Babes in Toyland

Babes in Toyland was an American alternative rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 1987. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Kat Bjelland, along with drummer Lori Barbero, vocalist Cindy Russell, and bassist Kris Holetz. Following the departures of Russell and Holetz, the band continued as a trio and recruited Michelle Leon as bassist, who quit in 1992 and was replaced by Maureen Herman. Babes in Toyland released three studio albums: Spanking Machine (1990), followed by the commercially successful Fontanelle (1992), and Nemesisters (1995), before becoming inactive in 1997 and eventually disbanding in 2001. After the band reunited in 2014, they began performing live together for the first time in over a decade. They completed an international tour throughout 2015, during which Herman was fired and replaced with Clara Salyer, before the band broke up again in 2017. The band is often grouped in with the riot grrrl scene.

History

1987–1991: Formation and early years Babes in Toyland formed in 1987 after frontwoman Kat Bjelland met drummer Lori Barbero at a friend's barbecue. Originally from Woodburn, Oregon and a former resident of San Francisco, Bjelland...