The Soviettes

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The Soviettes
Left to right: Susy, Danny, Annie, Sturgeon.
Left to right: Susy, Danny, Annie, Sturgeon.
Background information
Origin Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Genre(s) Punk rock
Years active 2001–2006
Label(s) Adeline, Fat Wreck Chords, Dirtnap, Crustacean, Pop Riot
Associated acts Awesome Snakes, International Robot
Former members
Annie Holoien
Susy Sharp
Maren "Sturgeon" Macosko
Danny Henry
Lane Pederson

The Soviettes were a four-person punk band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded in 2001. The group was composed of Annie (guitar), Sturgeon (guitar), Susy (bass guitar), and the sole male in the band, Danny (drums), all of whom switched off singing duties.

Contents

[edit] History

Annie and Susy, both natives of Fargo, North Dakota, moved to Minneapolis around 2000 where they met Bill Morrisette of Dillinger Four. He suggested that they start a band with his girlfriend, Sturgeon, and were practicing with Dillinger Four's Lane Pederson filling in on drums by 2001.[1] The name originates from when Annie was serving coffee at a previous job, a customer offered "your band should be called The Soviettes" instead of a tip.[2] The band recorded their first EP, T.C.C.P., the same year. Soon Annie found Danny Henry to play with them permanently.

In 2003, The Soviettes released the first LP entitled LP on Adeline Records of Oakland, California.

In 2004, the band released their second LP entitled LP II, again on Adeline Records. The band was then noticed by Fat Wreck Chords in San Francisco, California and was shortly after signed with the label. The band released the song "Paranoia! Cha-Cha-Cha" for the compilation album Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1.

On June 28, 2005, the band's third LP entitled LP III was released on Fat Wreck Chords.

The members of The Soviettes have maintained a friendship with rapper P.O.S., and are referenced in "Crispin Glover" from his 2005 single "P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life". They also gained an association with the Minnesota RollerGirls with the single "Roller Girls" about the organization with backing vocals from some of the girls.[3]

They toured the United States extensively at the end of 2005 with Fat Wreck label-mates Against Me!, the Epoxies, and Smoke or Fire.

After April 2006 the band went on hiatus indefinitely and the members doubt the band will reform at all. Susy has since moved to Los Angeles, California.[4]

Since The Soviettes' hiatus, Annie and Danny have continued playing music together as the punk rock duo, The Awesome Snakes.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Title Release date Notes Label
LP 17 June 2003 Rereleased on vinyl in 2005 by Crustacean Records. Adeline
LP II 13 April 2004 Vinyl released by Learning Curve Records later that year. Adeline
LP III 28 June 2005 220 albums released on pink vinyl. Fat Wreck Chords

[edit] EPs and singles

Title Release date Notes Label
T.C.C.P. 11 May 2002 Released as a 7" vinyl only. Pop Riot
"Alright" 12 October 2004 B-side: "Plus One" Dirtnap
"Roller Girls" 23 August 2005 B-side: "Say So" Fat Wreck Chords

[edit] Splits

Title Release date Notes Label
The Soviettes/Valentines EP 5 November 2002 Pop Riot
The Havenot's/The Soviettes 2003 As both a four track vinyl distributed in the US and a six
track CD released only in Japan on Star Jets Records		 Nice & Neat

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Scholtes, Peter (11 June 2003), “Red, White, & Blonde: The Liberty, Equality, and Sorority of the Soviettes”, City Pages 24 (1175), <http://citypages.com/databank/24/1175/article11309.asp> 
  2. ^ The Soviettes, <http://www.fatwreck.com/band/index/44>. Retrieved on 20 October 2007 
  3. ^ Vinyl. Minnesota Rollergirls Online Store. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  4. ^ “Awesome Snakes - Venom”, Sliver, 29 October 2006, <http://www.slivermagazine.com/features/2006/10/awesome-snakes-venom.html>