Patty Schemel | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Patricia Theresa Schemel |
Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | April 24, 1967
Genres | |
Occupation | Musician |
Instruments | |
Years active | 1987–present |
Labels |
Patricia Theresa Schemel (born April 24, 1967) is an American drummer and musician who rose to prominence as the drummer of alternative rock band Hole from 1992 until 1998. Born in Los Angeles, Schemel was raised in rural Marysville, Washington, where she developed an interest in punk rock music as a teenager. She began drumming at age eleven, and while in high school, formed several bands with her brother, Larry.
Schemel was recommended as a drummer to Hole frontwoman Courtney Love by her husband, Kurt Cobain, a friend of Schemel's. She formally joined the band in 1992, and performed on their critically acclaimed second album, Live Through This (1994). On the band's third release, Celebrity Skin (1998), Schemel was replaced by a session drummer after its producer, Michael Beinhorn, convinced Love that Schemel was unable to adequately perform during their recording sessions. Though she receives credit on the album, her drumming does not appear on the final tracks, and the event marked her departure from the band.
After leaving Hole, Schemel developed a significant drug addiction, and was homeless for a time. In the early 2000s, she became sober and reunited with Love, joining the short-lived group Bastard before drumming on Love's debut solo album, America's Sweetheart (2004). Schemel subsequently drummed for Juliette and the Licks, appearing on their EP ...Like a Bolt of Lightning (2004).
In 2010, using concert and video diary footage from Hole's 1994–1995 Live Through This world tour, Schemel co-created Hit So Hard , a documentary chronicling her time in Hole, her overcoming substance abuse, as well her subsequent business operating a dog boarding business. In 2013, she joined the indie rock group Upset, formed by Ali Koehler, previously of Vivian Girls and Best Coast, [1] and formed the band Death Valley Girls with her brother, Larry, the same year.
Patricia Theresa Schemel was born April 24, 1967 [2] in Los Angeles, California. [3] She is the middle child of three children and grew up in Marysville, Washington. [4] Both her parents are natives of Brooklyn, New York, and relocated to Washington state shortly after Schemel's birth. [5] Schemel's parents were members of Alcoholics Anonymous, which Schemel described as significant to her upbringing in her memoir, Hit So Hard. [6]
Schemel began playing drums at age eleven after her father bought her a drum set, and played music with her brother Larry, who played guitar. [2]
As a teenager, Schemel came out as a lesbian to her family. [4] [7] "When I realized I was a lesbian, it was weird," Schemel reflected. "Thank god for punk and rock music. You could be whoever you wanted." [8] Musically, Schemel's early influences included Echo & the Bunnymen, AC/DC and Wire, among other punk rock bands.[ citation needed ] Schemel recalled being one of a small number of peers in her high school who had a shared interest in punk rock music. [8] At age fifteen formed her first band, The Milkbones. [2] She and her brother Larry subsequently formed the Seattle punk band Sybil, which was renamed Kill Sybil due to the artist of the same name. [2]
In 1987, she formed an all female punk bad from Seattle called Doll Squad. The band was initially active from 1987 to 1989 gaining an indie following in Seattle, playing alongside Nirvana, and releasing one self-released demo tape.
Schemel was considered by Kurt Cobain as Nirvana's drummer after the departure of their drummer, Chad Channing. [4] [9] Cobain had been a fan of Schemel's former band Sybil, which had also been based in Seattle. [4] However, after Dave Grohl's audition, Schemel became Cobain's second choice, and he and Schemel developed a close friendship.
