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Gail Greenwood

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Gail Greenwood
Gail Greenwood performing with Belly in 1995
Gail Greenwood performing with Belly in 1995
Background information
Born (1960-03-10) March 10, 1960 (age 64)
Rhode Island, US
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • illustrator
Instruments
Years active1981–present
Labels

Gail Greenwood (born March 10, 1960) is an American musician and illustrator most notable for performing bass guitar and vocals with the bands Belly and L7.[1][2]

Career

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Greenwood grew up in Rhode Island. She became a vegetarian at age fourteen and has been a lifelong adherent of straight edge, refraining from substance use.[3] Having originally learned to play the baritone horn, Greenwood switched to guitar following high school. She earned a degree in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design.[3]

Her first band, the Dames, won the WBRU Rock Hunt in 1986. Later, Greenwood was a member of the Providence, Rhode Island–based band known as Boneyard, who opened for the Goo Goo Dolls, Social Distortion, and the Circle Jerks. In 1993, Throwing Muses alumna Tanya Donelly recruited Greenwood to join Belly as a bass guitarist. She played on that band's second album King and appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. Donelly disbanded Belly in 1996 and Greenwood joined L7 as a bassist the following year. She continued with that group for three years. In 2001, Greenwood was recruited to play bass on tour in support of Canadian pop punk artist Bif Naked.[3]

Gail Greenwood (right) performing with Belly in Glasgow, Scotland 2018

Greenwood and her partner, singer/bassist Chil Mott, formed the group Benny Sizzler in 2003 with guitarist Mark Tomis and drummer Slim Jim Colleran.[4] Alumni of this band include drummer Tom Berglund, the late guitarist/singer Gene Severens (who had played with Greenwood in Boneyard) and guitarist Terry Linehan (a fill-in guitarist for Green Day).[5] Greenwood and Mott remain active in anti-sprawl efforts, promoting the retention of open spaces, responsible development and lobbying for land conservation in the face of tremendous pressure by big-box corporations including Wal-Mart.[3]

Greenwood resumed playing and writing music with Belly after the band reformed in 2016.[6] A 2017 article with Vanyaland listed Greenwood's support for the Affordable Care Act following an endometrial cancer diagnosis discovered just prior to a scheduled reunion tour with Belly.[7] Greenwood continued with chemotherapy and completed all the original tour dates as scheduled. In 2018, Belly released their third album, Dove, to generally favorable reviews.[8][9]

In October 2024, it was announced that Greenwood would tour as a member of Gang of Four during their planned North American Farewell Tour in the spring of 2025.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Smith, Andy (1997-02-27). "Gail Greenwood feels at home with L7". Providence Journal-Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
  2. ^ Catlin, Roger (1997-02-13). "L7 IS NOW PLAYING 'BIG CEMENT PLACES'". The Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  3. ^ a b c d O'Brien, Jerry (2003). "Born to be Riled". Rhode Island Monthly. Archived from the original on 2003-09-27. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  4. ^ Marque, Jacqueline (July 12, 2013). "Gail & Chil's "Dead Grandmother" Style". Apartment Therapy. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  5. ^ Milano, Brett (June 20, 2003). "Resurrections". Boston Phoenix. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  6. ^ Riemenschneider, Chris (October 3, 2018). "'90s alt-rocker Tanya Donelly revives Belly after thinking 'it was over entirely'". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  7. ^ Marottaon, Michael (January 17, 2017). "Belly bassist Gail Greenwood reveals cancer battle, writes in favor of Affordable Care Act". Vanyaland. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  8. ^ Kandell, Steve (May 6, 2018). "Belly Would Rather Face Forward Than Navel Gaze". New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Dove by Belly". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "Gang of Four announce 2025 North American farewell tour". Consequence. 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
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