PEARL SPURNS SPANDEX
Pearl Harbor and the Explosions are fronted by lead vocalist Pearl E. Gates, a San Franciscan whose prior experience includes a stint in Leila and the Snakes, a West Coast off-shoot of the Tubes. Pearl grew up in Germany, has a Filipino mother and likes country music; naturally, she’s chosen a career in rock ’n’ roll.
PEARL SPURNS SPANDEX
PEARL E. GATES
by
Dave DiMartino
Pearl Harbor and the Explosions are fronted by lead vocalist Pearl E. Gates, a San Franciscan whose prior experience includes a stint in Leila and the Snakes, a West Coast off-shoot of the Tubes. Pearl grew up in Germany, has a Filipino mother and likes country music; naturally, she’s chosen a career in rock ’n’ roll. After their heavy local success with an independently released version of “Drivin’,” Warner Brothers picked up the band, had them re-cut the track, and currently are promoting the group’s debut LP heavily. Airplay has been strong, as have reports of the band’s live performances. At presstime the band is finishing up an American tour and readying for their first European visit. Along with Pearl, band members include guitarist Peter Bilt and the Stench brothers—bassist Hilary Stench and drummer John Stench. In Nashville, Pearl had just woken up when we spoke with her.
CREEM: With the rising popularity of female musicians and performers, do you think the role of women in rock ’n’ roll has changed, or do you think that people’s tastes have simply changed?