Juliana Hatfield | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hatfield performing in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | July 27, 1967 (1967-07-27) (age 58) Wiscasset, Maine, U.S.[1] |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupations |
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| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Mammoth,Zoë, Ye Olde,American Laundromat |
| Website | julianahatfield |
Juliana Hatfield (born July 27, 1967) is an American musician and singer-songwriter from the Boston area. She was formerly a member of theindie rock bandsBlake Babies,Some Girls,[2] andthe Lemonheads. Hatfield also fronted her own band, The Juliana Hatfield Three, alongside bassist Dean Fisher and drummer Todd Philips, which was active in the mid-1990s and again in the mid-2010s. With The Juliana Hatfield Three, she achieved her best-charting work, including the critically acclaimed albumBecome What You Are (1993), which featured the singles "My Sister" (1993) and "Spin the Bottle".
She has performed and recorded as a solo artist and as one-half ofMinor Alps withMatthew Caws ofNada Surf. In 2014, she reformed The Juliana Hatfield Three and announced the release of the albumWhatever, My Love in 2015.
In 2016, she collaborated withPaul Westerberg under the monikerthe I Don't Cares to release the albumWild Stab. She later released an album of original work titledWeird (2019), along with three albums of cover songs:Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John (2018),Juliana Hatfield Sings The Police (2019), andJuliana Hatfield Sings ELO (2023).
Hatfield was born inWiscasset, Maine, to Phillip M. Hatfield, a radiologist, and Julie Hatfield, a former fashion editor forThe Boston Globe.[3][4] She grew up inDuxbury, Massachusetts, near Boston.[5] Despite recording a song titled "My Sister," Hatfield has no sisters but does have two brothers.[2]
Her father claimed that their family descended from the West Virginia Hatfields of theHatfield–McCoy feud following theCivil War.[6] He also served in the U.S. Navy during theVietnam War.[7]
Hatfield attendedDuxbury High School inDuxbury, Massachusetts. She first enrolled atBoston University before transferring toBerklee College of Music in Boston.[8] In 2012, she attended theSchool of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she completed a year-long post-baccalaureate certificate program in painting.[9][10]
Hatfield developed a love for rock music during the 1970s after a babysitter introduced her to the Los Angelespunk rock bandX, an experience she described as life-changing.[11] She was also drawn to the music of more mainstream artists, includingOlivia Newton-John[12] andThe Police.[13]
While still attendingBerklee College of Music in 1986, Hatfield formed the bandBlake Babies withJohn Strohm andFreda Love. The band released four albums between 1987 and 1991, gaining critical recognition fromRolling Stone andThe Village Voice, as well as local radio airplay and press coverage. They also received label support fromMammoth Records in North Carolina. Blake Babies disbanded in 1992 but briefly reunited in 2001 to release another album.
After Blake Babies disbanded, Hatfield joinedthe Lemonheads as their bassist, replacing founding memberJesse Peretz. She played on their breakthrough 1992 album,It's a Shame About Ray. After about a year, she left the band but returned in 1993 as a guest vocalist on several tracks ofCome on Feel the Lemonheads.
In 1992, Hatfield released her debut solo album,Hey Babe.
Her commercial breakthrough came in 1993 when she formed the band the Juliana Hatfield Three. Along with her high-school friend Dean Fisher on bass and formerBullet LaVolta drummer Todd Philips, she handled lead vocals and lead guitar duties. The band released the albumBecome What You Are and two hit singles, "My Sister" and "Spin the Bottle."
