Scrawl

Formed:: 1985, over 27 years ago.
Snapshot:: A Group with 6 releases. 4 members.

Scrawl is a musical trio based in Columbus, Ohio. The founding members are Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harshe (bass guitar, backing vocals, songwriting), and Carolyn O'Leary (drums). Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the Meat Puppets. Their first album, Plus, Also, Too, was self-produced (with Andy Izold) and released in 1987 on the local label No Other Records. The following year the band was signed to the ill-fated Rough Trade Records U.S., for whom they released two albums, He's Drunk (produced by Jim Rondinelli) and Smallmouth (produced by Gary Smith).

Their raw, somewhat primitive sound is influenced by the UK post-punk scene of the late 1970s (e.g., The Raincoats, The Slits, The Mekons), but their American inflection greatly influenced the Riot Grrrl sound of the 1990s. When Rough Trade U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 1990, the band was forced to bid for their master recordings at auction during the label's Chapter 11 proceedings. Fortunately, they succeeded. Their next release, a seven-track EP called Bloodsucker, was released on the Chicago-based Feel Good All Over label (then reissued on Simple Machines Records).

Drummer O'Leary left the group in May 1992, and was replaced by Dana Marshall.

They recorded their next album, Velvet Hammer, in 1993. It was engineered by Steve Albini (around the time he produced Nirvana), and released on the Simple Machines label. The band was then signed their first major label deal, to Elektra, for whom they released two albums, Travel On, Rider, and Nature Film.

Marcy Mays also appeared as lead singer on "My Curse" from the album "Gentlemen" by The Afghan Whigs and performed live with them at the Reading Festival 1994.

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