The Butchies | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1998–2005 |
| Labels | Mr. Lady Records,Yep Roc |
| Members |
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The Butchies were anall-femalepunk rock band fromDurham, North Carolina, that existed from 1998 to 2005.[1] They reunited from theirhiatus to tour withAmy Ray of theIndigo Girls promoting Ray's new album in 2010.[2] The frequent focus of their lyrical content concernedlesbian andqueer themes.
Made up ofTeam Dresch guitarist and frontwomanKaia Wilson, bassistAlison Martlew, and drummerMelissa York, The Butchies has been referred to as "queercore crusaders".[3] The band has been performing together since the recording of their firstalbum,Are We Not Femme? in 1998.[4] Since then, the trio has recorded three subsequent albums,Population: 1975 in 1999,3 in 2001, andMake Yr Life in 2004. They have also appeared on a number of compilations of note, includingBeing Out Rocks, produced by theHuman Rights Campaign (Centaur Productions, 2002), andFields And Streams (Kill Rock Stars, 2002). In 2005 the band announced a hiatus.
The first three albums were released by the now-defunctMr. Lady Records, run byKaia Wilson andTammy Rae Carland. It was named after Wilson's first solo LP,Ladyman, created after leavingTeam Dresch. The label also released the first twoLe Tigre recordings.Make Yr Life was released byYep Roc.[5] The track "Sex (I'm a Lesbian)" appeared on Mr. Lady's 1999sampler album,New Women's Music Sampler. In 2001, a live rendition of the track "Disco" appeared on another sampler album,Calling All Kings & Queens.
Kaia Wilson had previously performed inAdickdid and thequeercore bandTeam Dresch, appearing on their first two albums,Personal Best andCaptain My Captain; Melissa York was also in Team Dresch, playing drums on the second LP and, prior to that, performing in twohardcore punk bands, Vitapup andBorn Against, before the two women joined withAlison Martlew to form The Butchies.
The Butchies also played on the 2001Amy Ray (of theIndigo Girls) albumStag onDaemon Records and backed her up on tour.
The band's name appears in the lyrics of theLe Tigre song "Hot Topic."[6]