"My Sister" was inspired by Hatfield's older brother's girlfriend, Maggie Rafferty, who lived with the family while Hatfield was in high school.[14] Hatfield enjoyed Rafferty's eclectic record collection and was also introduced to live music, as Rafferty took her to see theDel Fuegos and theViolent Femmes, which inspired Hatfield to form a band.[2]
"Spin the Bottle" was featured on the soundtrack of the filmReality Bites (1994). Hatfield also made the cover ofSpin magazine.[15]
Hatfield was profiled in several girls' magazines, most notablySassy, where she addressed serious issues faced by young women in her songs and interviews.[16] Reflecting on this period, she said, "I was never comfortable with the attention. I thought it had come too soon. I hadn't earned it yet."[12] In 1992, she gained notoriety for revealing inInterview magazine that she was still a virgin in her mid-twenties. In a 1994 interview withVox, she expressed surprise at the reaction to her 'outing': "I think there are a lot of people out there who don't care about sex, but who you never hear from, so I thought I should say it. The magazine I did the interview for is full of beefcake hunky guys and scantily clad models, so I thought it would be really funny to say that I didn't care about sex in a magazine that's full of sex and beauty – but no one really got the joke."[17]
Over the years, Hatfield's virginity became a recurring theme in her press coverage, often accompanied by speculation that she had lost it to the Lemonheads' leader,Evan Dando, who referred to her as his "friend and sometimes girlfriend."[18] In 2006, Hatfield sent a letter toThe Weekly Dig in response to writer Debbie Driscoll's scathing review ofSoul Asylum's latest album,The Silver Lining. Kevin Dean from the newspaper responded by bringing up the subject of Hatfield losing her virginity to Dando. Hatfield fired back at Dean for bringing up her sex life, clarifying that she and Dando never had sex, and revealing that it was actuallySpike Jonze to whom she had lost her virginity.[19] She later admitted that she lost her virginity at 26 and was "damn ready."[20]
The Juliana Hatfield Three remained together only through 1994. By 1995, Hatfield had returned to solo status and released the albumOnly Everything, in which she "turned up the volume and the distortion and had a lot of fun."[12] One reviewer described it as "a fun, engaging pop album."[21] The album produced another alternative radio hit for Hatfield with "Universal Heartbeat." In the video, Hatfield portrayed a demanding aerobics instructor. Before the tour forOnly Everything, she released Phillips and hired Jason Sutter on drums, Ed Slanker on guitar, and Lisa Mednick on keyboards. However, two weeks into the tour, she canceled it due to depression.[5]
In her memoir, Hatfield writes that she was suffering fromdepression severe enough to be suicidal. She disagreed with the decision to avoid talking about her depression.[22] The drummer was replaced by Phillips, and touring resumed withJeff Buckley as the opening act.
In 1996, Hatfield traveled toWoodstock, New York, where she recorded tracks forGod's Foot, which was intended to be her fourth solo album (or third, ifBecome What You Are—recorded with The Juliana Hatfield Three—is not counted). The album was planned for release in 1997. After three unsuccessful attempts to satisfy Atlantic Records' requests for a single, she asked to be released from her contract. The label agreed but retained the rights to the songs recorded during these sessions.[23] "Mountains of Love" and "Fade Away" were later released on a greatest hits collection titledGold Stars, while "Can't Kill Myself" was made available for download on Hatfield's website. The remaining tracks surfaced on bootlegs, which she disapproved of, and she has rarely performed them live.[23]
In 1997, Hatfield toured withLilith Fair, an all-female rock festival co-founded by singerSarah McLachlan.[24]
After the experience ofGod's Foot and being freed from her label obligations, Hatfield recorded the EPPlease Do Not Disturb for the independent labelBar/None. Produced by Hatfield, the album featured drummer Todd Phillips, guitarists Ed Slanker and Mike Leahy, and bassistMikey Welsh ofWeezer. The EP included "Trying Not to Think About It," a tribute to her friend and deceased musicianJeff Buckley.
Almost as a reaction to the seemingly endless studio sessions surroundingGod's Foot, Hatfield recorded the albumBed in 1998 in just six days. About the album, she said on her website, "It sounds as raw as I felt. It has no pretty sheen. The mistakes and unattractive parts were left in, not erased. Just like my career. Just like life."[12]
In 2000, Hatfield releasedBeautiful Creature. However, this album left the rockier side of her musical personality unexpressed, so she simultaneously releasedJuliana's Pony: Total System Failure with Zephan Courtney and Mikey Welsh. She described the latter album as "a loud release of tension" with "lots of long sloppy guitar solos. And no love songs... a not-at-all attractive reaction to the ugly side of humanity, specifically American culture."[12]Billboard calledBeautiful Creature "a collection of plaintive demos" andJuliana's Pony "chock-a-block with punk guitar missives."[25]Juliana's Pony: Total System Failure was panned by some critics[26] who preferred the more acousticBeautiful Creature. OnBeautiful Creature, Hatfield worked with musicianDavíd Garza, who co-produced much of the album. Wally Gagel, a producer forSebadoh andTanya Donelly, helped Hatfield record her most electronica-influenced songs, "Cool Rock Boy" and "Don't Rush Me," which added texture to the otherwise acoustic album.
In 2002, Hatfield releasedGold Stars 1992–2002: The Juliana Hatfield Collection. The compilation included singles from her solo albums, two songs from the unreleasedGod's Foot, a cover ofNeil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," and new songs.
In 2004, Hatfield releasedIn Exile Deo, an attempt at a more commercial sound with input from producers and engineers who had worked withPink andAvril Lavigne. Hatfield co-produced the album withDavid Leonard, receiving co-production credits on "Jamie's in Town" and the bright rocker "Sunshine." Critics praised the album, with some calling it her best work since the start of her solo career.[27]
In contrast, the 2005 albumMade in China was recorded inBellows Falls, Vermont, andCambridge, Massachusetts, and was released on her own record label, Ye Olde Records. The album had a much rawer feel, with Hatfield playing instruments alongside the band Unbusted and other contributors. For the first time, Hatfield also played drums on at least one track.[28]
John Doe of the band X described the album as "a frighteningly dark and beautiful record filled with stark, angular, truly brutal songs and guitars. This is surely a 'Woman Under the Influence,' though I'm not sure of what."[29] Reviews were mixed, with some appreciating the lo-fi sound while others viewed it as slackness.[30]
The release ofMade in China marked the beginning of a trend where Hatfield licensed her music, selling it via her website and through a distribution deal with Red Eye.[25]
In December 2005, Hatfield toured the United States with the bandX, whom she had idolized during her teenage years.
