Editing Babes in Toyland (band) (section)

==History==
===1987–1991: Formation and early years===
Babes in Toyland formed in 1987, after frontwoman [[Kat Bjelland]] met drummer [[Lori Barbero]] at a friend's barbecue. Originally from [[Woodburn, Oregon]] and a former resident of [[San Francisco]], Bjelland had moved to [[Minneapolis]] to form a band.{{sfn|Taylor|2006|p=21}} Bjelland was a self-taught guitarist, and at the time Barbero had no experience playing any instruments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rookiemag.com/2016/11/babes-in-toyland/|website=Rookie Magazine|title=Don't Do It 'Cause You Think You Have To: An Interview With Lori Barbero|date=November 28, 2016|last=Kuehnert, Stephanie|access-date=May 17, 2018}}</ref> Bjelland commented: "Hopefully, from being technically inexperienced, you can use your imagination, and play the drums like an instrument instead of just being a beat-keeper. And play the bass like you feel it, from your gut, instead of saying, 'Here's my scales.'"<ref>{{cite web|title=Pop/Jazz; Post-Punk Angst of Babes in Toyland|website=The New York Times|date= March 27, 1992|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/27/arts/pop-jazz-post-punk-angst-of-babes-in-toyland.html|access-date=November 4, 2017|last=Schoemer, Karen|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207170056/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/27/arts/pop-jazz-post-punk-angst-of-babes-in-toyland.html|archive-date=December 7, 2010|url-status=live}} {{closed access}}</ref> The band name refers to the [[Babes in Toyland (operetta)|eponymous]] 1903 operetta and alludes to its all-female lineup. In its initial formation in 1987, in addition to Bjelland and Barbero, the band included Kris Holetz on bass and singer Cindy Russell.{{sfn|Gaar|2002|p=389}}

Following the departures of Holetz and Russell, it was believed that the band briefly recruited Bjelland's friend and former bandmate, [[Courtney Love]], on bass, as Love claimed to have been "kicked out" of the band.{{sfn|Brite|1998|p=111}} However, during a 2015 interview, Bjelland and Barbero refuted this, with Barbero stating: "She lived in my house, and one time I think when we were rehearsing she came down and probably picked up something and tried to play and we were just like, "get out of here."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.thecurrent.org/2015/03/a-california-desert-interview-with-babes-in-toyland/|title=A California desert interview with Babes in Toyland|website=The Current|last=Swennson|first=Andrea|date=March 10, 2015|access-date=March 11, 2015}}</ref> However, Michelle Leon, who was hired as the group's bass player, claimed that she was briefly replaced by Love as bassist shortly after joining.{{sfn|Leon|2016|p=23}} After the group rehearsed with Love on "a couple" of occasions, Leon stated Barbero called her and asked her to re-join the band.{{sfn|Leon|2016|p=23}} It has been noted that several songs from the Babes In Toyland's debut album shared lyrics and verses with several songs by Hole, most notably Hole's first several [[single (music)|singles]], including b-sides from "[[Retard Girl]]" and "[[Dicknail]]".{{efn|"Fork Down Throat" was performed as a Hole song in 1990 at their second and third shows, and verses from "Swamp Pussy" can be found in Hole's first recorded track, "Turpentine". Lines such as "spit to see the shine" and "my doll mouth to your deaf ear", which come from some of Hole's first singles, are found scattered in several songs from ''Spanking Machine'' as well as ''Fontanelle''. Although it is believed that it is possible that Love and Bjelland had written some of these songs/lines together, Bjelland originally wrote the lyrics alone after moving by herself to Minneapolis.}}

