The Need

The Need was a queercore band that originated in Olympia, Washington in the late 1990s. It was formed by Rachel Carns (drums and vocals) and Radio Sloan (guitar and bass guitar); both were veterans of other indie rock bands. Carns was previously in Kicking Giant, The Fakes, Witchypoo, Slant 6, and Ce Be Barns Band, the latter of which Sloan had been a member of as well. They made their debut in Olympia, Washington, and, in the summer of 1996, they played at the Dirty Bird Queercore Festival in San Francisco.

The band's first project was Margie Ruskie Stops Time, released in 1996 by Kill Rock Stars, on which The Need provided the music to accompany the words and vocals of Miranda July. July also performed with the band at the Dirty Bird Festival.

Their last album, recorded in 2000, was titled The Need Is Dead. On this recording they further expanded their range of instrumentation with the addition of synthesizer and samples contributed by Joe Preston of The Melvins; and theremin, played by producer Mike Lastra of Smegma.

After the band parted ways, Carns now performs in the band Twin, formally called King Cobra, while Sloan has been in the bands The Circuit Side, Fact or Fiction and Courtney Love's recent all-female backing band The Chelsea. Additionally, she did a guest stint with L.A. band Scarling, and played guitar on Le Tigre's 2005 album This Island.

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