Laura Watling

In 1995 Laura Watling launched her musical path by joining the Southern California pop outfit the Autocollants. Collaboration with guitarist Ed Mazzucco also placed her among those shaping the earliest phase of Shelflife Records, the label that later moved its operations to New York in the late '90s. Joined by drummer Dwayne Palasek and guitarist Tim Morris, the Autocollants produced two singles, two cassettes, one retrospective CD, and contributed tracks to nine compilation CDs across the group's short span. West Coast touring took the band to multiple indie pop festivals, where fervent support arose from a modest but devoted audience. Beyond the Autocollants, Watling participated in Casino Ashtrays, In a Day, and Cartwheel. After establishing herself in a new Northern California residence, she turned to solo work in 2000, issuing a four-song single on Shelflife that year, then the 16-track Early Morning Walk on Shelflife in 2001 and the seven-song Twenty-Five on Hong Kong's Sofa Records.