[[File:Babes in Toyland Groningen 1991.jpg|thumb|right|Bjelland performing with Babes in Toyland in [[Groningen]], Netherlands, 1991]]
The group began performing shows at local art galleries and other venues in late 1987.{{sfn|Leon|2016|pages=23–4}} Local journalist Jon Bream, who initially disparaged the band, recalled: "They were a sort of loud, abrasive, angry, obnoxious thing at first and very amateurish in a sense. And then they developed over time into something that was pretty amazing...The shows just seemed to make more sense. There was a focus there...They were able to connect with the audience."<ref name=lat/> In 1988 they released their first single, "[[Dust Cake Boy]]", on Treehouse Records. {{sfn|Leon|2016|p=38}} The band entered the studio in 1989 to record their debut album, ''[[Spanking Machine]]'', which was recorded with [[grunge]] producer [[Jack Endino]] at Seattle's [[Reciprocal Recording]] and released in April 1990 on Minneapolis' [[Twin/Tone Records]].{{sfn|Earles|2014|p=22}} The album caught the attention of underground rock band [[Sonic Youth]], whose frontman [[Thurston Moore]] invited the band to perform on Sonic Youth's 1990 European tour to promote their latest album, ''[[Goo (album)|Goo]]''.{{sfn|Leon|2016|pages=109–12}} Babes in Toyland subsequently performed alongside Sonic Youth at 1991's [[Reading Festival]],{{sfn|Leon|2016|p=142}} which was documented in [[Dave Markey]]'s music documentary, ''[[1991: The Year Punk Broke]]''.

British DJ [[John Peel]] was also a fan of the album, citing it as his "favourite album of 1990."{{sfn|Leon|2016|p=148}} During the band's tour with Sonic Youth in 1990, Babes in Toyland recorded a radio session for John Peel, one of the many Peel Sessions. The band also completed a second session with Peel in 1991, and the sessions were released as ''[[The Peel Sessions (Babes in Toyland album)|The Peel Sessions]]'' — the band's second [[Extended play|EP]] — in 1992. Their first EP, ''[[To Mother (EP)|To Mother]]'', was composed of outtakes from ''Spanking Machine'' and was released in July 1991; ''To Mother'' was a commercial success, entering the [[UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts|UK Indie Chart]] at number one, and remaining in the top position for ten weeks.<ref>{{cite web|website=Southern Records|title=Babes in Toyland: To Mother [Vinyl]|url=http://shop.southern.com/babes-in-toyland-to-mother-vinyl/|access-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913164425/http://shop.southern.com/babes-in-toyland-to-mother-vinyl/|archive-date=September 13, 2016}}</ref>

===1992–1995: Mainstream success===
After touring in 1991, the band entered the studio for a second time to record their major label follow-up to ''Spanking Machine''. Bassist Michelle Leon left the group in early 1992, shortly after the [[murder of Joe Cole]], her then boyfriend.{{sfn|Leon|2016|p=154}}<ref name=lat/> [[Maureen Herman]] was recruited as her replacement. With this new line-up, the band signed with Warner Bros.'s [[Reprise Records]].<ref name=lat>{{cite web|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-15-ca-623-story.html|title=Year of the Kat : Kat Bjelland's penchant for purging her emotions brings Babes in Toyland to the brink of alternative rock stardom|date=November 25, 1992|access-date=October 30, 2017|last=Cromelin, Richard}}</ref> Their second studio album, ''[[Fontanelle (album)|Fontanelle]]'' was recorded in [[Cannon Falls]], Minnesota and in New York City, and featured production from Sonic Youth's [[Lee Ranaldo]].{{sfn|Earles|2014|p=23}} ''Fontanelle'' was released in 1992,{{sfn|Earles|2014|p=23}} and sold over 250,000 copies in the United States alone.{{sfn|Earles|2014|p=24}} The lead single on the album, "[[Bruise Violet]]," is said to be an attack on Courtney Love.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southern.com/southern/band/BABES/biog.html|title=Babes in Toyland|date=April 20, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420140618/http://www.southern.com/southern/band/BABES/biog.html|archive-date=April 20, 2008|access-date=March 28, 2015}}</ref> However, Bjelland denied this, saying instead that "Violet" was the name of a muse to both her and Love.<ref>{{cite web|website=Bustle|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/44386-7-songs-that-are-about-courtney-love-probably|title=7 Songs That Are About Courtney Love ... Probably|last=Garis, Mary Grace|date=October 15, 2014|access-date=May 18, 2018}}</ref> A music video for "Bruise Violet" was shot in the [[SoHo]] loft of photographer [[Cindy Sherman]], who also appears in the video as Bjelland's doppelganger. Sherman's photos appear on the covers of ''Fontanelle'' and the group's second EP, ''[[Painkillers (EP)|Painkillers]]'', and the imagery was recreated on stage banners with the artist's permission.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.walkerart.org/visualarts/2013/02/07/cindy-sherman-babes-in-toyland-punk-rock/ | work=Walker Art Center | title=Completely Punk Rock: Cindy Sherman's (Nearly) Forgotten History with Babes in Toyland  |first = Paul |last = Schmelzer | access-date=May 18, 2018|date=February 7, 2013}}</ref>

