Biography
Gerty emerged in 1996 as an indie rock trio based in Baltimore, Maryland. Guitarist David Koslowski had grown weary of his time in Liquor Bike, while his partner Shirle Hale paused her bass duties with the riot grrrl band Womyn of Destruction. Hale had already captured some solo material on tape, which Koslowski discovered and found striking for its emotional resonance; this prompted him to suggest bringing in their mutual acquaintance Miyuki Furtado, a connection Hale had forged earlier through Jag. By the middle of that year the three were tracking seven fresh songs in the studio. Hale chose the name Gerty, drawn from her moped and her longstanding admiration for Gertrude Stein.
The group prepared its first release for autumn 1996. Merkin issued the Raggedy Aneurysm EP, showcasing Gerty’s firm command of indie pop. The following year saw the arrival of their full-length studio album, Carload of Scenic Effects. While promoting the record across the Southeast, the members grew attached to the landscape around Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and recognized the vitality of its local music community, prompting them to relocate from Baltimore. By spring 1998 the band had settled permanently in the South.
Furtado departed soon afterward, having fallen in love and followed his girlfriend to New York City. Although the remaining pair supported his decision, they chose to continue under the Gerty name. Furtado still supplied material for Two Kisses in a Row, which finally appeared in April 1999 after Koslowski established Plastique Recording Co. with an associate to issue the album. Regional tours throughout the Southeast and along the East Coast met with strong response, and Koslowski and Hale formalized their relationship by marrying in May 2000 following seven years together. During their European honeymoon they concluded that the band had run its course, as ideas for a third album had stalled. Gerty performed its final concert in Chapel Hill that June.
Before stepping away, the duo returned to the studio to refine leftover recordings with engineer Chris Stamey, whose credits include the Butchies and the dB’s. The resulting new wave-inflected indie material was revisited by Koslowski and Hale in spring 2002 and released the following September as Sweets from the Minibar on Eskimo Kiss.
The group prepared its first release for autumn 1996. Merkin issued the Raggedy Aneurysm EP, showcasing Gerty’s firm command of indie pop. The following year saw the arrival of their full-length studio album, Carload of Scenic Effects. While promoting the record across the Southeast, the members grew attached to the landscape around Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and recognized the vitality of its local music community, prompting them to relocate from Baltimore. By spring 1998 the band had settled permanently in the South.
Furtado departed soon afterward, having fallen in love and followed his girlfriend to New York City. Although the remaining pair supported his decision, they chose to continue under the Gerty name. Furtado still supplied material for Two Kisses in a Row, which finally appeared in April 1999 after Koslowski established Plastique Recording Co. with an associate to issue the album. Regional tours throughout the Southeast and along the East Coast met with strong response, and Koslowski and Hale formalized their relationship by marrying in May 2000 following seven years together. During their European honeymoon they concluded that the band had run its course, as ideas for a third album had stalled. Gerty performed its final concert in Chapel Hill that June.
Before stepping away, the duo returned to the studio to refine leftover recordings with engineer Chris Stamey, whose credits include the Butchies and the dB’s. The resulting new wave-inflected indie material was revisited by Koslowski and Hale in spring 2002 and released the following September as Sweets from the Minibar on Eskimo Kiss.
Albums
Singles
