Ottawa's own all-female punk band

Lifespan

1983 to August 1985

Members

'83 - ?. '83
Mandy Levy - vocals
Mimi - guitar
Carine Turay - bass
Sherry Kees - drums

? '83 - ? '84
Linda - vocals
Melissa Mech - bass
Mimi - guitar
Sherry Kees - drums

early '84 - Dec. '84
Melissa Mech - vocals
Mimi - guitar
Julia - guitar
Sherry Kees - drums

Dec. '84 - ? '85
Melissa Mech - vocals
Mimi - guitar
Julia - guitar
Janine Frenken - bass
Sherry Kees - drums

? '85 - ? '85
Melissa Mech - vocals
Julia - guitar
Janine Frenken - bass
Sherry Kees - drums

? '85 - Aug. '85
Melanie Kaye - vocals
Julia - guitar
Janine Frenken - bass
Sherry Kees - drums

Type of music played

punk

First gig

Private party, Aylmer, Quebec, April 23, 1983

Their first lineup.
Top photo: Carine, Mandy and Mimi. Middle Photo: Sherry. Bottom: Carine.

Photos (above) by Pam Corey

Some other gigs

May 1, 1983 - May Day Festival, Ottawa University

June 12, 1983 - Third World Benefit, Priests of the Sacred Heart Monastery, Ottawa

July 16, 1983 - opening for M.D.C. [NCFC review]

July 22, 1983 - Jungle Club, Ottawa

September 16, 1983 - M.D.C. Benefit, at The Jungle Club with the Tuinols, Reactors, Honest Injun and Raw Sewage

October 6, 1983 - Frigidaire III at the Roxy, Ottawa

March 4, 1984 - Café la Résistance, Quebec City, Revoltes Magazine Launch Party

March 15, 1984 - Youth Culture Promotions March event, Glebe Community Centre, Ottawa, with Porcelain Forehead, D-Ploy and Honest Injun [NCFC review]

May 1, 1983 - Black Umbrella 'Free the Van Five' Benefit Concert - University of Ottawa, with Black Dove, Civil Terror, Zombie X-Terminators and Honest Injun

Not Spube Centre, member's party, Ottawa, May 5, 1984 with Soggy Frog and Honest Injun

May 11, 1984 - Confederation Jam, Confederation High School, Nepean

June 2, 1984 - Rideauview Hall, Ottawa, with Raw Sewage and Snuff Maximus

June 22, 1984 - Summer Dance, Glebe Community Centre

August 3, 1984 - Rock Against Racism and Youth Action for Peace benefit concert - Glebe Community Centre, Ottawa, with D-Ploy and Requiem

October 6, 1984 - Frigidaire IV - benefit for CKCU, at The Roxy, Ottawa, with Play, Fan Club and Insomniacs

December 5, 1984 - The Underground, Ottawa, with Porcelain Forehead

December 16, 1984 - Banana Obskouri, Ottawa

January 19, 1985 - Sandy Hill Community Centre w/Genetic Control

March 7, 1985 - The Underground w/Randypeters

March 8, 1985 - Rock Against Reagan Benefit, Montreal

March 17 1985 - Rock against Reagan (afternoon show) Quebec City

March 17, 1985 - Zanzibar Club (evening show) Quebec City with D-Ploy

June 5, 1985 - Protest show, Montreal (see flyer)

Rock Against Reagan/R.A.J. Concre Reagan Benefit – Montreal, March 8, 1985, with Asexuals, Nils, and October Crisis.

Last show? Montreal or Quebec City with the Ruggedy Annes....

Above: Melisa Mech and Mimi Azmir.
Below: Julia.
(June 2nd Rideauview Hall show. Photos by JF)


Above: before a show in Quebec city. Julia, Melissa, Janine, Sherry.
 

 

 

 

 

Sherry, Janine, Julia + Melissa

Last gig

Station 10, Montreal, July, 1985 with the amazing Ruggedy Annes, the all-female band from Winnipeg.

Recordings

"Honour's Calling" on the legendary "P.E.A.C.E." 2-disc compilation, from Radical Records, 1984

Download it free here.

Hide Dimentia Five Compilation Cassette, 1984
2 tracks on the "MATRAX" Women's Alternative Compilation Cassette, 1985
Video

Honour's Calling, with pics (no actual video).

 

Claim to fame

Probably Ottawa's longest-running girl band at the time

Band high point

Hurdy-gurdy built into Mimi's guitar to play "Happy Birthday" through pickup

Band low point

Having something thrown at us by some asshole at a show in Montreal while being calling dykes. 

Press

CKCU (Carleton University radio station) interviews; Quebec City video interview for unremembered purpose; Ottawa Cable music video; Press in Revoltes, Urgl Orp and The Montreal Mirror

Derivatives

Unwarranted Trust went through a number of member changes over its 3-year lifespan but most of them didn't come from or go on to other bands.

Julia, guitarist for the latter part of U.T.'s existance, had previously been the guitarist for Last Prayer and went on to Top Ten

Melanie Kaye had sung with Last Prayer prior to fronting U.T. for their last 2 months. She later moved to Toronto and fronted Smear.

Janine recently picked up the bass for Porcelain Forehead for their 2010 reunion.

Links

Melanie Kaye and Smear: The Gazette - Underground Sound article, 1998

Contact information

,  

Where are they now

Sherry Kees ?

Julia: that's Doctor Julia to you. Melissa: ?
Mimi was last spotted kicking ass (or something) in Toronto. Janine Frenken.: freelance graphic designer / new bassist for Porcelain Forehead for their reunion. Melanie: Punk/Alternative band promoter in Toronto and has her own company: Melanie Kaye PR

Sources

Julia, N.C.F.C., J.F.  

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