In 2006, Hatfield released her first live album,The White Broken Line: Live Recordings. The album featured performances from her tour with X and was her third release on her record label.
Hatfield's ninth studio album,How to Walk Away, was released on August 19, 2008, on Ye Olde Records. The album's heartfelt exploration of the breakup of a relationship resonated with critics, who gave it largely positive reviews, with some hailing it as her best album sinceIn Exile Deo.[31]
Hatfield returned two years later with her tenth studio album,Peace & Love, which was released on Ye Olde Records on February 16, 2010. The album's composition, arrangement, performance, production, engineering, and mixing were all credited solely to Hatfield.[32][33] The album received mixed reviews, with several critics complaining that its low-key, moody nature worked against the potential of the songs.[34]
In October 2010, Hatfield andEvan Dando played two sold-out acoustic live shows together atThe Mercury Lounge in New York. The following month, the duo played sold-out shows in Allston. This tour was followed by five dates on the American East Coast in January 2011.
In April 2011, Hatfield announced her intention to work on a new album via the fan-funding platformPledgeMusic.[35] Fan response was enthusiastic, exceeding 400% of the original project cost. The album was initially going to be titledSpeeches Delivered to Animals and Plants, referencing a passage in theJohn Irving novelThe World According to Garp, but Hatfield later changed it toThere's Always Another Girl.[36] The new title referred to a song on the album of the same name, which she had written as a defense ofLindsay Lohan after watching her filmI Know Who Killed Me.[37]
There's Always Another Girl was released on August 30, 2011, independently on her Ye Olde Records label. However, a downloadable version was made available to contributors a month earlier, on July 27, which was Juliana's birthday. The album has received mostly positive reviews from critics.[38]
On August 28, 2012, Juliana Hatfield released a covers album titledJuliana Hatfield on her Ye Olde Records label. The album features covers of songs originally performed bythe Who,Liz Phair,Creedence Clearwater Revival,Ryan Adams,I Blame Coco, andLed Zeppelin.[39]
In December 2014,Paste Magazine named her track "Needle in the Hay," a cover ofElliott Smith's song, as No. 10 on its list of the "20 Best Cover Songs of 2014." The review described the cover as "a more upbeat, approachable take on Smith's disparate, wrought-iron classic. But even though it now employs bass, drums, tambourine, and synth, the song stays true to the sorrowful, tension-riddled original."[40] Also that month,SPIN Magazine named the cover one of the "40 Best 2014 Songs by 1994 Artists," where it ranked No. 36. The review noted, "The tempo's a bit quicker, and she double-tracks herself for the song's entirety. But the (tasteful) inclusion of chintzy drum programming andmellotron cleverly point to Smith's eventual creative direction."[41]
In 2014, the Juliana Hatfield Three reunited two decades after it disbanded. Hatfield used PledgeMusic to raise funds for the new album,Whatever, My Love, the trio's first since 1993'sBecome What You Are.[42][43] Hatfield explained, "We haven't totally reinvented the wheel or anything," adding that the tracks feature "stuff I am sort of known for, I guess. But I am a lot more confident now than I was then with the first album. And I had more fun recording this one."[44] The twelve tracks forWhatever, My Love were recorded at Nuthouse Recording inHoboken, New Jersey, with Beaujour and Hatfield co-producing.[43] The lead single, "If I Could" was released in December 2014 and premiered inRolling Stone.[43] That month, the album was made available for pre-order onAmerican Laundromat Records,[43] with an announced release date of February 17, 2015.[43] The band also announced a U.S. tour throughout February, visiting cities on both coasts and in the Midwest,[43] with stops at theBowery Ballroom in New York City[45] andThe Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles.[46]
In late December 2014,Stereogum named the album "one of their most anticipated albums of 2015,"[47] and on January 4, 2015,Consequence of Sound listed it as "one of the 50 most anticipated albums of 2015."[48] On January 9, 2015, Hatfield was featured on Nylon.com, which wrote that the upcoming album came across as "unforced, and with its sly lyrics and mega-hooky coffeehouse-grunge aesthetic."[49] The album's second single, "Ordinary Guy," premiered onConsequence of Sound on January 14, 2015.[50]
In 2015, Hatfield andPaul Westerberg announced that they had formed a new group calledthe I Don't Cares.[51] They released the albumWild Stab in 2016.
