Patty Schemel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patty Schemel
Schemel at the Museum of Modern Art, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Patricia Theresa Schemel
Born	(1967-04-24) April 24, 1967 (age 58) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock punk rock indie rock grunge
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Drums guitar
Years active	1987–present
Labels	DGC Lauren Don Giovanni Geffen Records
Associated acts	Kill Sybil Doll Squad The Primitives Hole Phranc Bastard Juliette and the Licks Courtney Love Imperial Teen Green Eyes Upset Death Valley Girls Marissa Nadler

Patricia Theresa Schemel (born April 24, 1967) is an American drummer and musician. She became well-known as the drummer for the alternative rock band Hole from 1992 to 1998. Patty was born in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Marysville, Washington, where she became interested in punk rock music.

Patty started playing drums when she was eleven years old. In high school, she formed several bands with her brother, Larry. Kurt Cobain, a friend of Patty's, suggested her to Courtney Love, the singer of Hole. Patty joined Hole in 1992. She played drums on their popular album, Live Through This (1994).

Later, during the recording of Hole's third album, Celebrity Skin (1998), Patty left the band. Another drummer finished the album. Even though her drumming isn't on the final songs, she is still given credit for her work on the album. After leaving Hole, Patty continued to play music. She joined a group called Bastard and played on Courtney Love's solo album, America's Sweetheart (2004). She also drummed for Juliette and the Licks. In 2013, Patty joined the indie rock band Upset. The same year, she formed another band called Death Valley Girls with her brother, Larry.

Life and career

1967–1986: Early life and music

Patricia Theresa Schemel was born on April 24, 1967, in Los Angeles, California. She is the middle child of three. Patty grew up in Marysville, Washington. Her parents moved to Washington state from Brooklyn, New York shortly after she was born.

Patty started playing drums at age eleven. Her father bought her a drum set. She often played music with her brother Larry, who played guitar. As a teenager, Patty discovered she was a lesbian. She felt that punk and rock music helped her feel accepted. Some of her early favorite bands included Echo & the Bunnymen, AC/DC, and Wire. Patty formed her first band, The Milkbones, at age fifteen. Later, she and her brother Larry formed a Seattle punk band called Sybil. They changed the name to Kill Sybil because another artist had the same name.

1987–1991: Early bands

In 1987, Patty joined Doll Squad. This was an all-female punk rock band from Seattle. Patty was one of the first members, along with Annette Billesbach, Cathy Watson, Helen Halloran, and Mara Dralle. Doll Squad was active from 1987 to 1989. They played shows with bands like Nirvana. They also released their own demo tape.

Between playing with Kill Sybil and Doll Squad, Patty also drummed for a band called The Primitives. This band was from Everett, Washington.

1992–1997: Joining Hole

Kurt Cobain once thought about Patty as a drummer for his band, Nirvana. He was a fan of her old band, Sybil. After Dave Grohl joined Nirvana, Patty and Kurt became close friends.

When Hole's first drummer, Caroline Rue, left the band, Courtney Love asked Patty to join. Kurt Cobain had suggested Patty. After an audition in Los Angeles, Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson were impressed. Patty joined Hole in 1992. Her first work with Hole was recording their song "Beautiful Son". She also played guitar on the song "20 Years in the Dakota".

Schemel (center) performing with mid-1990s Hole lineup, 2012

Patty played drums on Hole's second album, Live Through This (1994). This album was very popular. She toured with the band to promote the album. They played at big music festivals like Reading Festival, Big Day Out, and Lollapalooza. In April 1995, Patty became the first woman to be on the cover of Drum World magazine.

Around this time, she also recorded with Phranc. Patty played drums on the 1995 Goofyfoot EP. In 1996, Patty played drums on Hole's cover of Fleetwood Mac's song "Gold Dust Woman". This song was on the soundtrack for the movie The Crow: City of Angels. She also sang backing vocals and appeared in the music video. Patty and Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur also formed a short-lived side project called Constant Comment.

Hole started working on new music again in 1997. They went into the studio to record Celebrity Skin (1998). Patty helped write the songs and created all the drum parts. However, during recording, Patty decided to leave the band. A different drummer was brought in to record the final drum tracks for the album. After the album was released, Patty was replaced by Samantha Maloney for the tour. But because she helped write the album, Patty's name and photo were still included on the album cover.

2001–present: Other music projects

After leaving Hole, Patty continued her music career. She reunited with Courtney Love for a short-lived project called Bastard. In 2002, Patty was a drummer for the group Lucid Nation. She recorded drums for their album Tacoma Ballet (2002). The next year, Patty and her brother Larry helped write and perform on Courtney Love's first solo album, America's Sweetheart (2004). She also played drums for Juliette Lewis's band, Juliette and the Licks, on their EP ...Like a Bolt of Lightning (2004).

In March 2010, Patty appeared in a TV show called Sober House. She talked about her journey. A documentary film about Patty's life and career was made. It was called Hit So Hard. The film includes interviews with the band members and home videos Patty recorded during Hole's 1994–1995 Live Through This Tour. The movie first showed in New York in March 2011. This brought the classic Hole lineup together for the first time in many years. In April 2012, Patty joined her former Hole bandmates Melissa Auf der Maur, Courtney Love, and Eric Erlandson for a reunion performance.

In January 2013, Patty joined the band Upset with Ali Koehler. The same year, she formed the garage rock band Death Valley Girls with her brother, Larry. Patty wrote a book about her life called Hit So Hard: A Memoir. It was published in 2017. The book was praised for being honest and funny. It talked about topics like fame and finding her identity. In 2018, Patty played drums on Marissa Nadler's album, For My Crimes. In 2019, Patty recorded another album with Upset.

Personal life

Patty Schemel lives in Los Angeles. She shares custody of her daughter, Beatrice Rinn Schemel Soletti.

Discography

As a drummer

See also

In Spanish: Patty Schemel para niños