Queenadreena are a British alternative rock band (although the exact genre is up for dispute- some people refer to them as 'goth'n'roll') which was formed in 1999 in London by vocalist Katie-Jane Garside and guitarist Crispin Gray, both formerly of the punk band Daisy Chainsaw. They initially wrote their name Queen Adreena, but made it a single word soon after the release of their first album, Taxidermy. Since then the band have had a steady and stable career despite frequent lineup and label changes, but no breakthrough success.
The band's music is dark and often quite heady, eerie and desperate sounding, with the lyrics, when not open to multiple interpretations as they so often are, usually tackling difficult subjects such as anorexia ("My Silent Undoing") and the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey ("FM Doll"). The videos match: strange and grainy, and occasional doses of horror.
Many members of the band have side projects, which they develop alongside Queenadreena. Katie Jane sings for Ruby Throat, and has a released a collection of her own songs under the name 'Lalleshwari', and in 2006 Crispin and Nomi founded a band of their own, the Dogbones. The band have also composed a live soundtrack to David Cronenberg's film Crash.
Members:
- Katie-Jane Garside (vocals) (ex. Daisy Chainsaw)
- Crispin Gray (guitar) (ex. Daisy Chainsaw)
- Nomi Leonard (bass)
- Bambi (drums) (Also in Selfish Cunt)
Former members:
- Orson Wajih (bass)
- Billy Freedom (drums)
- Janne Jarvis (bass)
- Richard Adams (bass)
- Melanie 'Maple Bee' Garside (bass) (ex. Mediaeval Baebes)
- Paul Jackson (bass)
- Pete Howard (drums) (ex. The Clash)
Studio Albums:
- Taxidermy (2000)
- Drink Me (2002)
- The Butcher and the Butterfly (2005)
- Ride a Cock Horse (2007) (made up entirely of the band's demos, independently released)
- Djin (2008)
This band provides examples of the following:
- Careful with That Axe: In most songs, most of the lyrics will be sung the old fashioned way, but a few lines will be screamed or shrieked.
- Murder Ballad: Their cover of Pretty Polly.
- Performance Video: "FM Doll" and "Pretty Like Drugs" are both made up of the band standing in a room, performing the song. Although thankfully both videos are spiced up a bit by the camera work and choreography.
- Don't forget at least one of the versions of the video for "Medicine Jar".
- Something Something Leonard Bernstein- A rather annoying case, in that the discernable lyrics always seem to be either the most X-rated ones, and/or the ones that give completely the wrong impression off when taken out of context.
- The Ophelia: Katie-Jane's stage persona fits this to a tee, from the long blond hair to desperate-sounding vocals to frequent lack of items of clothing.
- Three Minutesof Writhing" The video to "FM Doll", although the writhing in question bears more resemblance to somebody having a fit. This is fully intentional.
- Revolving Door Band: Five albums. Six bassists. You do the math. They have also struggled with record labels, going through Blanco y Negro, Rough Trade, One Little Indian and Imperial Records in under a decade.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Katie-Jane
- The Wonka: Katie-Jane tends to waffle a lot in interviews, often coming out with bizarre metaphors and comments.