After the departure of Hole's original drummer Caroline Rue, frontwoman Courtney Love recruited Schemel at the suggestion of Cobain; after an audition in Los Angeles which impressed Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson, Schemel was asked to join the band in 1992 and she quit her job in Microsoft's warehouse fulfillment center. Schemel's first work with Hole was the recording of their fourth single, "Beautiful Son", on which she also played guitar on the b-side "20 Years in the Dakota", with Love playing bass. During this period, Schemel had developed an addiction to heroin, and refused to be part of close friend Kurt Cobain's drug intervention in March 1994, claiming that doing so would be hypocrisy, as she "was strung out [...] how dare I go there and say anything about someone else's abuse when I'm doing it too." [10]
Schemel played drums on Hole's second critically acclaimed album, Live Through This (1994). She went on to tour with the band for the promotion of Live Through This, which featured dates at the Reading Festival, Big Day Out and Lollapalooza. While on tour in April 1995, Love said that "Schemel was the first woman ever to appear on the cover of Drum World magazine." However, this was a fictional statement and there is no Drum World magazine. [11] Schemel publicly came out in a 1995 band interview with Rolling Stone , commenting: "It's important" and that she's "not out there with that fucking pink flag or anything but it's good for other people who live somewhere else in some small town who feel freaky about being gay to know that there's other people who are and that it's OK." [12] Schemel's girlfriend at the time worked as Courtney Love's personal assistant during Hole's 1994–1995 world tour, while promoting Live Through This. [12]
Around this time, she also recorded with Phranc, playing drums on the 1995 Goofyfoot EP. [13] In 1996, Schemel played drums on Hole's cover of Fleetwood Mac's song "Gold Dust Woman", which was the first song on the soundtrack to The Crow: City of Angels . She also sang backing vocals and appeared prominently in the video for the song. During this time, Schemel and Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur formed a short-lived side project called Constant Comment. The band played a small number of shows before disbanding. [14] [15]
Hole became active again in 1997 and entered the studio to record Celebrity Skin (1998), the follow-up to Live Through This. Schemel worked on the writing of the album's material, and composed all of the drum parts herself. While in the studio, however, Love and Erlandson, at the insistence of producer Michael Beinhorn, suggested using a session drummer to record the drum tracks for the album. This led to Schemel voluntarily leaving the studio and quitting the band, and the final drum tracks were recorded by a session drummer provided by producer Beinhorn. In the months following the album's release, Schemel was not present in band interviews, and was eventually replaced by Samantha Maloney [16] for the album's tour. However, due to her contribution to the writing of the album and its demos, Schemel's name and photo were still included on the album sleeve.
Reasons for Schemel's departure from Hole were disputed at the time, with Love claiming that Schemel's then drug habit was to blame, which supported circulating rumours, [17] however, Schemel insisted it was due to "musical differences." It was later revealed in 2011 that Schemel left Hole due to personal and musical differences between her and Celebrity Skin producer, Michael Beinhorn. She claimed that Beinhorn was "totally psyching [her] out in the studio" and after a meeting with the band, Beinhorn brought in a session drummer, to which she felt "betrayed by the band." [18]
Bandmates Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson later publicly expressed regret over the decision to replace Schemel on the album's studio work, and Love referred to Beinhorn as "a Nazi". [19] Melissa Auf der Maur also commented on the incident, but noted that she "didn't have much of a say in it." [4]
After quitting Hole in 1998, Schemel cut off contact with her family and friends, due to her drug addiction and was homeless for over a year. [4] According to Courtney Love, Schemel contacted her asking for money, which Love provided, but only under the condition that she would attend rehab. [4] By 2001, Schemel had attended rehab and achieved sobriety. [4]
After overcoming her addiction, Schemel reunited with Love for Love's short-lived project Bastard, which included Veruca Salt's Louise Post on guitar and Gina Crosley of Rockit Girl. [20] The group, though they recorded a few demos, disbanded shortly after. In 2002, Schemel served as a drummer for the experimental group Lucid Nation, and recorded drums for their album Tacoma Ballet (2002). [13] The following year, Schemel, along with her brother Larry, subsequently served as key composers and performers on Courtney Love's debut solo album, America's Sweetheart (2004). [21] She also recorded with Juliette Lewis's punk rock band Juliette and the Licks, with whom she played drums on their debut 6 song EP ...Like a Bolt of Lightning (2004).
