April March
April March | |
---|---|
Birth name | Elinor Lanman Blake[1] |
Born | New York City, New York, U.S. | April 20, 1965
Genres | Indie pop |
Occupation(s) | singer/songwriter, animator |
Instrument(s) | vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1985–present |
Website | aprilmarch |
April March (born Elinor Lanman Blake; April 20, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter.[2] Considering herself to be a "lifelong Francophile", she performs in the English and French languages.[3] March is widely known for her France Gall/Serge Gainsbourg-based cover song "Chick Habit" ("Laisse tomber les filles"), which was featured in Jamie Babbit's 1999 film But I'm a Cheerleader and in Tarantino's 2007 Death Proof.[4]
April March is also a professional writer,[5] illustrator,[6][7] and animator,[8] whose work includes the Jack White children's book We're Going to Be Friends[9][10] and visual creations for Pee-wee's Playhouse, motion credits for Madonna's movie and video Who's That Girl,[11] and others. She briefly dated John Kricfalusi during her employment at Spümcø. She worked as a layout artist on Nickelodeon's The Ren & Stimpy Show and wrote the episodes "Stimpy's Fan Club" and "Stimpy's Cartoon Show"; both episodes were produced after Kricfalusi's firing from the series, as she was among those who refused to join Games Animation alongside Kricfalusi, Jim Smith, Vincent Waller and Richard Pursel, whose absences were contributions to the series' decline in quality.[12]
April March founded her first band, The Pussywillows, in 1987.[13] Since then, March has recorded as a solo artist and has appeared in motion picture soundtracks, as well as performing the theme song for the Cartoon Network series I Am Weasel.[14]
Education
[edit]April March participated in a French junior high student exchange program: "French culture was something my mother presented to me as a greener pasture when I was a little girl."[15] She later graduated 1983 in the US, from Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts.[16] Afterward, March studied with Parsons School of Design and also the Disney-founded Character Animation Program at California Institute of the Arts.[citation needed]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- Gainsbourgsion! (1995) – Released in France and Japan
- April March Sings Along with the Makers (1996) – Collaboration with The Makers
- Paris in April (1996) – International expanded version of Gainsbourgsion!
- Chrominance Decoder (1996)
- Superbanyair (1997) (Japanese version of Chrominance Decoder)
- April March and Los Cincos (1998) – Collaboration with Los Cincos[17]
- Triggers (2002)[18][19]
- Magic Monsters (2008) – Collaboration with Steve Hanft
- April March & Aquaserge (2013) – Collaboration with Aquaserge
- In Cinerama (2021) – Originally a "Record Store Day"-only release, before a wide release in 2022
- April March Meets Staplin (2023) – Collaboration with Staplin
EPs
[edit]- Chick Habit (1995)
- April March and Los Cincos Featuring the Choir (1998) – Japan-only limited edition featuring Petra Haden and Bennett
- Dans les yeux d'April March (1999) – Released in France
- Sometimes When I Stretch (2003)
- Palladium (2021) – Collaboration with Olivia Jean
Singles
[edit]- "Voo Doo Doll / Kooky" (1994)
- "Jesus And I Love You" (1998) – Orgazmo Soundtrack
- "Garçon Glaçon"(1999) – Nothing New (Remix) as B-Side
- "Mignonette" (1999) – Mon Petit Ami as B-Side
- "Sugar (Remix)" (1999)
- "RosEros" (2010) – Collaboration with Bertrand Burgalat
- "Lift Off" (2022)
Compilations
[edit]- Lessons of April March (1998) – Compilation
References
[edit]- ^ "Attention Cherie". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ "April March". French Institute - Alliance Français. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012.
- ^ "Pop and Jazz Listings: April March", The New York Times, January 30, 2004, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ April March, AllMusic, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ "Lana Wood, Natalie's Little Sister, Has Plenty to Say (by Elinor Blake)", The New York Times, August 3, 2019, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ Meet Elinor Blake, Illustrator Behind Jack White's Children's Book 'We're Going to Be Friends', Billboard, November 20, 2017, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ This White Stripes Song Is Now the Perfect Children's Book, M Live (Michigan), February 1, 2018, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ April March Talks Ren & Stimpy, French Influence, and New Musical Projects, Lost In Jersey, June 4, 2024, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ "Exploring the Creative Process With 'Live Art'", The New York Times, January 12, 2022, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ Michigan Notable Books 2018: Six Winners Talk About the Award and Their Work, Detroit Free Press, January 14, 2018, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ April March Talks New Album With French Duo Staplin, Paste Magazine, May 8, 2023, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ Komorowski 2017, p. 374.
- ^ "April March, Chrominance Decoder". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015.
- ^ I Am Weasel, Flix Patrol, July 15, 1997, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ "New Music: April March and Aquaserge - Des Tics et Des Tocs", The Guardian, February 27, 2013, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ About This Artist, Hash Brand New, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ Music: Billboard Picks, Billboard, October 18, 2003, retrieved July 10, 2024
- ^ "Lawrence Lanahan, Review". Prefix Mag. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016.
- ^ April March (Elinor Blake) - Triggers - Album Cover Art, Daily Vault, July 23, 2016, retrieved July 10, 2024
Works cited
[edit]- Komorowski, Thad (2017). Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1629331836.