Scrawl


Scrawl was an American indie rock trio based in Columbus, Ohio, and active from the mid-1980s.

History

The founding members were Marcy Mays, Sue Harshe, and Carolyn O'Leary. Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the Meat Puppets. Their first album, Plus, Also, Too, was self-produced and released in 1987 on the local label No Other Records. The following year the band was signed to the ill-fated Rough Trade Records U.S., for whom they released two albums, He's Drunk and Smallmouth.
When Rough Trade U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 1990, the band placed a successful bid to purchase back their master recordings during an auction held during the label's Chapter 11 proceedings. Their next release, a seven-track EP called Bloodsucker, was released on the Chicago-based Feel Good All Over label.
Drummer O'Leary left the group in May 1992, and was replaced by Dana Marshall.
They recorded their next album, Velvet Hammer, in 1993. It was engineered by Steve Albini, and released on the Simple Machines label. The band was then signed their first major label deal with Elektra, for whom they released two albums, Travel On, Rider, and Nature Film.
Marcy Mays appeared as lead singer on "My Curse" from the album Gentlemen by the Afghan Whigs. The Whigs also recorded a cover of "Ready" from Scrawl's He's Drunk with Mays sharing vocals with Greg Dulli. The recording was planned as a B-side to a single which was never released; the song appeared on a promotional CD The B-Sides/The Conversation and on the remastered 'Gentlemen' At 21. Mays performed live with the Afghan Whigs at the Reading Festival 1994 and, more recently, with the reunited Whigs at All Tomorrow's Parties I'll Be Your Mirror USA 2012.

Discography