On March 18, 2010, Schemel appeared in bonus footage for the VH1 program Sober House with Dr. Drew discussing her addiction and sobriety. She also took part in the MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert in 2010, which is focused on women's recovery from drug addiction to sobriety. [22]
In 2011, Schemel was the subject of the documentary film Hit So Hard , directed by P. David Ebersole, which chronicles her early life, time in Hole, overcoming substance abuse, and life after quitting Hole. [23] The documentary includes interviews with the band, as well as home video footage recorded by Schemel, chronicling Hole's 1994–1995 Live Through This Tour. [23] The film premiered in New York at The Museum of Modern Art in March 2011 as part of the New Directors/New Films Festival, reuniting the classic Hole line-up in the same room for the first time in thirteen years. [24] Hit So Hard was also the Documentary Centerpiece at Outfest in Los Angeles in June 2011 [25] and was released theatrically and on home video in 2012. [26] In April 2012, Schemel joined former Hole bandmates Melissa Auf der Maur, Courtney Love, and Eric Erlandson for a reunion performance at the Public Assembly in Brooklyn, New York following a screening of Hit So Hard. [27]
In January 2013, Schemel joined the group Upset with Ali Koehler. [1] The same year, she formed the garage rock band Death Valley Girls with her brother, Larry. [28]
Schemel published an autobiography, also titled Hit So Hard:A Memoir, in 2017 through Da Capo Press. [29] The book was praised for its candor, honesty and humor. In dealing with topics such as fame, addiction, coming out and more. [30] [31] [32]
The following year, Schemel appeared as a drummer on Marissa Nadler's eighth studio album, For My Crimes (2018). [13] In 2019 Patty recorded a record with Upset produced by Steven McDonald of Redd Kross. [33]
Schemel lives in Los Angeles with her partner, Stephanie Sidjakov aka Stephanie Player a graphic designer, daughter of Nicolas Sidjakov. Schemel shares custody of her daughter Beatrice Rinn Schemel Soletti.
Courtney Michelle Love is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989. Love has drawn public attention for her uninhibited live performances and confrontational lyrics, as well as her highly publicized personal life following her marriage to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. In 2020, NME named her one of the most influential singers in alternative culture of the last 30 years.
Hole was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1989. It was founded by singer and guitarist Courtney Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson. It had several different bassists and drummers, the most prolific being drummer Patty Schemel, and bassists Kristen Pfaff and Melissa Auf der Maur. Hole released a total of four studio albums between two incarnations spanning the 1990s and early-2010s and became one of the most commercially successful rock bands in history fronted by a woman.
Melissa Gaboriau Auf der Maur is a Canadian musician.
Celebrity Skin is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Hole, released on September 8, 1998, in the United States on DGC Records and internationally on Geffen Records. It was the last album released by the band before their dissolution in 2002. Hole intended for the record to diverge significantly from their previous noise and grunge-influenced sound as featured on Pretty on the Inside (1991) and Live Through This (1994). The band hired producer Michael Beinhorn to record Celebrity Skin over a nine-month period that included sessions in Los Angeles, New York City, and London. It was the band's only studio release to feature bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. Drummer Patty Schemel played on the demos for the album but was replaced by session drummer Deen Castronovo at the suggestion of Beinhorn. This issue created a rift between Schemel and the band, resulting in her dropping out of the tour and parting ways with the group, though she was still credited.
Live Through This is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band Hole, released on April 12, 1994, by DGC Records. Recorded in late 1993, it departed from the band's unpolished hardcore aesthetics to more refined melodies and song structure. Frontwoman Courtney Love said that she wanted the record to be "shocking to the people who think that we don't have a soft edge", but maintain a harsh sensibility. The album was produced by Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie and mixed by Scott Litt and J Mascis. The lyrics and packaging reflect Love's thematic preoccupations with beauty, and motifs of milk, motherhood, anti-elitism, and violence against women, while Love derived the album title from a quote in Gone with the Wind (1939).
