Porno for Pyros

Following the completion of the tour, Porno for Pyros went their separate ways. (Their three-part arrangement of the normally four-part "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah", featured on Keep on Doing [1982], is legendary in a cappella circles.). Other than being a sure crowd-pleaser, in retrospect it seems like a foreshadowing of the later Jane's Addiction reunion efforts. They have also recorded their own arrangements of songs from a variety of New York folk artists, as well as a few covers of famous songs. It's interesting to note that on several tour stops, Porno for Pyros played Mountain Song, a popular Jane's tune. The majority of Roches songs are written by the three sisters, alone, in every combination, and occasionally collaborating with other songwriters. The band again set forth on a heavy touring schedule. Suzzy's daughter Lucy Roche has also contributed vocals on the Roches' and McTeigue's albums.

The album also featured the post-Jane's reunion of Farell with guitarist Dave Navarro, who made a guest appearance on Freeway. Maggie's son, Felix McTeigue, has recorded two albums (one with his group Filo). Ex-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt was brought in to finish up the album tracks, and join the band on tour. Brother David is also a singer-songwriter with his own solo album, and has often backed up the trio on their recordings. For their follow up album, Good God's Urge, bass player Le Noble left the band after completing the lion's share of the bass tracks. Musical talent runs further in the family. Unlike the relatively straight-ahead rock shows that were the hallmark of live Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros live shows relied heavily on props, extras, and special effects (including, but not limited to pyrotechnics). While touring as a trio, all three sisters accompany themselves on guitar and keyboard, frequently without additional musicians.

Following the album's release, Porno for Pyros continued a heavy touring schedule. Suzzy playfully fills in the middle range to complete the trio. The video for the album's first single Pets received heavy airplay on MTV. Terre provides a soprano that brackets the upper range of the sisters. Reaction to the album was mixed, with some fans ecstatic, and others disappointed. Maggie has a dramatic contralto voice that provides an unusual bass element for all-female harmonies. By the time their debut album was released in 1993, the anticipation surrounding the project was enough to briefly drive the album to the #1 position on the Billboard top 20 list. All three sisters can be found periodically participating in New York-area events.

Following the demise of the extremely successful Jane's Addiction project, frontman Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno for Pyros after acquiring guitarist Peter DiStefano and bass player Martin Le Noble. Prior to releasing their eponymous first album, Porno for Pyros (named after the orgy of destruction that was the Los Angeles/Rodney King riots) embarked on a nation-wide tour to support their new band. Suzzy, who has acted on the stage and in several movies, released two of her own albums and two with Maggie, with whom she is currently touring. Porno for Pyros is a US musical group and was Perry Farrell's and Stephen Perkins' next project after their former band Jane's Addiction. Terre teaches guitar workshops and has released a solo album. Good God's Urge (1996). They continue to work on solo projects and often collaborate on albums and performances. Porno for Pyros (1993). In 1997, the three sisters formally put The Roches group on indefinite hold.

After a tour that was interrupted by the death of their father, The Roches crafted a more somber and thoughtful album, Can We Go Home Now (1995), the last original recording they released as a trio. After another pop album (A Dove, 1992), they recorded an entire album of children's songs entitled Will You Be My Friend?, featuring a song by brother David and a gaggle of young backup singers, including Suzzy's daughter Lucy. In 1990, they returned to their Christmas carolling roots with the release of the 24-track We Three Kings, which included the haunting a cappella "Star of Wonder", written by Terre. Throughout the 1980s, The Roches continued to release their intriguing combination of quirky, fun, and sad music to small but appreciative audiences, little or no air play, and only modest record sales.

Maggie's "The Married Men" from this album was eventually to become the biggest hit of the songwriting trio — not for them, but for Phoebe Snow, as often happens to singer-songwriters. Robert Fripp produced the elegantly sparse album that allowed the sisters' complex and playful harmonies to shine through. Terre was now writing songs as well, and by the time of their first album as a trio, The Roches (1979), Suzzy also caught the writing bug. It was here that they met many of their future singing and songwriting collaborators.

Around this time, they parlayed bartending jobs at famous Greenwich Village folk venue Folk City into stage appearances, an experience they commemorated in their song, "Face Down at Folk City" (from Another World, 1985). Shortly after that, youngest sister Suzzy (rhymes with "fuzzy") chimed in to form The Roches trio. They returned the favor, so to speak, by getting his assistance (along with an appearance by The Oak Ridge Boys) on their first (and only) album as a duo, Seductive Reasoning (1975). The sisters got a break when Paul Simon brought them in as backup singers on his album There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973).

In the late '60s, eldest sister Margaret and middle sister Terre (pronounced just like "Terry") quit school to tour as a duo. Maggie wrote most of the songs, with Terre contributing to a few. Now on hiatus as a trio, they still perform in various combinations and venues. Although they never had major commercial success, they developed an enthusiastic audience for their unique "family music". Their musical career spans more than four decades, taking them from neighborhood carolling and a touring duo to working the Greenwich Village folk scene as a trio, getting record contracts, doing more touring, occasionally appearing on television and in movies, and collaborating with other musicians on a variety of projects.

The group is known for its unusual harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances. The Roches are a female vocal group made up of three songwriting sisters, Maggie, Terre, and Suzzy Roche, from New York. Loudon Wainwright III. Paul Simon.

Felix McTeigue. Kate & Anna McGarrigle. David Massengill. Christine Lavin.

Mark Johnson. The Indigo Girls. Jack Hardy. Philip Glass.

Robert Fripp. Laurie Anderson. Suzzy was one of the latter-day Babes in this rotating-membership pop-folk group founded by Christine Lavin. Some Assembly Required (Shanachie, 2002), by the Four Bitchin' Babes.

Suzzy produced as well as performed on this album by various artists. Moms That Cook (Baby Boom, 1999), by The Music Workshop For Kids. Tracey Takes On..., episode "Music" (30 Apr 1997). Christmas Songs (One Voice/Satellites Records, 1996), by the Carolling Carollers, another über-group consisting of The Roches, Ilana Iguana, Margaret Dorn, Libby Mclaren, and Bonnie Mann.

Anthem (Intersound, 1996), by the Desolation Angels, an über-group consisting of The Roches, Karla DeVito, Kit Hain, Deborah Berg, the Blister Sisters, and Jane Kelly Williams. Includes performances by The Roches and The Music Workshop For Kids. A Family Concert (K-Tel VHS, 1995). The Roches appropriately played a trio of singing roaches.

Tiny Toons Adventures, episode "New Character Day" (20 Feb 1991). The Roches provided several songs for the soundtrack. Suzzy played Marilyn, a friend of Isabelle (Irving). Crossing Delancey (1988), starring Amy Irving.

The Roches were the featured group in one episode of this televised music series. Soundstage (1983). Why The Long Face (Red House Records, 2004). Zero Church (Red House, 2002).

The Sound of a Tree Falling (Earth Rock Wreckerds, 1998). Songs From An Unmarried Housewife And Mother, Greenwich Village, USA (Red House, 2000). Holy Smokes (Red House, 1997). Collected Works of the Roches (Rhino/Warner, 2003).

Can We Go Home Now (Rykodisc, 1995). Will You Be My Friend? (Baby Boom, 1994). A Dove (MCA, 1992). We Three Kings (MCA, 1990).

Speak (MCA, 1989). No Trespassing (Real Live Records, 1986). Another World (Warner, 1985). Keep On Doing (Warner, 1982).

Nurds (Warner, 1980). The Roches (Warner, 1979). Seductive Reasoning (Columbia, 1975).