In 1993, the band was chosen to take part in that year's [[Lollapalooza]] tour,<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,978840,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102071258/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,978840,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 2, 2007 | magazine=Time | title=Dispatches Latter-Day Grunge | date=July 12, 1993 | access-date=April 26, 2014}}</ref> playing alongside such acts as [[Primus (band)|Primus]], [[Alice in Chains]], [[Dinosaur Jr.]] and [[Rage Against the Machine]]. During dates at Lollapalooza, the band released their third and final EP, ''[[Painkillers (EP)|Painkillers]]'', in June 1993.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Charles, Aaron|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20294011,00.html|title=Painkillers|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=July 1993|access-date=May 17, 2018|archive-date=October 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017202527/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20294011,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1994, journalist Neal Karlen began writing ''Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band'', which dealt with the band's signing to Warner and the recording of ''Fontanelle''.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,303328,00.html | magazine=Entertainment Weekly | access-date=May 18, 2018 | last=Mifflin, Margot | title=News Review: Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band | date=August 12, 1994 | archive-date=December 10, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210230826/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,303328,00.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> Commenting on the book in retrospect, Bjelland said: "I feel bad for [Karlen]. He told me he lost a lot of his notes halfway through, and he spent his advance. So he made a lot of it up. Part of it’s true. But a lot of it’s not. He’s apologized."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/still+rocking+babes+toyland+vocalist+bjelland+talks+about+touring+after+years/11335323/story.html|last=Conner, Shawn|website=Vancouver Sun|title=Still rocking: Babes in Toyland vocalist Kat Bjelland talks about touring after 20 years|date=September 2, 2015|access-date=May 18, 2018}}</ref>

On April 8, 1994, Babes in Toyland played a benefit show for Rock Against Domestic Violence with [[7 Year Bitch]], and [[Jack Off Jill]] in Miami at the Cameo Theater, the same day lead-singer of American grunge rock band [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Kurt Cobain]], had been found dead in his Seattle home.<ref>{{cite web|last=Baker, Greg|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1994-04-06/music/the-hits-just-keep-on-coming/3|title=The Hits Just Keep on Coming|website=Miami New Times|date=April 6, 1994|access-date=May 18, 2018}}</ref> Around the same time, the band were featured on the cover of ''Entertainment Weekly'', and were referenced in a 1995 episode of the sitcom ''[[Roseanne]]''<ref>.{{cite episode|title=The Getaway, Almost|series=[[Roseanne]]|season=8|number=7|network=ABC}}</ref>

In May 1995, the band released their final album, ''[[Nemesisters]]''. The album received mixed reviews, with Lorraine Ali of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' writing: "With ''Nemesisters'', Babes in Toyland's molten core seems to have somewhat solidified; this album ultimately lacks the conviction, depth, and even direction of its predecessors."<ref>{{cite journal|journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|page=95|last=Ali, Lorraine|title=Babes in Toyland: Nemesisters|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bkSKIhZnTyEC&q=nemesisters+babes+toyland&pg=PA95|via=Google Books|date=May 1995}} {{free access}}</ref> The band described the recording process of the album "diverse", "experimental" and "spontaneous" and that the writing and recording process was "very different" as the band were working under pressure.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|pages=14, 21|title=Babes in Toyland Tosses Some Covers for Reprise Set|date=March 18, 1995|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wsEAAAAMBAJ&q=nemesisters+babes+toyland&pg=PA21|via=Google Books}} {{free access}}</ref> Tours for the album took place throughout Europe - notably with a date at Denmark's [[Roskilde Festival]] - the United States, and Australia.

