The band lasted about five years, 1994 - 1999. It was all Luis' idea, and he thought of the name. Feels like a long time ago, and it is, but it feels like longer as I'm not doing drag anymore. The usual shitty pub gigs in London didn't appeal to us so our gigs over that time were at a variety of late night clubs and multi-media type events, launch parties etc. We were quite well-connected and had a small but enthusiastic bunch of trash connoisseur fans based around clubs like Kitsch Bitch, Alcohol and Smashing, and the band King Cheetah, who liked us just enough to keep us going.
Our songs were inspired by Warhol superstars, the Angry Brigade, Charles Manson and pop culture in general. We got on tv a few times, had a documentary made about us and a big colour feature in Flipside, but still we didn't get anywhere. Like a lot of bands we had personality conflicts and drug problems which made things difficult.
Jasmine left in autumn 1999 - we gave her an ultimatum after she missed a gig. The band fell apart slowly afterwards. I didn't see or hear from any of them for a long time afterwards, then found out months later that she had died of a heroin OD early in 2000. Jasmine was a funny, generous and warm but fucked-up person. She used to say the band was her only option for a way out, so it was hard when she left. She pushed her friends away with scary erratic junkie behaviour in the months before her death, but I try to remember her in happier times.
MP3: one of our best songs, P.I.G. recorded on 4-track in 1995. I wrote it, and Jasmine added the third verse as she said it was too short.
Luis - bass, diminished responsibility and tattoos
Mona (that's me) - fuzz and feedback
Holly + Jasmine - double-barrel vocal attack, vodka
Miss K - crunchy lead guitar and attitude
Jasmine
1967? - 2000
Here she is before a gig at Vaseline in 1996, with new hair extensions
1967? - 2000
Here she is before a gig at Vaseline in 1996, with new hair extensions
