# Girls in the band, but not the singer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872 "2007-08-25T05:25:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/41 "2007-08-25T17:53:50Z")
Kid Rock has a female drummer. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/42 "2007-08-25T18:02:23Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] Gillian Gilbert, of New Order. I think she did do some singing, like most band members do, but she was never the lead vocalist. [/QUOTE] Nuts… that was my contribution. Well, there’s Elastica. Mostly female band but only Justine sang, I think. Same with Bangles and Go-Go’s. Justine was in Suede and Bret Anderson was the singer. The Fall featured Brix on guitar, Mark E. Smith is the vocalist. Session players: the aforementioned Sara Lee is everywhere (she was even in the B-52’s “Love Shack” video, and of course the great Carol Kane, on a number of 60s and 70s US hits. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/43 "2007-08-25T18:05:59Z")
Cait O’Riorden was the original bassist for The Pogues, although she did sing on a few songs, most memorably “I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Everyday.” ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/44 "2007-08-25T18:17:26Z")
From 1997 to 2006 the Northern Irish indie band Ash had Charlotte Hatherley (now a moderately successful solo performer) on guitar. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/45 "2007-08-25T19:12:09Z")
[QUOTE=Crusoe] From 1997 to 2006 the Northern Irish indie band Ash had Charlotte Hatherley (now a moderately successful solo performer) on guitar. [/QUOTE] She also sang backing vocals though, the part of the OP that makes this that much more difficult. I was going to suggest The Subways, who have Charlotte Cooper on bass, but she also sings backing vocals. In a couple of recent TV performances, Mika has had a female drummer. No idea if she’s his regular drummer, or just some eye candy for the TV though. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/46 "2007-08-25T19:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=Team of Scientists] I could swear Weymouth sings backup on some songs, but I may be making that up. [/QUOTE] I don’t know enough about the Talking Heads to know if she did sing with them, but at least some tracks had female vocalists when they reformed as The Heads. “The Damage I’ve Done” is a really great song by them. HippyHollow, Elastica is the opposite of what I’m asking about, isn’t it? It sure sounds like a female singer to me, anyway. And MeShell NdegeOcello did vocals on John Mellencamp’s “Wild Night.” The reason I asked this question is there are lots of indie bands with a woman in them, but the vast majority have her be the singer. Off the top of my head the Smashing Pumpkins was the only band I could think of that didn’t have the girls sing, so I thought I’d ask to see what I was missing. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/47 "2007-08-25T21:18:31Z")
[Skankin’ Pickle](http://www.myspace.com/singalongwithskankinpick) had Lynette Knackstedt on guitar and is listed as “guitar and vocals” but she most certainly is NOT their lead singer. Everyone else in the band, including the horn players, is listed as “[instrument], vocals” ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/48 "2007-08-25T23:47:49Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] I don’t know enough about the Talking Heads to know if she did sing with them, but at least some tracks had female vocalists when they reformed as The Heads. “The Damage I’ve Done” is a really great song by them. HippyHollow, Elastica is the opposite of what I’m asking about, isn’t it? It sure sounds like a female singer to me, anyway. [/QUOTE] Yeah, Elastica isn’t quite the fit for your OP. Justine’s previous band, Suede, is, though. I’m pretty sure there was a woman in Pulp, and I only recall hearing Jarvis Cocker as lead vocalist… The Heads did “Damage I’ve Done” with Johnette Napolitano, formerly of Concrete Blonde. It is a bad ass song. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/49 "2007-08-25T23:53:07Z")
Yes, Pulp had Candida Doyle. Justine Frischmann was in Suede before they really hit the big time. The Dandy Warhols have Zia McCabe on keyboards. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/50 "2007-08-26T01:00:08Z")
David Bowie’s bass player is [Gail Ann Dorsey](http://www.gailanndorsey.com/)… I don’t think she sings on his recordings, but at his concerts she fills in Freddy Mercury’s part on “Under Pressure” and sounds amazing. I dont’ think she sings much otherwise for him, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/51 "2007-08-26T01:43:06Z")
