Scarling
Scarling. is an art rock band from Los Angeles, whose music contains elements of noise, shoegazing, psychedelic rock, and gothic rock. They have been active since 2002, and have released two full length albums.
History
Scarling. was formed by singer Jessicka Fodera (known simply as Jessicka) after the dissolution of her band, Jack Off Jill. She and guitarist Christian Hejnal began rehearsing and recording in a San Fernando Valley performance space; after the pair had written a number of songs together, they began a search for additional band members and eventually cemented the lineup of Fodera, Hejnal, drummer Garey Snider, bassist Kyle Lime, and second guitarist Rickey Lime.
Scarling.'s first single, "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole", was produced by Chris Vrenna and released on March 19 2003 on the Sympathy For The Record Industry label. Its cover featured an illustration called "Wound 39" by artist Mark Ryden. In April 2004, Scarling released their first album, the seven-song, thirty-three-minute Sweet Heart Dealer , which again utilized the team of Ryden and Vrenna. Both Vrenna and Ryden had previously contributed production and artwork, respectively, to Jack Off Jill's 2000 album Clear Hearts, Grey Flowers.
In Autumn 2004, Scarling. was invited to join the lineup of the Robert Smith-curated Curiosa Festival, performing on select West Coast dates alongside Interpol, The Rapture, Mogwai, Cursive, The Cooper Temple Clause, Head Automatica, and longtime inspirations The Cure. Smith described the band's music as "dark, desperate, chaotic, gorgeous pop music, the sound of the end of the world". Three weeks before Scarling. joined the Curiosa tour, drummer Garey Snider was fired and replaced by current drummer Beth Gordon. Sweet Heart Dealer was nominated for the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize by Robert Smith.
After a series of 7" singles on Sympathy, Scarling. announced in early 2005 that their second album, So Long, Scarecrow, would appear later that year; it was preceded by the single "We Are the Music Makers", and was released on August 23 2005. So Long, Scarecrow was produced by Rob Campanella, formerly of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, at his studio, Committee to Keep Music Evil Headquarters. The album features the band's new bass player, Derik Snell. The album's first single "City Noise" is featured on "Alright, This Time Just The Girls VOL. 2 " with cover art by Camille Rose Garcia.
Scarling.'s music has been featured on Showtime's The L Word television series, and an upcoming episode of medical drama Grey's Anatomy is entitled Band Aid Covers The Bullet Hole.
Influences
Scarling.'s style and material are heavily influenced by 1990s-era Shoegazing bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Loop as well as by the 1990s riot grrl scene that had also inspired Jessicka’s previous band Jack Off Jill. Hejnal's guitar style also incorporate elements of noise rock into Scarling’s songs. The song “Crispin Glover” is very reminiscent of early Sonic Youth.
Trivia
- The song "Band Aid Covers The Bullet Hole's" lyrics feature a very famous line of dialogue, "Say Hello to My Little Friend." said by actor Al Pacino in the 1983 film Scarface.
- "Sweet Heart Dealer" was originally supposed to be eleven songs long. The songs “A Constant Reminder”, “ Teenage Engine”, Here On Earth” and “Black Dress” were recorded then omitted and have yet to be released.
- All 5 Scarling. members hail from different states and met in Los Angeles.
- Jessicka intentionally uses a lower vocal register when singing in order to distance Scarling. from previous musical endeavors.
- Artist Mark Ryden created an alternative cover for the 12” vinyl version of “So Long, Scarecrow.”
Discography
Albums
- Sweet Heart Dealer (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2004):
- "The Last Day I Was Happy" — "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" — "Crispin Glover" — "Alexander the Burn Victim" — "Baby Dracula" — "Black Horse Riding Star" — "Can't (Halloween Valentine)"
- So Long, Scarecrow (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2005):
- "Hello London" — "City Noise" — "Broken Record" — "(Northbound on) Cahuenga" — "Teenage Party Letdown" — "Bummer" — "Manorexic" — "In the Pretend World" — "Stapled to the Mattress" — "Like a Killer" — "Caribou and Cake" — "We Are the Music Makers" — "So Long, Scarecrow"
Singles/EPs/LPs
- "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" (7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2003):
- "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" — "H/C"
- "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" (CD, Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2003):
- "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" — "H/C" — "Creep"
- "Crispin Glover" (7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2004):
- "Crispin Glover" — "Love Becomes a Ghost"
- "Crispin Glover" (7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2004):
- "Crispin Glover" — "Art of Pretension"
- Scarling. / The Willowz (split 7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2005)
- "We Are the Music Makers" (Scarling.) — "Break Me Down" (The Willowz)
- "Alright, This Time Just The Girls VOL. 2" ( 12", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2006)