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BABES IN TOYLAND formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1988, when Lori Barbero met Kat Bjelland at a BBQ. Originally four-piece, the band developed into the honed-down trio of Lori (long-time Minneapolis scenester) on drums, Kat (a transplant from Oregon via San Francisco, who moved to Minneapolis specifically to form a band) on vocals and guitar, and Michelle Leon on bass. Their debut single on Treehouse Records ("Dust Cake Boy" b/w "Spit To See The Shine") landed them a deal with Minneapolis' famed Twin/Tone Records.
Their debut album Spanking Machine, released in 1990, caught the attention of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, who began singing their praises in the music press and invited the band to support them on their European tour. Meanwhile, Spanking Machine was released in the UK by Southern Studios, and was quickly gaining favour with the music press and John Peel who recorded a session with them and named the album as his favorite of 1990.
The follow-up to Spanking Machine was released in the summer of 1991. To Mother was recorded at Southern Studios with John Loder in the producer's seat. The album was released to a barrage of press attention that continued throughout the summer. To Mother entered the independent charts in the top 10 and stayed there for an amazing 13 weeks (ten of which the album held at the no. 1 position).
Early in 1992, Michelle Leon amicably left the band and was replaced by Maureen Herman (an old friend and long-time fan of the BABES').
The Babes' Fontanelle LP came out on the Southern Records label in August 1992. It was followed in June '93 by Painkillers also on Southern Records.
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