Joanna Gruesome

Welsh band

Noise pop
punk rock
indie pop
nu-gaze

Years active2010 (2010)–2017Labels

Slumberland Records^[1]
Fortuna Pop!

Members

Lan McArdle
Owen Willams
Max Warren
George Nicholls
Dave Sandford
Ciara Killick
Ciara Cohen-Ennis
Matthew Green
Kate Stonestreet
Roxy Brennan

Websitejoannagruesome.bandcamp.com

Joanna Gruesome were a five-piece noise pop band from Cardiff, Wales. The name of the group is a reference to musician Joanna Newsom. They released two albums and a number of singles.

History

Joanna Gruesome were formed in 2010 in Cardiff. Their debut album received praise from Pitchfork,^[2] This is fake DIY, and Rough Trade.^[3] Joanna Gruesome were known for their energetic live shows,^[4] as well as their forthright feminist and anti-homophobic views.^[3]

On 28 November 2014, the band won the Welsh Music Prize with their debut album Weird Sister.^[5] They released their second album, Peanut Butter, on 11 May in the UK via Fortuna Pop!, and on 2 June in the US via Slumberland Records.^[6]

In June 2015, the band announced Lan^[7] McArdle would depart from the band. They were replaced by Kate Stonestreet from the bands Pennycress and Roxy Brennan from Two White Cranes, Grubs and TOWEL.^[8] They played their final show in 2017.

Lan McArdle and Owen Williams formed a new band Ex-Vöid in 2018 and Williams and Nicholls formed The Tubs the same year.

Discography

LPs

Year	Title	Label	Format
2013	Weird Sister	Fortuna Pop! (UK), Slumberland Records (US)	12-inch vinyl LP / CD / DD
2015	Peanut Butter	Fortuna Pop! (UK), Slumberland Records (US)	12-inch vinyl LP / CD / DD

EPs

E.P. – Self Release, MP3 (2011)
Family Portrait – Art Is Hard Records, 7-inch (2012)
Cream Soda Grrrl – E.P. reissue – Reeks Of Effort, tape (2012)
Split (with Trust Fund) – Reeks Of Effort (UK) & Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records (US), 12-inch EP (2014)
Astonishing Adventures! "The Captured Crusader" (split with Perfect Pussy) – Captured Tracks, Slumberland Records, Fortuna Pop!, 7-inch EP (2014)

Singles

Do You Really Wanna Know Why Yr Still In Love With Me – Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, 7-inch (2012)
Sugarcrush – Slumberland/Fortuna Pop!, 7-inch Single (2013)

References

^ "slumberland records: Joanna Gruesome releases, videos and more". Slumberlandrecords.com. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
^ Thompson, Paul (13 September 2013). "Joanna Gruesome: Weird Sister". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Weird Sister review". Rough Trade. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
^ Beaumont, Mark (10 January 2014). "Joanna Gruesome - review". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
^ Davies, Wayne (28 November 2014). "Joanna Gruesome win the Welsh Music Prize 2014 for debut album Weird Sister". WalesOnline. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
^ Wilson, Martin (10 February 2015). "Joanna Gruesome Announce Album & Share 'Last Year'". Overblown. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
^ "Lan McArdle (@horsemeat_scandal) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
^ "Joanna Gruesome announce line up change". Turnstile. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.