Heavens to Betsy

Heavens to Betsy was a punk band from Olympia, Washington.

The members were Tracy Sawyer on drums and occasionally bass guitar, and Corin Tucker on guitar and vocals. One of their first appearances was at the International Pop Underground Convention organized by independent record label K Records in 1991. For one night an all-female bill, dubbed "Love Rock Revolution Girl Style Now" commanded the stage with Heavens to Betsy, Bratmobile, Jean Smith of Mecca Normal and 7 Year Bitch appearing, an event that is widely considered one of the pivotal events in the inception of the Riot Grrrl movement. Their first record was a split single on K Records with Bratmobile, considered an essential Riot Grrrl recording. The band recorded three singles, produced one LP/CD, Calculated, and contributed to many compilations while they were together. These recordings are now sought after by collectors. One of these compilations, Free to Fight, also included a song contributed by the band Excuse 17, of which Carrie Brownstein was a member. Corin and Carrie began to play together, and when Heavens to Betsy disbanded in the mid 1990s, the two women founded Sleater-Kinney.

Discography

Albums

• Self-titled demo, cassette (1991)
• Calculated CD/LP. Kill Rock Stars (1993)

Singles and EPs

• Heavens to Betsey/ Bratmobile split 7", K Records (1992)
• These Monsters Are Real 7" EP, Kill Rock Stars (1992)
• Direction 7" Chainsaw Records (1994)

Compilations

• Throw compilation, CD, "Baby's Gone" Yoyo Recordings, (1992)
• Julep compilation, CD, "She's the One" Yoyo Recordings, (1993)
• Kill Rock Stars compilation, CD/LP, "My Red Self" Kill Rock Stars, (1994)
• Free to Fight compilation, double CD/ triple LP, "Get Out of my Head" (co-release on Candy Ass Records and Chainsaw, (1995)
• Yo Yo A Go Go compilation CD/LP, "Axemen", Yoyo Recordings, (1996)
• Some Songs compilation, CD, "Firefly", Kill Rock Stars, (1997)

Soundtracks

• "My Secret", featured in I Was A Teenage Serial Killer by Sarah Jacobson

External links

• Kill Rock Stars factsheet
• Heavens to Betsy fan site