My Sister's Machine

Last updated
My Sister's Machine
My Sister's Machine.jpg
From left to right: Chris Gohde, Owen Wright,
Nick Pollock, and Chris Ivanovich
Background information
Origin Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1989 (1989)–1994
  • 2010–2011
Labels
Past members

My Sister's Machine was an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1989. [4] Its members were Nick Pollock (lead vocals, guitar), Owen Wright (guitar), Chris Ivanovich (bass guitar), and Chris Gohde (drums). [3] [4]

Contents

This band recorded and released two albums, Diva and Wallflower, before they broke up in 1994. They reunited in 2010 to headline the Layne Staley Tribute and Benefit Concert that year as Pollock had previously played guitar in an early incarnation of Alice in Chains, [4] the glam metal band Alice N' Chains that also included Staley. [5]

History

Background (1984–1989)

Before the formation of My Sister's Machine, guitarist Owen Wright and drummer Chris Gohde were involved in a band called Mistrust in 1984; this band also included former Culprit singer Jeff L'Heureux. [6] [7] They recorded one album called Spin the World , which was released on CD in 2009 by Heart of Steel Records. [8] This band did an extensive amount of touring before they broke up in 1988.

Meanwhile, Nick Pollock played guitar in a glam metal band called Alice N' Chains, a precursor to Alice in Chains that also included Layne Staley on vocals. The band recorded two demos and toured throughout the Seattle area for roughly one year before they broke up on friendly terms in 1987. [4]

Formation, Diva, and Wallflower (1989–1994)

After the demise of their previous bands, Pollock joined Wright and Gohde to form My Sister's Machine along with bassist Chris Ivanovich. Since none of the other members had ever been a lead singer, Pollock got the job by default as he was also their primary lyricist. [4]

In 1991, My Sister's Machine received the "Best New Group" award from the Northwest Music Association. [9] They continued to garner much interest from the major record labels but ultimately chose to sign with a smaller label Caroline Records. [4]

In 1992, they released their debut album, Diva to much critical acclaim. Steve Kurutz of AllMusic gave the album four and a half stars, calling it "a surprisingly strong record." [10] Mike Boehm of Los Angeles Times opined, "Diva moves at a more rapid gait than either Alice in Chains or Soundgarden, and it dispenses with the leaden grunge that characterized the Seattle sound until a year or so ago (recent efforts out of the city, including, 'Diva,' tend to be far more melodic and better written)." [4] Jim Washburn (also of Los Angeles Times) described the band as "more melodic and propulsive than its Seattle soul mates Alice in Chains" when discussing the album, but was far less enthused when he saw them onstage, writing "those qualities flattened out into a lank-haired generic grunge that prompted much of the audience to exit long before the hourlong show had concluded." [11]

Still, Lonn Friend (editor of the heavy metal/rock music magazine RIP ) who did a weekly segment called "Friend at Large" on Headbangers Ball on MTV, talked about how much he loved Diva. He also wore their shirt for two weeks on the show. The band later thanked Friend for his support in the liner notes of their next album Wallflower. Over the next year they did a tour with Pantera and White Zombie. [11] They toured the United States and Europe. They did in-studio interviews on Headbangers Ball promoting their video on MTV for their single, I'm Sorry. They also co-headlined a tour with Pantera.

In 1993, they moved to Chameleon which was a division of Elektra Entertainment and released Wallflower in 1993. They toured the United States with King's X. Just a couple months after releasing the album, Elektra Entertainment folded the Chameleon division dropping all bands that were signed leaving the album and band unpromoted. [12] After a string of bad luck, My Sister's Machine split up in 1994.

Post-break-up (1994–present)

Since the break-up of My Sister's Machine, Nick Pollock has fronted the bands Tanks of Zen [3] and Soulbender; [13] the latter also features longtime Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton. [13] Meanwhile, Wright has played guitar in a band called Old Lady Litterbug [14] and Gohde has played drums for a band called Hot Rod Lunatics and Call for the Priest, the latter is a Judas Priest cover band.

