Music Box: Confessions of a Catholic Girl

Regular readers and fellow '80s music obsessives will remember the Catholic Girls, who put out a self-titled LP in 1982 then disbanded shortly thereafter. I'd always assumed they were a short-lived outfit that MCA signed in an attempt to cash in on the success of the Go-Go's, but after connecting with lead singer Gail Petersen earlier this year, I was finally able to get the full story -- including details on the band's latest album, "Exposed." (Order CD HERE or download HERE.)

Gail contacted me after reading my belated review of the CD reissue of the band's debut  -- and told me that she was "very happy to know that you no longer think I'm a transvestite!" She then agreed to the following interview:

Q. As you know, I bought the first Catholic Girls LP back in '82. Now I've read the Catholic Girls bio on your Web site, but I've still never understood exactly how the MCA deal came to be. "Beauty and the Beat" was a HUGE hit by then, but I don't believe the Bangles had achieved much success yet. (Their EP was re-released by IRS in 1983.) How and when did the Catholic Girls get signed? 

A. Well, back before 1982, in fact, in 1976-77, a couple of years before the Go-Go's formed, we were playing original songs under the name Double Cross, which came from myself and Roxy Andersen having attended 12 years of Catholic private school. Our music was not intended to be religious, but did have overtones of our bad experiences in a classic religious learning environment -- and we had a lot of not-so-good things to say about it. We were young and full of angst and rebellion, so by '79 we renamed ourselves The Catholic Girls and started wearing school uniforms. We soon created uniforms that were jet black with a sexual “shortness” not seen in the real uniforms. We kept playing out, getting a bigger and bigger following in the east and some major record labels were very interested and talking with us. At that point, we put out a self-produced single including "Private School" and "Where Did I Go Wrong," and it really kicked things up and we were getting some exceptionally good gigs for a non-major label band, opening for the likes of R.E.M. and The Clash which in turn added to our audience. It was in '81 when a friend mentioned he could get our demo and single to someone at MCA Records. And they did it. We were surprised, but it went to Ray D’Ariano, at the time VP of A&R at MCA, who gave it over to Leon Tsilis, a younger associate. Leon loved it, gained support from Ray, and they made an offer. We took it and were scheduled for a release. As the contractual process is a long one the release date was delayed a bit … until September '82. And by then the Go-Gos had arrived and they had hits from "Beauty and the Beat" in July of '81.

Keep reading HERE.

Music Box: Catholic Girls

My scanner died last week so I was in Best Buy looking for a replacement when I popped by the ever-shrinking CD department to see what they had. Back in the day, Best Buy was an oddly fun place to shop for music as you never knew what bizarre import would turn up mixed in with the usual stuff. As I walked down the first aisle I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of the eponymous debut album by the Catholic Girls, smack dab in the front of the section -- with its own name card! You'd think that if this so-called '80s novelty band's album was issued on CD, everything must be. (Heck, even '80s gender-bender Marilyn's "Despite Straight Lines" finally made it to the late 20th century last month!) But with albums by the likes of Buckingham Nicks, Tom Tom Club, Kirsty MacColl and the Waitresses still not available on disc, I know this is not the case, making the Catholic Girls reissue all the more baffling. Originally released in 1982 at the height of the Go-Go's mania, my brother Bill -- away at the University of Arizona -- immediately picked up a copy. Back then we didn't even need to hear a song first -- an all-girl band was a instant must-have.

Although I was eager to love the Catholic Girls (the Bangles EP had recently swept us away and we were ready for the next big thing), I can vividly remember being totally creeped out by the religious overtones of it all (bear in mind that I was raised without ever setting foot in a church and the sight of a crucifix, rosary beads or a prayer card in a friend's house made me really uncomfortable as a kid) -- from the way-before-Britney school uniforms to religious-sounding songs titles and even the pre-Madonna font on the logo -- and even being unsure of singer Gail Petersen's gender. (Sorry, Gail. I was spoiled with Belinda Carlisle and Susanna Hoffs. But I still think that chick on the back album photo might be a man.) Gail's odd vibrato and vocal delivery also led me to lose faith. "C'est Impossible" was a bright spot and remains a catchphrase/all-purpose non sequitur in my best friend Greg's and my routine to this day, and "Boys Can Cry" got a little play on MTV. But ultimately the band failed to connect with an audience -- my entire girl-obsessed gang included -- despite high-profile touring gigs supporting Tom Petty and the Kinks.

Jump ahead 25 years or so and having just listened to the album again for the first time in ages  I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm stunned by how enjoyable it is. (Maybe I'm not so squeamish anymore?) The songs are smart and instantly catchy (from the pop perfect of the plaintive "I Called Your Up" and"Where Did I Go Wrong" to the melancholy "Park Theater" and the eight-minute infidelity anthem "God Made You for Me") and Gail's voice doesn't really sound that odd to me at all -- it's actually kind of perfect for the material. I'd probably be filled with regret that the C Girls never got their due right now except I've also just discovered that this reissue came out in 1999 and remains in print -- and on iTunes -- indicating that I'm not the only one to have a change of heart. What's more the band still performs regularly around the East Coast and has even issued a couple more albums. (This reissue has eight bonus tracks recorded in more recent times and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that they're easily as good as the old ones -- "He Was Bad" RULES! -- and probably better if not for lacking the nostalgic element.) I'm not sure I'll be schlepping out to Bordentown, N.J., for the girls' upcoming gig at The Record Collector, but I must confess that there are now 10 Catholic Girls songs on my iPod ...

Go to the band's official Web site HERE or MySpace page HERE.

"Boys Can Cry"


"C'est Impossible"


View all Music Box posts HERE.

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