Biography
Shonali Bhowmik and Michelle Dubois, Nashville natives, first encountered each other at age eight during violin lessons. An immediate bond formed between them, and music quickly became central to their connection. Although they initially favored Duran Duran and similar acts, by their early teens the pair had embraced the raw rock style of The Replacements and Dinosaur Jr. Each saved lunch money to acquire a Tascam 4-Track Recorder, laying the groundwork for Ultrababyfat.
After a brief separation during college, the two reconnected in the early nineties in Santa Cruz, CA. Their ongoing obsession with music rendered the notion of a band more concrete, so they started composing songs intensively. Bhowmik moved to Atlanta in 1992 for law school, and Dubois soon followed, transforming the project into a serious pursuit. They adopted the name Babyfat as a joke. Drummer Mauricio Carey and bassist Laurie Garnier completed the lineup for their debut, Dragons Go Away, which Sister Ruby Records released locally in 1995 during a period of lively activity.
As the decade closed, Britta Phillips joined on bass following the 1997 dissolution of her band Belltower, while Shane Sanders handled drums. In 1998 the group renamed itself Ultrababyfat and released Silver Tones Smile. The album displayed their forceful post-punk/pop style and drew prompt critical notice. The following year, however, Ultrababyfat lacked both a label and a manager. Songwriting sustained their drive, and the band devoted the next two years to refining material for a second album.
Phillips stepped away from Ultrababyfat in spring 2000 to join Luna’s North American tour after Justin Hazelwood’s departure. She later became a permanent member of Luna yet maintained close ties with her Ultrababyfat colleagues. Her playing appears on the foursome’s second album, Eight Balls In Reverse, issued in fall 2001.
After a brief separation during college, the two reconnected in the early nineties in Santa Cruz, CA. Their ongoing obsession with music rendered the notion of a band more concrete, so they started composing songs intensively. Bhowmik moved to Atlanta in 1992 for law school, and Dubois soon followed, transforming the project into a serious pursuit. They adopted the name Babyfat as a joke. Drummer Mauricio Carey and bassist Laurie Garnier completed the lineup for their debut, Dragons Go Away, which Sister Ruby Records released locally in 1995 during a period of lively activity.
As the decade closed, Britta Phillips joined on bass following the 1997 dissolution of her band Belltower, while Shane Sanders handled drums. In 1998 the group renamed itself Ultrababyfat and released Silver Tones Smile. The album displayed their forceful post-punk/pop style and drew prompt critical notice. The following year, however, Ultrababyfat lacked both a label and a manager. Songwriting sustained their drive, and the band devoted the next two years to refining material for a second album.
Phillips stepped away from Ultrababyfat in spring 2000 to join Luna’s North American tour after Justin Hazelwood’s departure. She later became a permanent member of Luna yet maintained close ties with her Ultrababyfat colleagues. Her playing appears on the foursome’s second album, Eight Balls In Reverse, issued in fall 2001.
Albums