Reunion (2010–present)

On June 4, 2010, the Layne Staley Fund announced that My Sister's Machine would be reuniting for the Layne Staley Tribute, held on August 21 of that year. My Sister's Machine has continued to play shows into the 2010s. [12]

Legacy

In 2017, Metal Injection ranked My Sister's Machine at number 6 on their list of "10 Heaviest Grunge Bands". [1]

Members

Discography

Albums

Singles

YearSingleAlbum
1992"I Hate You"Diva
1993"Enemy"Wallflower

B-side

YearB-sideWriterComments
1993"Bring You Down"Nick Pollock [15] B-side to "Enemy"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice in Chains</span> American rock band

Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney. Vocalist Layne Staley and bassist Mike Starr are former members of the band, having died in 2002 and 2011, respectively. The band took its name from Staley's previous group, Alice N' Chains. Often associated with grunge music, Alice in Chains' sound and style is deeply rooted in heavy metal music. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals between Staley and Cantrell, making Alice in Chains a two-vocal band.

<i>Dirt</i> (Alice in Chains album) 1992 studio album by Alice in Chains

Dirt is the second studio album by American rock band Alice in Chains, released on September 29, 1992 by Columbia Records. Peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, the album received critical acclaim. It has since been certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making Dirt the band's highest selling album to date. It was the band's last album recorded with all four original members, as bassist Mike Starr was fired in January 1993 during the tour to support the album. The album spawned five singles: "Would?", "Them Bones", "Angry Chair", "Rooster", and "Down in a Hole", all with accompanying music videos. Dirt was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance. The music video for "Would?" was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film, as the song was featured on the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's 1992 film Singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Layne Staley</span> American rock musician (1967–2002)

Layne Thomas Staley was an American singer and songwriter who was the original lead vocalist of Alice in Chains, which rose to international fame in the early 1990s as part of Seattle's grunge movement. He was known for his distinctive vocal style as well as his harmonizing with bandmate Jerry Cantrell. Prior to his success with Alice in Chains, Staley was also a member of the glam metal bands Sleze and Alice N' Chains. He was also a part of the supergroups Mad Season and Class of '99.

<i>Facelift</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Alice in Chains

Facelift is the debut studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains, released by Columbia Records on August 28, 1990. The tracks "We Die Young", and "Man in the Box" were released as singles. "Man in the Box" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal in 1992. Facelift became the first grunge album to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), achieving this feat on September 11, 1991. The album peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 chart, and has been certified triple-platinum by the RIAA for shipments of three million copies in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Cantrell</span> American guitarist, singer and songwriter

Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to international fame in the early 1990s during Seattle's grunge movement and is known for its distinctive vocal style and the harmonized vocals between Cantrell and Layne Staley. Cantrell started to sing lead vocals on Alice in Chains' 1992 EP Sap. After Staley's death in 2002, Cantrell took the role of Alice in Chains' lead singer on most of the songs from the band's post-Staley albums, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013), and Rainier Fog (2018), with DuVall harmonizing with him in the new songs and singing Staley's vocals in the old songs in live concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Season (band)</span> American rock supergroup

Mad Season was an American rock supergroup formed in 1994 as a side project of members of other bands in the Seattle grunge scene. The band's principal members included guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, lead singer Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, and bassist John Baker Saunders. Mad Season released only one album, Above, in March 1995. Its first single, "River of Deceit", was a radio success, and Above was certified a gold record by the RIAA in June.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Kinney</span> American drummer

Sean Howard Kinney is an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the rock band Alice in Chains. Kinney also founded the short-lived supergroup Spys4Darwin, and has collaborated with other artists such as Johnny Cash and Metallica. He played drums for his Alice in Chains bandmate, Jerry Cantrell's first solo album, Boggy Depot (1998). Since 2009, Kinney has been co-owner of The Crocodile club in Seattle. He was a guest drummer on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers in September 2018. Kinney has earned nine Grammy Award nominations as a member of Alice in Chains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Starr (musician)</span> American bassist (1966–2011)

Michael Christopher Starr was an American musician best known as the original bassist for the rock band Alice in Chains, with which he played from the band's formation in 1987 until January 1993. He was also a member of Sato, Gypsy Rose, Sun Red Sun, and Days of the New.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Coming (band)</span> American rock band

Second Coming was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. They relocated to Seattle, Washington, around 1992 and released their debut album L.O.V.Evil in 1994. This band underwent several lineup changes throughout its existence with drummer James Bergstrom and bassist Johnny Bacolas ostensibly being the nucleus of the band, as they were the only members who appeared on every album. The two of them have been friends since childhood and they had also formed the rhythm section in an early incarnation of Alice in Chains that also consisted of vocalist Layne Staley and guitarist Nick Pollock; they called themselves Alice N' Chains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice N' Chains</span> American glam metal band

Alice N' Chains was an American glam metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1986 by former members of Sleze. Toward the end of their run as Sleze, discussions arose about changing their name to Alice in Chains. However, due to concerns over the reference to female bondage, the group ultimately chose to spell it as Alice N' Chains. They performed under this moniker over about a 12-month period and recorded two demos before breaking up on friendly terms in 1987. One of its members, Layne Staley, ultimately took the name that he and his former bandmates had initially flirted with when he joined a different group a few months later that became known as Alice in Chains.

