Ludella Black

A longtime figure on the Medway garage rock scene that spawned Billy Childish and Holly Golightly, Ludella Black made her recording debut as a member of the Delmonas, a short-lived girl group that began as an offshoot of Childish's band Thee Milkshakes. Billed simply as Sarah, Black was a vocalist with the Delmonas along with the similarly single-named Hilary and Louise, all of whom happened to be dating members of Thee Milkshakes at the time; Childish whipped up some songs for the gals (who had… Show more sung backup on some Milkshakes sessions), and in 1985 they released their first full-length LP, Dangerous Charms. By the time the group released its second LP, 1988's Delmonas 5!, Black had adopted the stage name she still uses today, Hilary had changed her moniker to Miss Ida Red, and Louise had left the band. Released in 1989, Do the Uncle Willy would be the last Delmonas album, but Black would join forces with Holly Golightly, Kyra LaRubia, and Bongo Debbie in Thee Headcoatees, another Billy Childish-approved combo (he produced their recordings and wrote many of their songs) that made its first album in 1992, Have Love, Will Travel. Thee Headcoatees recorded six albums before calling it a day with Here Comes Cessation in 1999. Black wasted no time launching a solo career, putting out her first album under her own name, She's Out There, in 2000. Mickey Hampshire, the significant other who brought Black into the Delmonas back in 1985, relaunched his band the Masonics (also featuring Headcoats drummer Bruce Brand) in the late '90s after a long layoff, and with a more open schedule after the demise of Thee Headcoatees, Black became a frequent guest on their recordings and in their live shows. After issuing several singles with the band, Black was the featured vocalist on its 2005 album, Outside Looking In, while the Masonics were the backing musicians on Black's second solo disc, 2008's From This Witness Stand. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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