April March

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This article is about the singer-songwriter. For the American exotic dancer, see April March (dancer). For the Canadian alternative rock band, see An April March.

April March
Birth nameElinor Lanman Blake[1]
Born (1965-04-20) April 20, 1965 (age 59)
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresIndie pop
Occupation(s)singer/songwriter, animator
Instrument(s)vocals
Years active1985–present
Websiteaprilmarch.com

April March (born Elinor Lanman Blake; April 20, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter who sings in English and French. She is known for the song "Chick Habit", which was featured in the films But I'm a Cheerleader and Death Proof.[2][3] She is also a cartoon animator, including a stint as a principal animator for the Ren and Stimpy show. She went to Parsons The New School for Design and California Institute of the Arts for Character Animation.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

In junior high, Blake participated in an exchange program in France. She graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1983.

Career[edit]

Blake returned to New York City and worked as an inker for Archie Comics and as an animator for Pee-wee's Playhouse. In 1986 she worked on the Madonna feature Who's That Girl, animating the star in the title sequence and the contemporaneous music video.

March's first band, The Pussywillows, was formed in 1987. She took a break from music for one year to attend the Disney-founded Character Animation program at the California Institute of the Arts. In 1991 the Pussywillows broke up and March formed The Shitbirds, which lasted until 1995.[4] Since then, March has recorded as a solo artist and has appeared on motion picture soundtracks, as well as performing the theme song for the Cartoon Network series I Am Weasel. Her albums contain songs sung in both English and French, and her style is heavily influenced by French 1960s pop music.

March developed and performed an English translation of the Serge Gainsbourg song "Laisse tomber les filles", renamed as "Chick Habit". The song has been featured in the 1999 teen comedy But I'm a Cheerleader and in Quentin Tarantino's 2007 film Death Proof; it was also used as the backing music to television advertisements for the Renault Twingo in the UK and in France in 2008. It is part of the soundtrack of the immersive theatre production by Punchdrunk The Drowned Man in London, which played until March 2014. The song was used as background music for a non-official trailer for The Trilogy (2007) by Dan and Dave.

March traveled to France to record the album Chrominance Decoder with Bertrand Burgalat's label Tricatel.[5] Tricatel released the album in France and Japan in 1996, along with two singles, "Mignonette" and "Garçon Glaçon", and a promotional video created by Burgalat. Ideal Records released it in the United States, with the addition of some remixes contributed by The Dust Brothers,[6] and Tricatel released a Vinyl edition in 2011.

Her song "Garçon Glaçon" is featured in the American show The O.C.

March has collaborated with many artists, including Brian Wilson, Yo La Tengo, Ronnie Spector, Andy Paley, LL Cool J, Jonathan Richman,[7] and the Dust Brothers in the U.S. and in France with Bertrand Burgalat.[7] She has performed with the garage rock band Bassholes. Her collaboration album with Steve Hanft, titled Magic Monsters., was released online in 2008 and later in vinyl format on the label Martyrs of Pop.

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 Chromiance Decoder
  • April March and Los Cincos (1998) – Collaboration with Los Cincos
  • Triggers (2002)[8][9]
  • 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 featurina 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]

  1. ^ "ATTENTION CHERIE". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Swihart, Stanton. "Biography: April March". Allmusic. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Deluxe, Jean-Emmanuel (2013). Yé-Yé girls of '60's French pop. Port Townsend, WA: Feral House. pp. 239–240. ISBN 9781936239719.
  4. ^ "April March, Chrominance Decoder". PopMatters, Sarah Zupko
  5. ^ The Daily Vault Music Reviews : Chrominance Decoder Alicia St. Rose February 15, 2000.
  6. ^ "Album Review". 99.5 Cat Country 99.5FM. Stanton Swihart, Rovi
  7. ^ a b "Artist Profile: April March". French Institute Alliance Francaise. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "April March:Triggers". Prefix Magazine, Lawrence Lanahan, September 23, 2003.
  9. ^ "Billboard Picks: Albums. Michael Paoletta. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (October 18, 2003). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 32–. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)

External links[edit]

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