Typical Girls: Women in Punk/Post-Punk/Underground Music (Circa 1975-1980s)

["Calvin Johnson" <k AT krecs.com>]

Ya
the Chandra 12" is pretty good, particularly the song "Kate"
Still, when introduced to a Kate, I hear Chandra singing in my head "There's
a girl named Kate who thinks she's really great - but she's NOT!"
Fortunately, I've been able to restrain myself from singing along.
When this record showed up at OP magazine it seemed to have something to do
with the Philadelphia band the Dance, maybe their record was in the same
package, but I always assumed that the Dance was backing up Chandra on these
songs. But no, according to the credits it is Eugéne Diserio and Alexander,
with Fred Maher playing drums. Also, Chandras plays some melodica - so ahead
of her time on that. Some of the songs still seem a bit long though, which
was my feeling back then, too.
Good to know that she is still making music, I often wondered what became of
her.."Kate" is slated to be included on my third volume of female
underground new wave / punk compilation cassette (which I offer at the
merchandise table on tour). The Transportaion EP got a bit of airplay on
KAOS when it was around.

-----Original Message-----
From: typicalgirls-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:typicalgirls-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of maria tessa
sciarrino
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 9:02 PM
To: TypicalGirls AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [TypicalGirls] Information on Chandra


i had posted about this record earlier and someone gave me more info --
thought id share!

-m.


> New York native Chandra Oppenheim started her showbiz career at the
> age of 7, performing skits and songs for partygoers at the home of her
> father, sculptor and visual artist Dennis Oppenheim. It was at one
> such party in 1979 that Chandra first heard Model Citizens, a band
> that included Eugéne Diserio, an art student assisting her father.
> Chandra loved the band, and they were taken with her as well. When
> Model Citizens broke up, Diserio and her husband Steve Alexander
> wanted to form a band fronted by a "young person" and asked 10-year
> old Chandra to join them. Chandra accepted their invitation, and
> Chandra the band was born. Empowered with the freedom to write her own
> lyrics and speak her own mind, and backed by an excellent band,
> Chandra was soon commanding $1,000 and up per night guarantees at
> then-New York venues The Mudd Club, The Peppermint Lounge, and
> Danceteria. The media paid attention with interviews by Andy Warhol
> for his Interview publication, an article in The New
>  York Times by John Rockwell, name dropping by Mary Tyler Moore, and
> an appearance on television's Captain Kangaroo! Chandra and her
> musical cohorts released a four-song E.P. in 1980 entitled
> Transportation. The band later evolved into The Chandra Dimension,
> which included Chandra's 12-year old friend Evie and a teenage rhythm
> section.
>
> At the age of 12, Chandra's decision to focus on school ended The
> Chandra Dimension, but it didn't end Chandra's immersion in music. As
> an adult composer and performer, Chandra has fronted rock, bossa nova
> and jazz bands, all the while retaining her own unique flavor. She is
> now studying drumming, while continuing to compose and perform her
> strange and beautiful art pop songs. She is currently recording a
> full-length album tentatively entitled Don't Upset The Boy.

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