===1996–2001: Herman's departure, Katastrophy Wife and breakup===
The band lost their contract with their record label when Herman left the band due to hip problems in 1996. Dana Cochrane, formerly of the band Mickey Finn, played bass with the band on live gigs in 1996 and 1997.<ref>{{cite web |last=Groebner  |first=Simon Peter  |title=MMA Cribsheet  |website=City Pages  |date=July 10, 1996  |url=http://www.citypages.com/1996-07-10/music/mma-cribsheet/  |access-date=December 10, 2009 |url-status=dead  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226024557/http://www.citypages.com/1996-07-10/music/mma-cribsheet/  |archive-date=February 26, 2010 }}
</ref> Original bassist Michelle Leon briefly rejoined the band for a short period in 1997, when Babes in Toyland were constantly breaking up and reforming and planning on releasing a fourth studio album. In 1998, the band was credited with the song ''Overtura: Astroantiquity/Attacatastrophy'' on the CD ''Songs of the [[Witchblade]]: A Soundtrack to the Comic Book'', which Bjelland co-produced. Bjelland and Barbero played with a new bassist, Jessie Farmer, in 2000.<ref>''St. Paul Pioneer Press'', November 24, 2000</ref>

However, a year earlier, Bjelland had formed a new band, [[Katastrophy Wife]]. Babes in Toyland performed a reunion show billed as "The Last Tour" on November 21, 2001{{en dash}}which was released as a live album called ''[[Minneapolism]]''{{en dash}}and this was not only the last Babes in Toyland show, but also the last official activity at the time. Bjelland played a number of shows in Europe in 2002 under the title Babes in Toyland with a new drummer and bassist from the British band [[Angelica (band)|Angelica]]; however, Bjelland stopped using the name after Barbero and Herman raised legal issues.<ref>{{cite web |last=Scholtes  |first=Peter |title=Babes in Conflict  |website=City Pages |date=March 20, 2002 |url=http://www.citypages.com/2002-03-20/music/babes-in-conflict/  |access-date=December 10, 2009|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914073143/http://www.citypages.com/2002-03-20/music/babes-in-conflict/ |archive-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref>

===2014–2020: Reunion, tour and second breakup===
[[Image:Babes in Toyland NOS Primavera Sound 2015.jpg|thumb|250px|The band playing at [[Primavera Sound]] 2015 in [[Porto]]]]
In an interview with Lancer Radio at [[Pasadena College]] on July 26, 2014, Kat Bjelland and Maureen Herman confirmed that they were getting back together to write new material and play shows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1689560/babes-in-toyland-reunion-is-on/news/|title=Babes In Toyland Reunion Is On|publisher=[[Stereogum]]|last=DeVille|first=Chris|date=June 27, 2014|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> They played their first reunion show in Pioneertown, California at Pappy And Harriet's Pioneertown Palace on February 10, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last = Swensson|first = Andrea|title = Babes in Toyland end their 14-year hiatus with 'magical' California desert reunion show|url = http://blog.thecurrent.org/2015/02/babes-in-toyland-end-their-14-year-hiatus-with-magical-california-desert-reunion-show/|website = The Current|access-date = February 11, 2015}}</ref> They played their second show at [[The Roxy Theatre]] in Los Angeles, California on February 12, 2015. They were introduced by [[Tom Morello]] of [[Rage Against the Machine]] who recalled on his experiences performing with the band at [[Lollapalooza]] in 1993. The show's other celebrity guests included [[Patty Schemel]], [[Eric Erlandson]], [[Brody Dalle]], and [[Donita Sparks]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fonarow|first=Wendy|title=Babes in Toyland Return as Ferocious as Ever at L.A. Comeback Show  |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/live-reviews/babes-in-toyland-return-as-ferocious-as-ever-at-l-a-comeback-show-20150213|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=February 13, 2015|access-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref>

