Gossip

Gossip is an American indie rock band consisting of vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, and drummer Hannah Blilie, who replaced founding member Kathy Mendonça in 2003. Raised in Arkansas, formed in Washington, and based in Portland, Gossip spent years in obscurity trawling punk clubs and releasing two albums—That's Not What I Heard (2001) and Movement (2003)—before the UK music press picked up on the single "Standing in the Way of Control" in 2005. An angry retort to President Bush's opposition to gay marriage, it found favor in indie clubs as an electro/dance crossover before receiving massive coverage in an advertising campaign for the hit TV show Skins. The track was later featured in Gossip's third studio album of the same name, which peaked at number 22 on the UK Albums Chart. Beth Ditto's notoriety exploded when the NME voted her top of its Cool List 2006 and featured her on the cover. Preceded by the hit single"Heavy Cross," an infectious disco/soul hybrid that reached the Top 10 in the US, Australia, Germany, and Switzerland,  their fourth album Music for Men hit the shelves in 2009. Produced by Rick Rubin, Music for Men went to number 18 in the UK while reaching Top 10 positions in Germany and France, where it was certified double-platinum. Beth Ditto and company released one more LP, 2012's A Joyful Noise, before announcing the group's disbandment in 2016. However, they would reconvene a few years later to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Music for Men with a one-time show that quickly turned into a world tour. After welcoming original drummer Kathy Mendonça back into its lineup, Gossip returned to the studio and released the single "Crazy Again" in 2023. It was the lead single from their sixth studio LP Real Power, which found the band working again with producer Rick Rubin.