MAKE UP: bio

The Make Up surfaced from the ashes of the Washington DC punk subversive group, Nation of Ulysses and the short-lived Cupid Car Club, in 1995. Like Stalin, they had a five-year plan and arrived fully formed: reuniting NOU vocalist Ian Svenonius, guitarist James Canty and drummer Steve Gamboa. The Make Up line-up was completed by Michelle Mae and their music shaped as a self-styled liberation theology they termed “Gospel Yeh-Yeh” – a combination of gospel, garage and soul. Counter to the capitalist form of modern rock and roll and pop music, this style led to an emphasis on performance and interactions between the band and their audience. In their five years they released four studio albums (including two on K, Sound Verite [KLP064] and Save Yourself [KLP105]), two live albums, and a number of vinyl singles, many of which were compiled on 1999’s I Want Some [KLP092].

After the five year plan ended, Svenonius and Mae formed Scene Creamers (subsequently called Weird War on future releases) and Canty joined Ted Leo and The Pharmacists. Svenonius currently DJs as Name Names and performs in the group Chain and The Gang. (link)