Dream Nails
{{Short description|English DIY punk/riot grrrl band}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Dream Nails
| image = Dream Nails (52617112577).jpg
| caption =
| origin = London, England
| genre = Punk rock • riot grrrl • queercore
| label = Marshall Records
Alcopop! Records
Krod Records
Everything Sucks Records
| current_members = Anya Pearson
Lucy Katz
Mimi Jasson
| past_members = Ishmael Kirby
Janey Starling
Judith Dawson
Emmett Roberts
Katherine Christie Evans
}}
Dream Nails is an English punk/riot grrrl{{cite web|url=http://www.idioteq.com/dream-nails-interview-feminism-women-punk/|title=Anger & Joy - Riot Grrrl Punk band DREAM NAILS discuss feminism & women in punk |website=Idioteq.com|date=7 November 2016 }} band from London founded in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefword.org.uk/2016/04/dream-nails-gig-review/|title=Dream Nails will f*** you up!|date=29 April 2016|website=The F-Word}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.gigslutz.co.uk/ones-watch-dream-nails/|title=Ones To Watch: Dream Nails|website=Gigslutz|date=15 May 2016}}
History
Dream Nails was founded in London in August 2015 by Janey Starling, singer, and Anya Pearson, guitarist. The two friends met through their involvement with feminist activism{{Cite web|url=http://www.idioteq.com/dream-nails-interview-feminism-women-punk/|title=Anger & Joy – Riot Grrrl Punk Band Dream Nails Discuss Feminism & Women In Punk|date=7 November 2016|website=Idioteq}} and brought fellow activist Emmett Roberts on board to play bass and Judith Dawson on drums.{{Cite web|url=http://louderthanwar.com/new-artist-day-dream-nail/|title=New Artist of the Day: Dream Nails|date=26 May 2016|website=Louder Than War}} In early 2016, Lucy Katz replaced Judith on drums. Within one year of performing together they were invited to perform at Glastonbury's Sisterhood stage – the first women-only venue at the festival.{{Cite web|url=https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/glastonbury-festival-the-sisterhood-women-only-venue-photos|title=Glastonbury's Newest Music Venue Is the Girls-Only Club You've Been Waiting for|date=30 June 2016|website=Vice}}
In 2017, Katherine Christie Evans briefly replaced Roberts on bass and backing vocals,{{Cite web|url=http://www.softrevolutionzine.org/2016/dream-nails/|title=Dream Nails: punk femminista da Londra, con unghie impeccabili|date=17 May 2016|website=Soft Revolution Zine|language=italian}} replaced in turn by Mimi Jasson.{{cite web|url=https://loudwomen.org/2018/01/14/10-question-interview-dream-nails/|title=10 Question Interview: Dream Nails|date=14 January 2018|publisher=}}
Dream Nails identify themselves as punk witches and their genre as "witch punk". They claim to write "hexes, not songs"{{Cite web|url=http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/30770/1/dream-nails-how-to-start-an-all-girl-punk-band|title=How to start a fierce all-girl punk band|date=15 April 2016|website=Dazed Digital}} and are best known for their "hex on misogynist politicians" Deep Heat.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thedebrief.co.uk/news/politics/these-punk-witches-have-just-released-a-hex-on-donald-trump-20161165518|title=These Punk Witches Have Just Released A Hex On Donald Trump|website=The Debrief}} The group's first single was released with a video premiered on Nylon,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nylon.com/articles/dream-nails-hex-donald-trump|title=Punk Band Dream Nails Puts A Hex on Donald Trump In 'Deep Heat' Video|date=5 November 2016|website=Nylon.com}} in time for the 2016 election of the United States of American's president, Donald Trump.
Their first EP, DIY was released in April 2016 with a handmade zine and enjoyed immediate attention from Dazed and Confused. After embarking on short tours in Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria, Dream Nails were invited to be the main support for American band Cherry Glazerr on their European tour in spring 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bombshellzine.com/2017/06/the-round-up-06-06-17/|title=The Round-up – 06/06/17|date=6 June 2017|website=Bombshell Zine}} A second EP Dare to Care followed in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.echoesanddust.com/2017/11/dream-nails-dare-to-care/|title=Dream Nails – Dare To Care | Echoes And Dust|date=23 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923082435/https://www.echoesanddust.com/2017/11/dream-nails-dare-to-care/|access-date=21 September 2020|archive-date=23 September 2019}} A live album Take Up Space - a recording of an acoustic performance at Housmans Bookshop - was released in early 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://getinherears.com/2019/01/23/interview-dream-nails-take-up-space/|title=Interview: Dream Nails – 'Take Up Space'|website=Getinherears.com|date=23 January 2019}}
In August 2020 the band released their self-titled first album on Alcopop! Records.
