Blake Babies

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Blake Babies were an American college rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The three primary members were Freda Love, Juliana Hatfield and John Strohm. They recorded three albums before splitting up in 1991. They reformed to record a new album in 1999, and again in 2016.

HistoryEdit

The band formed in 1986, while Hatfield was studying at Berklee College of Music.<ref name="Strong">Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, Template:ISBN, pp. 782-3</ref> The name "Blake Babies" was provided by the poet Allen Ginsberg; following a reading at Harvard University, the group (which had just begun to play together) raised their hands and asked him to name their band.<ref>Earles, Andrew (2014) Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981–1996, Voyageur Press, Template:ISBN, p. 43</ref> Their first release was the Nicely, Nicely album, released on their own Chewbud label in 1987.<ref name="Larkin">Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave, Virgin Books, Template:ISBN, p. 50</ref><ref>Mason, Stewart "Nicely, Nicely Review", Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>

In 1989 they released the mini-LP Slow Learner on Billy Bragg's Utility label, Evan Dando of the Lemonheads (who Strohm had previously played with) joining as a temporary bassist.<ref name="Strong" /><ref name="Larkin" /><ref name="Robbins">Robbins, Ira "Blake Babies", Trouser Press. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> The band then signed to the then-independent North Carolina–based record label Mammoth Records, who issued Earwig in 1989 and Sunburn in 1990, the latter described by Allmusic as "the last great college rock album".<ref name="Larkin" /><ref>Mason, Stewart "Sunburn Review", Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> Their final UK tour included several sold-out shows, and the band looked on the verge of a breakthrough, but they went on hiatus in 1991, with the Rosy Jack World EP released in June and Hatfield rumored to be on the brink of signing with a major label as a solo artist.<ref name="Larkin" /><ref>Corcoran, Michael (1991) "Smashing Pumpkins sounds totally fresh // Local band's debut is whipped delight", Chicago Sun-Times, June 9, 1991. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> The band's split was finally confirmed in early 1992.<ref>Puls, Eric (1992) "After breakup, Blake Babies' guitarist pops up in Antenna", Chicago Sun-Times, April 17, 1992. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>

The Blake Babies toured the United States and Europe, eventually achieving a moderate amount of notice, particularly among listeners of college age who were appreciative of the group's "intelligent" brand of rock music. The band's music received little airplay on commercial radio, instead being played primarily on college radio stations.

Andrew Mayer, Seth White, Anthony DeLuca (who played drums in place of Freda for the group's last European tour in early 1992), and Mike Leahy each also performed as members of the band at times.

Strohm and Love continued to perform together in the Indiana-based group Antenna.<ref name="Larkin" /><ref name="Erlewine" />

The group reunited in late 1999 to record a new album,<ref>"Blake Babies Make A 'Blessed' Return", Billboard, March 5, 2001. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> performing a few shows in 1999 and 2000 and embarking on one last US tour in 2001. The result of these recording sessions, God Bless the Blake Babies, was released in 2001 by Rounder Records.<ref name="Erlewine">Erlewine, Stephen Thomas "Blake Babies Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref><ref>Kilian, Dan (2001) "Blake Babies God Bless the Blake Babies", Pitchfork, March 6, 2001. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>

Hatfield and Love joined up again in 2003 in the band Some Girls along with fellow musician Heidi Gluck.<ref>Hogan, Ray (2003) "Some Girls Feel It Juliana Hatfield has teamed...", Chicago Tribune, August 8, 2003. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>

In March 2016, the band announced that an album of demos recorded in March 1988 would be released (Earwig Demos), and they reunited again for three live shows that year.<ref>Tully Claymore, Gabriela (2016) "Blake Babies Announce Intimate Reunion Shows", stereogum.com, June 8, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref><ref>Smith, Steve (2016) "Reunited Blake Babies revisit demo days", The Boston Globe, July 6, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>

Musical styleEdit

The group were compared to R.E.M. and Throwing Muses.<ref name="Strong" /> The Washington Post'' described them as "punkish folk-rock".<ref>Jenkins, Mark (1991) "Two Groups Play With Folk-Rock", The Washington Post, March 22, 1991.</ref>

DiscographyEdit

AlbumsEdit

Studio albumsEdit

Year Album details
1987 Nicely, Nicely

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1989 Slow Learner

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1989 Earwig

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1990 Sunburn

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2001 God Bless The Blake Babies

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Compilation albumsEdit

Year Album details
1993 Innocence & Experience

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2016 Earwig Demos 6–7 March 1988

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Extended playsEdit

Year EP details
1991 Rosy Jack World

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2002 Epilogue

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SinglesEdit

Year Title Album B-Sides
1989 "Cesspool" Earwig
1990 "Lament" "Cesspool" & "Loose"
1990 "Out There" Sunburn
1991 "Temptation Eyes" Innocence & Experience
1991 "Take Me"
2001 "Nothing Ever Happens" God Bless The Blake Babies

DVDEdit

  • Blake Babies (2016)

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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