started playing their singles and album tracks between 1992 and 1993, including a session they recorded for his programme in 1993. After the band signed to Elektra in the mid-90's, Peel seemed to have lost interest in them.
Sessions[]
SCRAWL John Peel 12th September 1993
1. Recorded: 1993-09-12. First Broadcast: 16 October 1993. Repeated: 06 May 1994
- Charles / Green Beer / Absolute Torture / Great American Pastime / Love's Insecticide
Other Shows Played[]
- 1989
- 06 February 1989: Breaker, Breaker (album - He's Drunk) Rough Trade
- 10 February 1989 (BFBS): 'Breaker, Breaker (LP-He's Drunk)' (Rough Trade)
- 20 February 1989: Green Beer (album - He's Drunk) Rough Trade
- 24 February 1989 (BFBS): 'Green Beer (LP-He's Drunk)' (Rough Trade)
- 28 February 1989 (Radio Bremen): Let It All Hang Out (album - He's Drunk) Rough Trade
- 07 March 1989 (Ö3): Green Beer (LP - He's Drunk) Rough Trade
- 1992
- 26 January 1992: Reuters (7" EP) Lever
- 01 March 1992: 'Leather (EP)' (Simple Machines)
- 1993
- 07 May 1993: ‘Vi Ploriontos (CD EP – Bloodsucker)’ (Simple Machines Records)
- 21 May 1993: C.O.W. (album - Bloodsucker) Simple Machines
- 28 May 1993 (BFBS): C.O.W. (12" EP: Bloodsucker) Simple Machines
- 05 June 1993: High Roller (EP - Bloodsucker) Simple Machines
- 12 June 1993 (BFBS): High Roller (EP - Bloodsucker) Simple Machines
- 28 August 1993: ‘Your Mother Wants To Know (7 inch)’ (Simple Machine)
- 10 September 1993: 'Your Mother Wants To Know (7")' (Simple Machines)
- 30 October 1993: ‘Your Mother Wants To Know (LP – Velvet Hammer)’ (Simple Machines)
- 05 November 1993: ‘Take A Swing (LP – Velvet Hammer)’ (Simple Machine Records)
- 06 November 1993 (BFBS): Your Mother Wants To Know (album - Velvet Hammer) Simple Machines
- 13 November 1993 (BFBS): Take A Swing (album - Velvet Hammer) Simple Machines