Belly (band)

Belly were an alternative rock band formed in 1991 by former Throwing Muses members Tanya Donelly and Fred Abong. Donelly had also played in The Breeders. Hailing from Newport, Rhode Island, and based in Boston, Massachusetts, the band was comprised of Donelly on vocals, Abong on bass (replaced after their first album by Gail Greenwood), Tom Gorman on guitar, and his brother Chris Gorman on drums.

Signed to the British label 4AD, the band's debut EP, "Slow Dust" (recorded with Pixies producer Gil Norton) topped the British indie charts. Their crossover breakthrough came with their third single, "Feed the Tree," which made the Top 40 in the British charts. The album that followed, Star, was a hit in both the UK and the USA, where it went gold. In keeping with their name ("It's both pretty and ugly," according to Donelly),1 Belly's sound matched pop melodies to Donelly's ethereal vocals and Gorman's echoey guitar work, often employing unnervingly emotional lyrics. The lyrics to "Full Moon, Empty Heart," for example, were about a mother who threw herself and her child from a window after losing a custody battle. With the recruitment of Greenwood, the band adopted a rockier sound, resulting in King. Despite good reviews, the album was not a commercial success, and the group disbanded in 1996.

Tanya Donelly has since recorded several solo albums for 4AD.

Discography

Albums

  • Star (4AD, 1993)
  • Baby Silvertooth (Japanese import, 1993)
  • King (4AD, 1995)
  • Sweet Ride: the Best of Belly (Rhino, 2002)

Singles/EPs

  • Gepetto (4AD/Warner Brothers, 1992)
  • Slowdust (4AD, 1992)
  • Feed the Tree (Warner Brothers, 1993)
  • Are You Experienced (Warner Brothers, 1994)
  • Moon (Reprise, 1994)
  • Super-Connected (4AD, 1994)
  • Now They'll Sleep (4AD, 1995)
  • Seal My Fate (4AD, 1995)
  • Sun (Sire/Reprise, 1995)

Notes

Note 1: Bardin, Brantley.4AD band biography (http://www.4ad.com/artists/catalogue/belly/biography.htm). Retrieved Dec. 11, 2004.

References

  • 4ad discography (http://www.4ad.com/artists/catalogue/belly/discography.htm)
  • Tanya Donelly site (http://www.tanyadonelly.com/)
  • Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. All Music Group biography (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47818DC4FAB7320C0803A45C4B772E007D755FB823E394B5DD3BA7F4B82006AF554E7868AE0A829F878ADE02FA5450DD3CAEA1AF8D66434378CEEB60045&sql=11:fq5e8qxtbtz4~T1) Retrieved Dec. 11, 2004.

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11, 2004. He has appeared in the films Krush Groove and The Show. Retrieved Dec. The whole field was derided as a fad, though, and thus there was much resistance to signing Blow. Note 1: Bardin, Brantley.4AD band biography (http://www.4ad.com/artists/catalogue/belly/biography.htm). This occurred after recording "Christmas Rappin", his first single; during this time, "Rappers Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang became the first hit for hip hop. Singles/EPs. He was the first rapper to record a full lengh album on a major label (1980).

Albums. Blow began his career in New York in the mid-1970s, when he was a breakdancer until switching to DJing and then rapping. Tanya Donelly has since recorded several solo albums for 4AD. Bob Dylan appeared on Kurtis Blow's 1986 album "Kingdom Blow". Despite good reviews, the album was not a commercial success, and the group disbanded in 1996. He was influenced by DJ Hollywood. With the recruitment of Greenwood, the band adopted a rockier sound, resulting in King. "The Breaks" (1979) is one of hip hop's undisputed classics (basically a catchy disco tune with rapping) and Nas made a new version of Blow's "If I Ruled The World".

The lyrics to "Full Moon, Empty Heart," for example, were about a mother who threw herself and her child from a window after losing a custody battle. Kurtis Blow, (born Curtis Walker on August 9, 1959), is one of the most influential early rappers and hip hop's first mainstream star. In keeping with their name ("It's both pretty and ugly," according to Donelly),1 Belly's sound matched pop melodies to Donelly's ethereal vocals and Gorman's echoey guitar work, often employing unnervingly emotional lyrics. 1988 Back by Popular Demand. Their crossover breakthrough came with their third single, "Feed the Tree," which made the Top 40 in the British charts. The album that followed, Star, was a hit in both the UK and the USA, where it went gold. 1986 Kingdom Blow. Signed to the British label 4AD, the band's debut EP, "Slow Dust" (recorded with Pixies producer Gil Norton) topped the British indie charts. 1985 America.

Hailing from Newport, Rhode Island, and based in Boston, Massachusetts, the band was comprised of Donelly on vocals, Abong on bass (replaced after their first album by Gail Greenwood), Tom Gorman on guitar, and his brother Chris Gorman on drums. 1984 Rapper in Town. Donelly had also played in The Breeders. 1984 Ego Trip. Belly were an alternative rock band formed in 1991 by former Throwing Muses members Tanya Donelly and Fred Abong. 1983 Party Time (EP). 11, 2004. 1982 Tough.

All Music Group biography (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47818DC4FAB7320C0803A45C4B772E007D755FB823E394B5DD3BA7F4B82006AF554E7868AE0A829F878ADE02FA5450DD3CAEA1AF8D66434378CEEB60045&sql=11:fq5e8qxtbtz4~T1) Retrieved Dec. 1981 Deuce. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. 1980 Kurtis Blow (Mercury). Tanya Donelly site (http://www.tanyadonelly.com/). 4ad discography (http://www.4ad.com/artists/catalogue/belly/discography.htm).

Sun (Sire/Reprise, 1995). Seal My Fate (4AD, 1995). Now They'll Sleep (4AD, 1995). Super-Connected (4AD, 1994).

Moon (Reprise, 1994). Are You Experienced (Warner Brothers, 1994). Feed the Tree (Warner Brothers, 1993). Slowdust (4AD, 1992).

Gepetto (4AD/Warner Brothers, 1992). Sweet Ride: the Best of Belly (Rhino, 2002). King (4AD, 1995). Baby Silvertooth (Japanese import, 1993).

Star (4AD, 1993).