| Vivian Girls | |
|---|---|
 Vivian Girls at The Market Hotel, Brooklyn, 2008 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Genres | Punk rock, Indie rock, Dream pop, Noise pop, lo-fi, Garage pop |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Polyvinyl Record Co., In the Red |
| Website | viviangirls.net |
| Members | |
| Cassie Ramone "Kickball Katy" Goodman Fiona Campbell |
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| Past members | |
| Frankie Rose Ali Koehler |
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Vivian Girls are an American band from Brooklyn, New York.
Contents |
Vivian Girls, named after the magnum opus of outsider author Henry Darger, started in Brooklyn, NY in March 2007 as the trio of Cassie Ramone (guitar/vocals); Katy "Kickball Katy" Goodman[1](bass/drums/vocals); and Frankie Rose (drums/bass/vocals).[2] While only a band for a short while, they recorded a demo CD-R which included five original songs and a Wipers cover, and began to play locally in Brooklyn and Katy (Kickball Katy) and Cassie's home state of New Jersey.[3] Within the first couple of months they had already developed a strong local following, supporting acts like Jay Reatard, Sonic Youth and the King Khan & BBQ Show as well as finding kindred spirits in other locals like Cause Co-Motion!, Crystal Stilts, and Woods, with whom they’ve shared many bills and helped develop a local scene. The band is still very much connected to their home scene.[4]
In March 2008 they released the "Wild Eyes" single on the Plays With Dolls label.[5] With very little promotion and distribution the single became an underground indie hit as it charted on many college radio playlists and garnered positive reviews on the internet.[6] Recorded in the same session, their debut self-titled LP was released by the Mauled by Tigers label, whose initial pressing of the LP sold out in ten days.[7] During this time, the group signed with In The Red Records who released a new single in August 2008.[8] In The Red re-released the Mauled by Tigers record on LP and CD formats in October 2008.[9]
In July 2008 the band underwent a lineup change with new drummer Ali Koehler replacing Frankie Rose.[10] The band then went on an extensive tour that saw them visit the U.S., UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Puerto Rico in two months.[11] Their second album, Everything Goes Wrong was released by In The Red in September 2009. [12]In May of 2010 Fiona Campbell of Coasting replaced Ali Koehler becoming Vivian Girls third and current drummer. With her they have toured with their third album "Share The Joy" to Europe, UK, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, and the US. Fiona is native to New Zealand and previously played there in a band called The Coolies.
Katy Goodman (Kickball Katy) has formed side project with Cat Power's Gregg Foreman named All Saints Day, the band has digitally released one self titled EP.
Cassie has a side project called The Babies with Woods bassist Kevin Morby. They have released two 7" singles and a self-titled debut album in February 2011.
Fiona's project Coasting released their debut full length on M'lady's Records in November 2011. Previous to that Coasting has released 7inch's on M'lady's Records, Group Tightner, a split with Reading Rainbow on French label Atelier Ciseaux and a tape for Japanese label Sixteen Tambourines.
The band also featured on the track 'Worse to Come' on noise pop band Male Bonding's debut album Nothing Hurts
In August, 2010 Katy (Kickball Katy) announced a solo project called La Sera, which makes lush, dreamy songs of heartbreak, love and death. The first single "Never Come Around" was released on November 16 and A full length eponymous debut was released in early 2011.[13]
In September 2010, it was announced that the third Vivian Girls album Share the Joy would be released in spring 2011 by Polyvinyl Record Co., home to of Montreal, Japandroids, and Deerhoof among others.[14]
On February 4, 2011, RCRD LBL shared a download of "I Heard You Say." The song is from their forthcoming album Share The Joy.[15]
| Year | Album information | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | |||||
| 2008 | Vivian Girls
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| 2009 | Everything Goes Wrong
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| 2011 | Share the Joy
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| Date | Title | Format | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Live on the Radio (WFMU 9/1/2008) | CD | 150 Hand-Numbered Copies |
| 2009 | Live on the Radio (WFMU 9/1/2008) | LP | 1000 |
| Date | Single | Backed with | Record label | Format | Other details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Wild Eyes | My Baby Wants Me Dead | Plays With Dolls / Wild World | 7" single | 4000 copies |
| 2008 | Tell the World | I Believe in Nothing & Damaged | Woodsist | 7" single | 3000 copies |
| 2008 | I Can't Stay | Blind Spot | In the Red | 7" single | 2000 copies |
| 2008 | Surfin Away & Second Date | Girl Don't Tell Me (Wilson) | Wild World | 7" single | 1000 copies |
| 2009 | Moped Girls | Death | For Us | 7" single | 1500 copies |
| 2010 | My Love Will Follow Me | He's Gone (The Chantels Cover) | Wild World | 7" single | 2000 copies |
| 2011 | I Heard You Say | I Won't Be Long | Polyvinyl | 7" single | RSD 2000 copies |
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