Originally from Searcy, Arkansas, this punk trio moved to Olympia, WA, joining the roster of the indie rock label K Records. Guitarist
Nathan (aka
Brace Paine), drummer
Kathy, and singer Beth Ditto proclaimed, "We started a band 'cause we were bored. Our mission is to make you dance, and if you're not gonna dance, just stay at home and listen to the oldies station." K released a self-titled 7" in 1999, and their full-length debut,
That's Not What I Heard, was distributed by Kill Rock Stars in late 2000.
The Gossip were highly visible due to their exposure in magazines like Out and The Advocate, where they became icons in the gay and lesbian indie rock community. After touring with
the White Stripes and
Sleater-Kinney, they went back to the studio to record a follow-up, 2002's
Arkansas Heat EP. They returned the following year with
Movement, while
Nathan also performed with
Die Monitr Batss.
New drummer
Hannah Billie joined
the Gossip before they recorded 2005's
Standing in the Way of Control, which incorporated elements of dance-punk into their raw, urgent sound.
GSSP RMX, which further emphasized their more danceable direction, was released in 2006. The concert album
Live in Liverpool arrived in the U.K. in late 2007 and was then issued in the U.S. by the band's new label, the Sony imprint Red Ink, in spring 2008.
Rework-It, a remix compilation, followed that summer, with
Music for Men appearing in 2009. The album made significant waves in the UK and expanded the band's fanbase dramatically. In 2012, the group returned with fifth studio album A Joyful Noise, produced by Xenomania member Brian Higgins.
–
Zac Johnson, Rovi