**Hippy Hollow** I already mentioned [Carol Kaye](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Kaye) in posting #16. (I misspelled her name as _Kay_ instead of _Kaye_). [Carol Kane](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Kane) is someone else entirely. ---
**Author:** ![untimelysmile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c68b51/32.png) [@untimelysmile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/untimelysmile)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/52 "2007-08-26T01:49:32Z")
I think Mika’s bass guitarist (or is it drummer) is a rockin’ British chick. You always see his band when he performs live. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![santosvega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@santosvega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/santosvega)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/53 "2007-08-26T02:04:39Z")
The E. Street Band has featured two female violinists over time, Suki Lahav in the very old days and Soozie Tyrell quite recently. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/54 "2007-08-26T02:36:24Z")
[QUOTE=Crusoe] The Dandy Warhols have Zia McCabe on keyboards. [/QUOTE] She is credited with backing vocals (not that there are any obvious female vocals on anything I’ve heard.) ---
**Author:** ![Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5fc32e/32.png) [@Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juliette_Culture_Junkie)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/55 "2007-08-26T02:57:12Z")
Not sure if any of thee have been posted yet, but… Snowpony - Deb Googe (bass) Imperial Teen - Jone Stebbins and Lyn Perko on bass and drums, respectively Velvet Underground - Maureen “Mo” Tucker (drums) (Nico wasn’t _really_ in the band, right?) Butthole Surfers - Theresa Nervosa (drums), Cabbage (drums), Kathleen Lynch (dancer) Beat Happening - Heather Lewis (drums) Mock Turtles - Joann Gent (keyboards) The Germs - Lorna Doom (bass)., Dottie Danger (Belinda Carlisle) early drummer The Adverts - Gaye Advert (bass) The Beach Boys - Carol Kaye (bass - “Pet Sounds” LP, "Good Vibrations " 45) The Legendary Pink Dots - April Iliffe/Aradia (keyboard, glockenspiel) The Rentals - Petra Haden (violin/synth), Cherielyn Westrich (synth) Jejune - Arabella Harrison (bass) Black Flag - Kira Roessler (bass - 1983-1985) Dos - Kira Roessler (bass) The Waitresses - Tracy Wormworth (bass) The Evens - Amy Farina (drums The Warmers - Amy Farina (drums) X-Ray Spex - Lora Logic (Saxophone) I think a few of these ladies may have done backing vox. My BF named half of these, so if any are wrong, it’s his fault 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Layla01](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/layla01/32/15552_2.png) [@Layla01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Layla01)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/56 "2007-08-26T07:14:05Z")
[The Duchess](http://www.answers.com/topic/duchess-alice-s-adventures-in-wonderland?cat=entertainment) - AKA Norma-Jean Wofford, Bo Diddley’s guitar player from 1961 -1966, as well as his previous guitar player, Peggy Jones. Also, Nancy Wilson of Heart probably should count, even though she sings lead on a few songs and backup, she’s a well respected guitar player in her own right. Mika’s drummer’s name is Cherisse Osei. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/57 "2007-08-26T14:50:40Z")
[QUOTE=percussion] The white stipes? [/QUOTE] Meg sings on “[In The Cold Cold Night](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RB2BvvByUo)” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/58 "2007-08-26T18:21:54Z")
Janis Tanaka, bassist for Fireball Ministry Paz Lenchantin, bassist for A Perfect Circle, Zwan They might have done some back-up vocals, but AFAIK neither did lead vocals. ---
**Author:** ![I\_mOnlySleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/76d3ee/32.png) [@I\_mOnlySleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_mOnlySleeping)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/59 "2007-08-27T01:31:19Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] The Revolution. [/QUOTE] Wendy and Lisa sang backup, didn’t they? And Jill Jones sang on the song “1999.” ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872/60 "2007-08-27T06:07:38Z")
[QUOTE=BlakeTyner] This may be stretching the OP, since it involves a touring band member rather than a studio member, but **Nirvana** had a female on cello during the In Utero tour as well as their taping of MTV’s “Unplugged” [/QUOTE] > [@ultrafilter](#): > > [trivia]The cello lady is Melora Creager, singer for Rasputina.[/trivia] Another likely candidate is [Lori Goldston](http://www.lorigoldston.com/). Seems Creager played the European leg of the tour, but Goldston played the US leg and the MTV show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-in-the-band-but-not-the-singer/416872.md?page=4)