<i>Diva</i> (My Sisters Machine album) 1992 studio album by My Sisters Machine

Diva is the debut studio album by American rock band My Sister's Machine.

Nicholas Pollock is a Seattle-based singer, guitarist, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge band My Sister's Machine. He has also played in various bands with other notable musicians, including Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley and Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton. He graduated from Lindbergh High School in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Bacolas</span> American musician (born 1969)

Johnny Bacolas is an American musician, composer and producer. He is best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming, where he played bass guitar. He was also a founding member of the band Sleze, which was later renamed Alice N' Chains, The Crying Spell, Lotus Crush, and The Rumba Kings.

James Bergstrom is an American musician best known as the drummer for the band Second Coming. Before that, he played drums for the band Sleze, which also featured future Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soulbender</span>

Soulbender is an American-Canadian hard rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 2002. The band independently released their album Soulbender in 2004, which they reissued with four additional tracks through Rat Pak Records under the title Soulbender II in 2014. Though the band underwent multiple lineup changes in that ten-year timespan, both releases featured the original five-piece incarnation of two Americans and three Canadians who previously played in several different bands respectively from Seattle and Vancouver: Nick Pollock, formerly of Alice N' Chains and My Sister's Machine; Michael Wilton (guitar) from Queensrÿche; Dave Groves (guitar), formerly of Tin Pan and Fallen Angel; Wes Hallam (drums), formerly of Assault and Fallen Angel; and Marten Van Keith.

<i>Soulbender</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Soulbender

Soulbender is the only studio album by the American-Canadian metal band of the same name. Originally released in 2004, it was re-released with additional recordings in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mistrust (band)</span>

Mistrust was a heavy metal band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984. This band primarily consisted of vocalist Jeff L'Heureux, guitarists Owen Wright and Michael Winston, bassist Tim Wolfe, and drummer Chris Gohde. They recorded one album in their brief existence called Spin the World, which was originally released through C.O.M.A. Records in 1986 and again through Heart of Steel Records in 2009.

Owen Wright is an American musician best known for playing guitar with the Seattle-based metal bands Mistrust and My Sister's Machine.

Travis Bracht is a Seattle-based singer and guitarist best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming.

Sleze were a short-lived American glam metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1984. Although Sleze were mostly a cover band and went through several lineup changes before changing their name to Alice N' Chains in 1986 and breaking up a year later, its former members later formed other bands, most notably the influential grunge band Alice in Chains.

References

  1. 1 2 "10 Heaviest Grunge Bands". Metal Injection. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  2. ↑ Torreano, Bradley. "My Sister's Machine". Allmusic . Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Torreano, Bradley (2001-11-21). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Boehm, Mike (May 15, 1992). "MSM: Newest Vein of Gold in Seattle's Hard-Rock Quarry". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  5. ↑ John Dean (October 13, 2013). "Before They Were Metal". Noisey. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  6. ↑ Mistrust at Encyclopaedia Metallum Retrieved on 27 April 2011.
  7. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Culprit Allmusic Bio". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  8. ↑ "Spin the World". Metal-archives.com. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  9. ↑ MacDonald, Patrick (March 4, 1991). "Established Acts Take Big Awards". The Seattle Times . The Seattle Times Company . Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  10. ↑ Kurutz, Steve. "Diva Review". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Rovi). Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  11. 1 2 Washburn, Jim (May 18, 1992). "POP MUSIC REVIEW : My Sister's Machine Comes on Loud but Not Very Clear". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  12. 1 2 luigilinguini (2010-08-18). "Full Circle's Comin' Round: My Sister's Machine Reunites After 16 Years". Westseattlefunblog.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  13. 1 2 "Soulbender Credits". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Roviallflower). Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Old Lady Litterbug". Giantradio.com. Archived from the original on 2000-12-10. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  15. ↑ Enemy (liner notes). My Sister's Machine. Chameleon Records. 1993. PRCD-8865.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.