Gossip

Gossip (formerly The Gossip) is a three-piece American indie rock band formed in 1999. The band consists of singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control (2006). A follow-up, Music for Men, was released in 2009. The band plays a mix of post punk indie rock and dance-punk. Their latest album, A Joyful Noise, was released in May 2012. Gossip was formed in 1999 in Olympia, Washington with vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell and drummer Kathy Mendonca. All three were originally from Searcy, Arkansas; Mendonca moved to Olympia to attend Evergreen State College and Howdeshell and Ditto followed. Howdeshell and Mendonca had been in bands together in Arkansas. The band coalesced when the three members were roommates in Olympia. In 1999 the independent record label K Records released Gossip's first recording, their eponymous debut EP, The Gossip to coincide with the band's tour with Sleater-Kinney. The band played at the first Ladyfest in Olympia in August 2000 and was included in Time Magazine's article on the festival. Their next release was their first album That's Not What I Heard and was released by the record label Kill Rock Stars on January 23, 2001. In between that release and their second album, they released the EP Arkansas Heat on May 7, 2002. Movement, the group's second studio album, followed one year later and was released on May 6, 2003. In November 2003, two months after the release of their first live album Undead in NYC on September 9, drummer Kathy Mendonca left the band to pursue a career as a midwife. Established punk drummer Hannah Blilie joined to replace her. The band then dropped the "The" from their name and continued simply as Gossip. The first release featuring new drummer Hannah Blilie was the band's next album Standing in the Way of Control. It was released on January 24, 2006 on Kill Rock Stars, later on in 2006 on UK independent label Back Yard Recordings and was produced by Fugazi singer/guitarist Guy Picciotto.