Editing Babes in Toyland (band) (section)

===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.