Demetra Plakas: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|American musician}} |
{{short description|American musician}} |
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{{Infobox musical artist |
{{Infobox musical artist |
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| name = Demetra Plakas |
| name = Demetra "Dee" Plakas |
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| image = |
| image = |
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| caption = |
| caption = |
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| background = solo_singer |
| background = solo_singer |
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| birth_name = |
| birth_name = Demetra Plakas |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|11|9|mf=y}} |
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|11|9|mf=y}} |
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| birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]] |
| birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]] |
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| Notable songs = |
| Notable songs = |
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| label = [[Epitaph Records]]<br>[[Sub Pop]]<br>[[Slash Records]] <br>Wax Tadpole Records<br>[[Blackheart Records]] |
| label = [[Epitaph Records]]<br>[[Sub Pop]]<br>[[Slash Records]] <br>Wax Tadpole Records<br>[[Blackheart Records]] |
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| associated_acts = [[L7 (band)|L7]]<br> |
| associated_acts = [[L7 (band)|L7]]<br>[[Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments]]<br>Problem Dogs |
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[[Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments]] |
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Problem Dogs |
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| image_size = |
| image_size = |
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| alias = The Goddess of Thunder |
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Revision as of 23:48, 7 September 2019
Demetra "Dee" Plakas | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Demetra Plakas |
| Also known as | The Goddess of Thunder |
| Born | November 9, 1960 Chicago, Illinois |
| Genres | Alternative metal, grunge, alternative rock, punk rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation | Drummer |
| Instrument(s) | Drums Vocals |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | Epitaph Records Sub Pop Slash Records Wax Tadpole Records Blackheart Records |
Demetra "Dee" Plakas (born November 9, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American musician, best known for being the drummer in the rock band L7.
Early life
Demetra “Dee” Plakas was born November 9, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents had immigrated from Greece and met in Chicago.[1] Plakas has a younger sister.[1] She learned to play the drums while in high school.[1]
Career
Early bands
Plakas joined a punk band called Problem Dogs as their drummer.[2] Although she had never played drums before, she purchased a set and learned to play as the band practiced in the basement of bass player Algis Kizys's house.
In the thriving Chicago punk scene, the band played sporadic gigs at places like Space Place and O'Banion's, opening for The Bangles at The Metro. They also released a single, "City Hall/ You Are The Knife", following the departure of Kizys in 1982. The band went through several personnel changes, with original bandmates Plakas, Rick Radtke and John Connors reforming in Los Angeles as Pirate Radio.
L7
In 1987, Plakas learned through a contact from LA Weekly that the punk rock group L7 was looking for a drummer.[3] Two months later, after Donita Sparks contacted her, Plakas agreed to join L7.[3]
Once Plakas joined the band, L7 gelled and gained in momentum. Sparks stated “we found that sweet spot with Dee. That was a huge break for us. Because she was what we had been missing. She had the same sensibility as us: we’re punks but we’re doing hard rock.”[4]
L7 went on to release seven studio albums (although she was not featured on their debut eponymous album), with 1992's Bricks Are Heavy including the hit single Pretend We're Dead.
In 1994, Plakas and her L7 band mate Jennifer Finch performed with the Japanese musician Hide,[5][6] also appearing on the original video for his song "Doubt".[7]
Plakas appeared in the John Waters film Serial Mom as a musician and performer in the fictitious band "Camel Lips" in 1994.[8]
L7 disbanded in 2001 but was reunited again in 2014.[5]
Other projects
During the L7 hiatus, Plakas went on to play in solo projects by both herself and former L7 member Donita Sparks. In 2007-2008, she toured with Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments.
L7 reunion
Original footage and interviews with Demetra Plakas can be viewed in the documentary film L7: Pretend We're Dead directed by Sarah Price, released November 2016. The film was nominated for a VO5 NME Award for Best Music Film.[9]
L7 released their latest full length album Scatter the Rats on May 3, 2019 through Joan Jett's Blackheart Records. The album received generally favorable reviews.[10] Plakas and L7 announced a six week nationwide tour with a start date of May 10, 2019.[11]
Notable Stage Moments
Plakas is perhaps most infamous for a contest held during a live show in London in 2000 in which L7 raffled off a one-night stand with her.[12][3] the winner got to spend the night on the tour bus.[3]
References
- ^ a b c Wong, Joe (September 30, 2015). "Dee Plakas L7". The Trap Set. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Problem Dogs". punkdatabase.com. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Angela P. (April 10, 2015). Women Drummers: A History from Rock and Jazz to Blues and Country. Scarecrow Press. p. 132. ISBN 9780810895584.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Tornello, Angela (August 12, 2019). "Kiss My Grits: Q&A with L7's Dee Plakas and Donita Sparks". Tom Tom Magazine. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Dean, Mark (September 20, 2016). "Spill Feature: L7". The Spill Magazine. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
- ^ "hide - Eyes Love You (live POP JAM 1993.08.11)". YouTube. December 3, 2007. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- ^ As seen on Hide's home video release, A Souvenir.
- ^ "Demetra Plakas". IMDb. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Grant, Sarah (February 9, 2018). "L7 Announce Tour, Slam 'Capitalist Motherf--kers' on 'I Came Back To Bitch'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "Scatter the Rats by L7". May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Callwood, Brett (May 1, 2019). "Scatter, Rats! L7's Back With Their First Album in 20 Years". LA Weekly. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ^ "Today's Tidbits L7 Raffle Off their Drummer and much more". Chart Attack. March 10, 2000.
External links
| Authority control databases: Artists |
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