Femme Fatale (band)

Femme Fatale
Origin Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Genres Hard rock, glam metal, heavy metal[1]
Years active 1987–1990, 2013–present
Labels MCA
Members Lorraine Lewis
Courtney Cox
Nita Strauss
Janis Tanaka
Rachael Rine
Athena
Katt Scarlett
Past members Mazzi Rawd
Bill D'Angelo
Rick Rael
Bobby Murray

Femme Fatale is an American hard rock band. Originally from Albuquerque, the band moved to Los Angeles and released one studio album before disbanding. Lead vocalist, Lorraine Lewis, restarted the band in 2013 with a new, all-female line-up.

Biography

Formation and disbandment (1987–1990)

Femme Fatale was formed in 1987 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Later on that year, the band moved to Los Angeles and signed a recording contract with MCA Records after a well-received showcase. The band's self-titled debut album, released in 1988, peaked at No. 141 on the Billboard 200 the following year. MTV gave heavy airplay to the videos for "Waiting for the Big One" and "Falling in and out of Love" (not the same song as the Lita Ford one of the same name), the band's two signature songs. The airplay helped the album to sell nearly 225,000 copies, but Femme Fatale was unable to match the popularity of other bands in the glam metal scene. The band saw their status at MCA shrink and the band's manager, Andrea Accardo, developed a rare brain cancer. Shortly after touring the world in support of Cheap Trick, recording was to commence on a new studio album, but ultimately it was never completed and the band dissolved in 1990.

Post breakup (1990–2013)

Since leaving Femme Fatale, Lorraine Lewis has recorded a few modestly successful solo albums in country, new-age, and other rock genres.[2] Lewis competed on MTV's Remote Control in 1988, against Britny Fox's Dizzy Dean Davidson and Anthrax's Charlie Benante, who won.[3]

Guitarist Mazzi Rawd left the music industry and went on to get his PhD in Physics. [4] Guitarist Bill D'Angelo died of a heart attack in 2005, aged 43. The Albuquerque Tribune reported on March 26, 2006, that D'Angelo's death was due to methamphetamine misuse.[5]

In recent years, satellite radio and VH1 Classic have given the band's two signature songs a new life, with display on VH1 Classic's Metal Mania and the two main satellite networks' 1980s-themed stations.

Reformation (2013–present)

In 2013 Lorraine Lewis reformed the band with a new line-up of Courtney Cox and Nita Strauss on guitars, Janis Tanaka on bass, Katt Scarlett on keyboards, and Rachael Rine and Athena on drums.

In 2016, Femme Fatale signed with Nashville, Tennessee-based company FnA Records to release their long shelved second album under the title One More for the Road.[6] This album featured recordings dating between 1989-1990 that were originally intended to be the band's followup to their 1988 debut before being dropped by their record label.

Band members

Current members
  • Lorraine Lewis - lead vocals, tambourine (1987–1990, 2013–present)
  • Courtney Cox - guitar, backing vocals (2013–present)
  • Nita Strauss - guitar, backing vocals (2013–present)
  • Janis Tanaka - bass, backing vocals (2013–present)
  • Katt Scarlett - keyboards, backing vocals (2013–present)
  • Athena - drums (2013–present)
  • Rachael Rine – drums (2013–present)
Past members
  • Mazzi Rawd - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1987–1990)
  • Bill D'Angelo - lead guitar (1987–1990; died 2005)
  • Rick Rael - bass, backing vocals (1987–1990)
  • Bobby Murray - drums, backing vocals (1987–1990)

Discography

Studio albums

  • Femme Fatale (1988)
  • One More for the Road (2016; recorded between 1989 and 1990)[7]

Singles

  • "Waiting for the Big One" (1988)
  • "Falling in and Out of Love" (1989, b/w "It's a Long Way to the Top" and "Fortune and Fame") - UK No. 69[8]
  • "Touch and Go" (1989, Kerrang! flexi disc)
  • "Rebel" (1989)

Other appearances

References

  1. ↑ Demalon, Tom. "Femme Fatale". AllMusic. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  2. ↑ http://sleazeroxx.com/femme-fatale-singer-lorraine-lewis-declines-to-discuss-some-of-her-prior-musical-projects/
  3. ↑ Hairmetallives.dc-lundberg.net
  4. ↑ Carlson, Taylor T. (2014). HAIRcyclopedia Vol. 2 - The Vault (3rd ed.). Lulu. p. 65. ISBN 978-1300687559.
  5. ↑ Sleazeroxx.com
  6. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/femme-fatales-long-awaited-second-album-finally-sees-light-of-day/
  7. ↑ "FEMME FATALE's Long-Awaited Second Album Finally Sees Light Of Day". Blabbermouth. May 28, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  8. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 197. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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