On 30 April 2021, co-founder and frontwoman Janey Starling announced her departure from the band.{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/74596/dream-nails-lead-vocalist-janey-starling-leaves-band|title = Dream Nails lead vocalist Janey Starling leaves band| date=4 May 2021 }}
In July 2022 the band played a British Summer Time concert in Hyde Park, opening for Pixies{{Cite web |last=Abbott |first=Christian |date=2022-06-23 |title=British Summer Time fest back with Adele and Rolling Stones in stacked line-up |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/british-summer-time-full-line-27307549 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Mirror |language=en}}
In 2023, the band signed to Marshall Records.{{Cite web |title=Dream Nails sign to Marshall for new album Doom Loop {{!}} Kerrang! |url=https://www.kerrang.com/amp/dream-nails-sign-to-marshall-for-new-album-doom-loop |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=www.kerrang.com}} In October 2023, the band released their second studio album 'Doom Loop', recorded with new vocalist Ishmael Kirby, on Marshall Records to critical acclaim. Doom Loop was recorded and produced in Sheffield by producer Ross Orton.{{Cite web |last1=Interviews |first1=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & |last2=ClashMusic |date=2023-10-12 |title=Dream Nails - Doom Loop {{!}} Reviews |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/dream-nails-doom-loop/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews |language=en-GB}} They announced an in-store tour, playing record stores across the UK, and a 16-date headline tour across the UK and the EU. 'Doom Loop' ranked at #37 on [https://www.kerrang.com/the-50-best-albums-of-2023-foo-fighters-creeper-sleep-token-pupil-slicer-avenged-sevenfold-metallica-jesus-piece-hot-milk-green-lung Kerrang's "50 Best Albums of 2023"]
In February 2024, after finishing a tour as a three-piece, the band announced Ishmael Kirby had left the group.{{Cite Instagram |user=dreamnailsband |postid=C3sl-RTtaix |title=Hey everyone, it's with a really heavy heart that we share that Ishmael has decided to move on from the band... |date=23 February 2024}} Kirby then posted their own statement a few days later explaining their reasons for leaving.{{Cite Instagram |user=ishmaelskirby |postid=C30kYipoUsx |title=Right if I'm doing this I'm doing this on my terms. Let's talk about it. - |date=26 February 2024}}
Discography
= Singles =
- Deep Heat, DL, Self release (2016) and Krod Records (2017){{Cite web|url=https://originalrock.net/2017/06/12/interview-dream-nails-talk-latest-single/|title=Interview: Dream Nails talk latest single|date=12 June 2017|website=Original Rock}}{{Cite web|url=https://whtybpress.com/2017/06/05/uk-punk-band-dream-nails-joins-krod-records/|title=Uk Punk Band Dream Nails Joins Krod Records|date=5 June 2017|website=Whtybpress.com|access-date=13 June 2017|archive-date=14 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014083458/https://whtybpress.com/2017/06/05/uk-punk-band-dream-nails-joins-krod-records/|url-status=dead}}
- Tourist, DL, Krod Records (2017)
- Vagina Police / Fascism Is Coming, 7"/DL, Everything Sucks Music (2018)
- Corporate Realness, 7"/DL, Alcopop! Records (UK) / Firebrand Records (US) (2019)
- Text Me Back (Chirpse Degree Burns), DL, Alcopop! Records (2020)
= Extended plays =
- DIY EP, CD/DL, Self release (2016)
- Dare to Care EP, CD/DL, Krod Records (2017)
= Albums =
- Dream Nails, LP, CD, DL, Alcopop! Records (2020){{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/dream-nails-dream-nails-review-radar-2739132|title=Dream Nails – 'Dream Nails' review: DIY punks lay out vision for feminist utopia|website=NME|last=Phillips|first=Stephanie|date=27 August 2020|access-date=16 September 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/reviews/album-review-dream-nails-dream-nails/|title=Album Review: Dream Nails – Dream Nails|website=Kerrang!|last=Richardson|first=Jake|date=25 August 2020|access-date=16 September 2020}}
- Doom Loop, Marshall Records (2023){{Citation |last=Records |first=Marshall |title=Dream Nails - Doom Loop. Marshall Records. |url=https://marshallrecords.ochre.store/release/397262-dream-nails-doom-loop |access-date=2024-06-16}}
=Live albums=
- Take Up Space, DL (2019)
= Compilation appearances =
- Loud Women: Volume One, CD, 2017
- Femrock Mixtape, 2017
- Girls go BOOM Mixtape #1, 2017