Pretty on the Inside is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Hole, released on September 17, 1991, in the United States on Caroline Records. Produced by Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, and Gumball frontman Don Fleming, the album was Hole's first major label release after the band's formation in 1989 by vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson.
Kristen Marie Pfaff was an American musician, best known as the bassist for alternative rock band Hole from 1993 to 1994. Prior to Hole, Pfaff was the bassist and backing vocalist for Minneapolis-based band Janitor Joe. Pfaff returned to Janitor Joe for a short tour in the weeks before her death in June 1994 of a heroin overdose.
Eric Theodore Erlandson is an American musician, guitarist, and writer, primarily known as founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole from 1989 to 2002. He has also had several musical side projects, including Rodney & the Tube Tops, which he formed with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, and RRIICCEE with Vincent Gallo.
"Celebrity Skin" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, released on August 31, 1998 as the first single from their third studio album of the same name. It is their only single to peak at #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. In October 2011, NME ranked it the 126th best track of the past 15 years.
"Beautiful Son" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, co-written by frontwoman Courtney Love, lead guitarist Eric Erlandson, and drummer Patty Schemel. The song was released as the band's fourth single in April 1993 on the European label City Slang. To coincide with the song's lyrics, Love used a photograph of her husband, Kurt Cobain, at age 7 as the single's artwork.
My Body, the Hand Grenade is the first and only compilation album by American alternative rock band Hole, released on October 28, 1997, through the band's European label, City Slang Records. It was also imported for sale in the United States, where it was released on December 10, 1997. The album was compiled with the intent of tracking the band's progression from their noise rock beginnings to the more melodic songwriting that appeared on their second album, Live Through This (1994).
"Malibu" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole. It is the fourth track and second single from the band's third studio album, Celebrity Skin, and was released in December 1998, on DGC Records. The song was written by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, lead guitarist Eric Erlandson and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, who contributed to four other songs on Celebrity Skin.
"Violet" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist and guitarist Courtney Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song was written in mid-1991, and was performed live between 1991 and 1992 during Hole's earlier tours, eventually appearing as the opening track on the band's second studio album Live Through This (1994). The song was released as the group's seventh single and the third from that album in early 1995.
"Miss World" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by frontwoman Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song was released as the band's fifth single and the first from their second studio album, Live Through This, in March 1994.
"Softer, Softest" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by frontwoman Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song was released as the band's eighth song and fourth and final single from their second studio album, Live Through This, in December 1995. The single was released just as the band finished their extensive touring in 1995.
"Awful" is a single by American alternative rock band Hole from the band's third studio album, Celebrity Skin. Released in April 1999 by Geffen Records as a CD single, the song's lyrics explore how the media and modern pop culture corrupt young girls and how they should rebel against this. The line "swing low, sweet cherry" in the song is an allusion to the African American spiritual hymn, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".
This is a comprehensive listing of official releases by Courtney Love, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Hole. Aside from her numerous releases with Hole, Love has released one solo studio album, five singles, and appeared in several musical collaborations.
"Asking for It" is a song by the American alternative rock band Hole. It is the fourth track on the band's second studio album, Live Through This, released on April 12, 1994 on Geffen Records. The song was written by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson.
"Closing Time" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, drummer Patty Schemel and Love's husband, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.
Hit So Hard is a 2011 American documentary film directed by P. David Ebersole. The film details the life and near death story of Patty Schemel, drummer of the seminal '90s alternative rock band Hole, and charts her early life, music career, and spiral into crack cocaine addiction. The film weaves together Hi8 video footage Schemel recorded while on Hole's 1994-95 world tour with contemporary interviews with her, bandmates Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, and Melissa Auf der Maur, as well as her family members. The film also features interviews with other female drummers and musicians, including Nina Gordon, Kate Schellenbach, Gina Schock, Debbi Peterson, and Phranc.
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