Woman is an alternative rock group from Athens, Georgia, previously known as Grasshopper. The band also appears in earlier accounts as a UK act and as a Brooklyn-based group, but the Athens, GA origin is the verified one.

Line-up and background

Woman is led by twin vocal and guitar parts from Australian-born Kristian Brenchley and Brett W Schultz, who is from Mexico City. The rhythm section is described as having included Skeleton Boy and Alex Velasquez, and another account lists earlier membership including Guy Forks on guitar, Kristian on drums, Steven Lavender on bass, and Yohei Yashi on vocals. The group’s name is presented in capitals as WOMAN in some references.

Sound and style

The band is associated with indie, noise rock, psychedelic rock, blues, and noise. Its sound is described in terms such as raw, brutal, and uncompromised, with comparisons made to Link Wray, Black Flag, and Nick Cave. Other descriptions emphasise distorted guitar, caveman rhythms, split vocals, and a noisy, funk-leaning post-punk feel.

Recordings and performances

Woman records with producer Martin Bisi at Brooklyn’s B.C. Studios. Its debut LP is released on Bang! Records. Earlier material includes the record Das Hexer and the six-track Silver Wolf Dog, recorded at John Hannon’s No Recording studio. The band also releases the debut EP Fever and an album titled Happy Freedom, both produced by Zebo Adam in the Cologne-based indie pop context associated with another WOMAN project.

The group plays venues in New York City including Mercury Lounge, Glasslands, Cake Shop, The Annex, and Union Pool, and also tours through cities such as Cleveland, Columbus, Las Vegas, Boston, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Francisco. It also performs live on radio for KFJC in San Jose and CD101 in Columbus.

Touring and activity

The band gives a show in London, undertakes a summer UK tour with the punk band Chronicity, and later completes a six-day tour through the north of Britain. One account places the group’s active period across the early and mid-2000s, while later references place recordings and releases in 2009 and beyond.