Since then, Hatfield has released a number of solo albums, including two albums of cover songs—Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John (2018) andJuliana Hatfield Sings The Police (2019)—and three albums of original work:Pussycat (2017),Weird (2019), andBlood (2021).
In 2019, Hatfield hinted that her next covers album would focus on the work of an American artist, having already covered an Australian (Olivia Newton-John) and an English band (the Police).[52] In an interview for the bookI'm Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen, Hatfield revealed that she was consideringR.E.M. for her next covers album installment.[53] However, the follow-up ended up beingElectric Light Orchestra.[54] The album,Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO, was released on November 17, 2023.[55]
From her work with the Blake Babies to the present, Hatfield's music has alternated between heavy, rocking tunes and gentler, more melodic or folk-oriented songs. She has stated that in the 1990s, she briefly tried smoking cigarettes in hopes of giving her voice a rougher quality but eventually reconciled herself with her distinctive vocal style.[56]
Hatfield's musical influences are diverse, ranging from punk bands likeX,the Stooges, andthe Replacements to more folk-oriented rock artists likeNeil Young, whose songs the Blake Babies frequently covered in live shows. Her work has also intersected with contemporaneousindie rock bands such asDinosaur Jr. andthe Lemonheads, whose members are also her friends.
From an early age, she has had a particular love for melodic pop music. In a 1998 interview, she stated, "I just always liked pop music and really good melodies and major chords. That's just the type of music that comes naturally to me."[57] In a 1993 interview withMelody Maker, Hatfield mentioned that her enthusiasm for the pop groupWilson Phillips apparently contributed, at least in part, to the breakup of the Blake Babies.[11]
Hatfield describes herself as very shy and somewhat of a loner, stating that "happy lyrics don't come naturally to me."[57] She has characterized her music and songwriting as a form of therapy, providing an outlet that helps her navigate difficult times and depression.[58]
Hatfield has also recorded withthe Lemonheads, living for a time withEvan Dando in Boston's college neighborhood ofAllston. She has contributed backing vocals to recordings byBelly,Giant Sand,Susanna Hoffs,Aimee Mann, andMary Lou Lord. In 1999, she teamed up with Dando to recordGram Parsons's song "$1,000 Wedding" for the compilationReturn of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons.
In 2001, Hatfield joined Freda Love andHeidi Gluck (of the Pieces and the Only Children) to form the trioSome Girls, performing alongside her solo work. The group has toured the United States twice and released two albums, serving as an outlet for Hatfield's more lighthearted material. Their first album,Feel It, was released byKoch Records in 2003, featuring the lead single "Necessito", a funky affirmation of the power of music sung in a mix of English and Spanish. Some Girls' second album,Crushing Love, was released in July 2006.
In 2007, Hatfield signed the Boston (nowAustin)-based bandFrank Smith to her record label, Ye Olde Records. In addition to releasing their 2007 albumHeavy Handed Peace and Love, she recorded an EP with the band titledSittin' in a Tree. Produced by Frank Smith'sAaron Sinclair, the EP featuresbanjos,pedal steel, and other instruments typically associated withcountry music.
Hatfield andMatthew Caws ofNada Surf formed a band called Minor Alps, releasing their first album,Get There, on October 29, 2013, viaBarsuk Records.[59][60][61]
Julie Gayet appears in the music video for Minor Alps' song "Waiting for You".
Hatfield andPaul Westerberg formedthe I Don't Cares, releasingWild Stab on January 22, 2016, via Dry Wood Records.
Beyond her musical accomplishments, Hatfield hasguest-starred on several television shows, includingThe Adventures of Pete & Pete as alunch lady and the 1994 Christmas episode of thecult classicMy So-Called Life as a deceased homeless girl who becomes an angel.[62] During the mid-1990s, she was a staple on MTV's120 Minutes alternative music program and performed onThe Late Show with David Letterman andLate Night with Conan O'Brien in 1995.
On March 25, 2008, Hatfield began her own blog through her website titledAn Arm and A Leg. The blog lasted about a year before being removed. Each week, or thereabouts, she revealed the influences behind one of her songs.
Hatfield briefly appeared on an episode ofSpace Ghost Coast to Coast titled "Surprise", which aired on June 19, 1996. Instead of being interviewed, she simply said "uhh" and was then zapped byZorak.
Hatfield released the bookWhen I Grow Up: A Memoir on September 22, 2008.[63]
Hatfield has been avegetarian for many years.[64] She has been open about her struggles with depression, anorexia, and disordered eating.[5]
She briefly dated musician and collaborator Ryan Adams in 2008.[65]
In 2006, she moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she continues to live.[66][67]
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