Two Can Play That Game *

Tonight I am going to see Girlpool who are a band consisting of two members, I am typing this whilst listening to the new Shannon and the Clams record (who I think play as a three piece but write and exist as a two piece).
Growing up my two favourite bands had three members (that's Placebo and Bis) and the majority of the bands that I enjoy as much now at 31 as I did when I was 15 were three pieces (Bratmobile, Babes in Toylnd, Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre, Bangs even the Chicks). Three piece bands have a special place in my heart, even my own band has three members, but recently I've been thinking about how much I enjoy a musical double act!

Here are some of my favourites.....

SHAMPOO
I think Shampoo are my first duo love, I wrote a blog about my love for Shampoo here. You can argue they had a band behind them, but were that band bringing attitude ad wearing dolls faces on their boobs? no, well then! Shampoo very much shaped the person I am today.


DAPHNE AND CELESTE
Probably Americas slightly too late and not as good version of Shampoo, but I very much enjoyed Daphne and Celeste and their bratty songs, I even liked them after they slagged Brian Molko off so I must have been into them.
Think the Radical Cheerleaders of the North (that's Holly and I) were heavily inspired by D&C, we were like the northern England version


MATES OF STATE
Mates Of State are a husband and wife duo, and they make me incredibly happy. Essentially drums and organ, but they make such full, and completely danceable music. You got to see them live just to see Kori's fingers move like lightening across her organ keys, it's mesmorising!


GIRLPOOL
Proof that I do sometimes listen to current music! Girlpool are Harmony and Cleo, friends who make music with just two guitars and their beautiful voices. I don't know how they manage to make songs sound like actual songs with so little, but they do!


MOLDY PEACHES
The Moldy Peaches mostly remind me of going out dancing al the time when I was young an being a floorfiller and also working at the Bead Shop where opposite was an art shop where they constantly blasted Who's Got The Crack and Downloading Porn With Davo.


THE CAPRICORNS
I don't know as much as I should about The Capricorns. I know they are a duo who consist of keyboards and vocals. I only own one album by them, but I feel that is all I need as it has one of my favourite songs ever on there, Sunset Over Malibu.



HEAVENS TO BETSY
My favourite angry duo. I'm generally into most bands that have anything to do with the Sleater-Kinney ladies (saying that I just realised I missed Quasi off my list, sorry Janet!) H2B is Corin's pre Kinney band with Tracy Sawyer. which involved drums, guitar amazing vocals and lots of anger, win win!


THE SPELLS
What do you get if you mix Mary Timony and Carrie Brownstein? THIS! also see above!


CIBO MATTO
Cibo Matto once played the Bronze, they also once made an album entirely with songs about food. what's not to love about that?!?


SKATING POLLY
Are a step-sister duo who are both under the age of 20 (I think one of them is 15!!) usually I get REALLY freaked out by people making awesome music who are much younger than me (HALF MY AGE!) but I love Skating Polly. They both swap and play instruments switching between guitar and drums. They are like if you mixed 90s; K Records, Kill Rock Stars and Subpop together.


THE NEED
If you ever need an intense workout or a right good proper angry dance, put The Need on. I bloody love The Need! If you like drums and guitar and queercore the you NEED THE NEED in your life. Trust me on this!


SLUTEVER
Can't believe I missed Slutever off the list first time round, it was listeneing to them a few weeks ago that got me thinking about duos!
Slutever are like if Russ ever made a grunge troll range, or if Lisa Frank was a stoner.
They're like all my 90s dreams come true!



* Two Can Play That Game by Bobby Brown was the first CD I ever owned!