The band embarked on an international tour in May 2015, beginning with shows in England, Scotland, Spain, and Italy, followed by a North American tour, which included performances at Seattle's [[Bumbershoot]] festival and the [[Montreal]] Pop festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/59711-babes-in-toyland-announce-tour/|website=Pitchfork|title=Babes in Toyland Announce Tour|access-date=May 18, 2018|date=May 26, 2015|last=Minsker, Evan}}</ref> In Minneapolis, where the band formed, the trio played on the Walker Art Center's lawn for the two-day [[Rock the Garden]] festival, June 20–21, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Paul M.|title=Visceral Live Therapy: A Babes in Toyland Comeback |url=http://www.walkerart.org/magazine/2015/babes-in-toyland-minneapolis-reunion |website=Walker Magazine|access-date=March 10, 2015}}</ref>

In August 2015, midway through the band's tour, bassist Herman was fired from the band, for originally unspecified reasons, and replaced with Clara Salyer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/new-babes-in-toyland-bassist-clara-salyer-relishing-her-dream-come-true-gig/366863601/|website=Star Tribune|title=New Babes in Toyland bassist Clara Salyer relishing her 'dream-come-true' gig|date=January 28, 2016|access-date=May 18, 2018|last=Riemenschneider, Chris}}</ref> In December 2015, Herman claimed the reason she had been asked to leave the band was due to an article she had written for the website [[Boing Boing]] on the sexual assault of [[The Runaways|Runaways]] bassist [[Jackie Fox]] by manager [[Kim Fowley]] in 1975 and [[Joan Jett]]'s denial of having witnessed it.<ref name="herman1">{{cite web|last=Ewens|first=Hannah Rose|title=Ex-Babes In Toyland bassist says rape essay got her fired|url=http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/28993/1/ex-babes-in-toyland-bassist-says-rape-essay-got-her-fired|website=Dazed Digital|date= January 4, 2016}}</ref> Herman stated that because of Barbero's business connections with Jett{{en dash}}namely Barbero producing an album for a band under Jett's record label, [[Blackheart Records]]{{en dash}}Herman was kicked out of the band.<ref name="herman1"/> Barbero responded in a subsequent interview: {{blockquote|It’s just really fucked up. Kat and I have not said a bad word about her, and we wish her the best. It just makes me really sad, because we have so much history together. It’s honestly not what we wanted to happen. Do you think we wanted to fire our bass player? It’s not a fun thing to do. Two months before we let her go, Kat and I were so upset we couldn’t eat, we couldn’t sleep{{en dash}}we really didn’t want to do it, but we didn’t have any other choice. There are many, many, many reasons, but of course she’s making it so it’s our deal, like she did nothing wrong at all. Time heals all, but I don’t think there’s enough time for this one.<ref>{{cite web|website=City Pages|title=Ex-Babes in Toyland bassist says rape essay got her booted from band|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/ex-babes-in-toyland-bassist-says-rape-essay-got-her-booted-from-band-7926655|last=Boller, Jay|date=December 30, 2015|access-date=May 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219101527/http://www.citypages.com/music/ex-babes-in-toyland-bassist-says-rape-essay-got-her-booted-from-band-7926655|archive-date=December 19, 2017}}</ref>}}

Babes In Toyland played their final show and broke up again in 2017.<ref name=":0" /> In May 2020, speaking on the podcast ''Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal'', Lori Barbero said that there was very little chance of future reunions from the band.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 8, 2020|title=Ep166: Lori Barbero (Babes in Toyland)|url=https://www.radioneutron.com/2020/05/08/ep166-lori-barbero-babes-in-toyland/|access-date=July 11, 2020|website=Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal|archive-date=June 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607232523/https://www.radioneutron.com/2020/05/08/ep166-lori-barbero-babes-in-toyland/|url-status=dead}}</ref>