Biography
Care Failure, the dynamic frontwoman and guitarist for Die Mannequin whose voice recalled Courtney Love for a new generation, departed her family home at 16 and soon confronted struggles with drugs and homelessness. An introduction to Pat M., aka Ghostwolf, supplied temporary shelter; he even gave up his own room so she could remain apart from the half dozen or so other men living there. She ended up staying more than a year, and their growing friendship naturally led to musical collaboration. The Toronto-based performer later crossed paths with Jesse Keeler of Death from Above 1979, who, working under the MSTRKRFT name with partner Al-P, produced her EP How to Kill. Without a settled band in place, Failure handled every instrument except drums, which Keeler recorded himself.
Once the sessions concluded, she recruited friends to complete Die Mannequin, bringing in longtime associate Ghostwolf on drums and Anthony Useless on bass. In 2006 the group landed opening slots with Guns N’ Roses and Buckcherry while signing a publishing deal with EMI. Cordless Recordings released How to Kill in January 2007. That same year the band played Toronto’s NXNE, spent the summer touring with Vancouver’s Pride Tiger, and later supported the Deftones on Canadian dates. A follow-up EP titled Slaughter Daughter appeared, and both records were later gathered on the compilation Unicorn Steak. Die Mannequin’s first proper album, Fino + Bleed, arrived in 2009 after the lineup shifted to include guitarist Stacy Stray and drummer Dazzer Scott alongside Failure and Useless. Their EP Danceland surfaced in 2012. Care Failure, born Caroline Kawa, died on March 30, 2023, at age 36 from organ failure caused by infections.
Once the sessions concluded, she recruited friends to complete Die Mannequin, bringing in longtime associate Ghostwolf on drums and Anthony Useless on bass. In 2006 the group landed opening slots with Guns N’ Roses and Buckcherry while signing a publishing deal with EMI. Cordless Recordings released How to Kill in January 2007. That same year the band played Toronto’s NXNE, spent the summer touring with Vancouver’s Pride Tiger, and later supported the Deftones on Canadian dates. A follow-up EP titled Slaughter Daughter appeared, and both records were later gathered on the compilation Unicorn Steak. Die Mannequin’s first proper album, Fino + Bleed, arrived in 2009 after the lineup shifted to include guitarist Stacy Stray and drummer Dazzer Scott alongside Failure and Useless. Their EP Danceland surfaced in 2012. Care Failure, born Caroline Kawa, died on March 30, 2023, at age 36 from organ failure caused by infections.
Albums
Singles
