Spinnerette

Following the chart success of their third release, the raw yet polished Coral Fang, the Distillers called it quits in early 2005, prompting frontwoman Brody Dalle to reconsider her path forward as a performer. She put the bass aside and stepped away from music entirely for a stretch to welcome a daughter with spouse Josh Homme. Once she reentered the studio with fresh ideas, Dalle began capturing home demos alongside Queens of the Stone Age associate Alain Johannes while envisioning a new venture shaped by childhood touchstones Neneh Cherry and Tom Petty plus current electronic acts. Over time her affinity for heavier rock redirected that initial plan, so additional players joined the sessions. Former Distillers guitarist and close confidant Tony Bevilacqua came aboard as co-writer, joined by ex-Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore and Red Hot Chili Pepper Jack Irons. Among the tracks captured was “Valium Knights,” which appeared on the Spinnerette site shortly afterward, followed by the digital EP Ghetto Love that surfaced for download in December 2008. After inking with Warner Bros. imprint Sire Records, Dalle embarked on a promotional circuit, yet scheduling conflicts among the musicians limited live outings to a handful of special appearances. A temporary lineup was assembled that included bassist Nicole Fiorentino of Radio Vago, guitarist Brian Tulao, Dave Hidalgo, Jr. of Suicidal Tendencies, and guitarists Brian Tulao and Matt Caughthran of the Bronx. Dalle soon shifted Spinnerette away from Sire to Rush’s Anthem Records, allowing the self-titled album—originally slated for February 2009—to reach stores that summer instead.