From Angelica to the Zutons Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kat Bjelland

Angelica were an all-female four piece from Lancaster, consisting of Holly Ross (vocals and guitar), Claire Windsor (guitar), Bridget Colton (vocals and bass), and Rachel Parsons (drums). Kat Bjelland, who they met during Ladyfest, produced 'The Seven Year Itch', and also sang on 'Golden Apples'. (If I'd said Babes In Toyland, it would have been a giveaway!)

Kankurette recommends: 'You Fake It / You Make It' (from the album 'The End of a Beautiful Career', 2000).

Answer: Huggy Bear

Bikini Kill were Kathleen Hanna (vocals), Billy Karren (guitar), Kathy Wilcox (bass) and Tobi Vail (drums). According to rock legend, Hanna spray-painted 'Kurt smells like Teen Spirit' on Kurt Cobain's wall, inspiring him to write the song of the same name (Teen Spirit was a brand of deodorant).

Kankurette recommends: 'Rebel Girl' (from the Bikini Kill / Huggy Bear split album 'Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah / Our Troubled Youth', 1993).

Answer: She's a Millionaire

'She's a Millionaire' features a recorder solo from singer Cerys Matthews, as well as some of the other band members banging woodblocks. (They wanted it to sound like a school music class!) It also provides the album's title with the line 'Her treasure chest was sunken, equally cursed and blessed.'

Kankurette recommends: 'I Am the Mob' (from the album 'International Velvet', 1998).

Answer: The Pet Shop Boys

Although Dusty Springfield (born Mary O'Brien) had several hits in the 1960s, 'Dusty in Memphis' failed to sell. After a long period of stagnation, she made a comeback in the 1980s when she teamed up with the Pet Shop Boys with 'What Have I Done to Deserve This?', about a young man who sleeps with his older, female boss. They also wrote and produced 'Nothing Has Been Proved' and 'In Private' for Springfield's album 'Reputation' in 1990. Springfield died of cancer in 1999.

Kankurette recommends: 'I Only Want to Be with You' (single, 1963).

Answer: Suede

The other members of Elastica were guitarist Donna Matthews and bassist Annie Holland. Both Holland and Matthews left the band, with Holland being replaced by Sheila Chipperfield, although Holland later came back for Elastica's second album, 'The Menace'. Thew new line-up also featured Paul Jones on guitar, and Sharon Mew and Dave Bush on keyboards. After the band split up, Frischmann worked with MIA on her debut album 'Arular', and moved to Colorado to study art.

Kankurette recommends: 'Waking Up' (from the album 'Elastica', 1995).

Answer: Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)

The line 'how quickly the glamour fades' was lifted from 'House Jam' by Gang Gang Dance, as was some of the melody. However, when the band realised this and found out that they had not been credited, they pointed it out to Florence Welch's label and subsequently received a share of the royalties. Welch apologised, saying she had included the line as a homage. ('The Machine', incidentally, is Welch's friend, co-writer and keyboardist, Isabella Summers.)

Kankurette recommends: 'Blinding' (from the album 'Lungs', 2009).

Answer: Angelfish

Shirley Manson was invited to join Garbage after guitarist Steve Marker saw the video for 'Suffocate Me', Angelfish's only hit. After four albums, Garbage went on hiatus in 2007, before returning in 2012 with 'Not Your Kind of People'. During the hiatus, Manson worked on a solo album, which never took off, and acted in 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'.

Kankurette recommends: 'Push It' (from the album 'Version 2.0', 1998).

Answer: Kristen Pfaff

Kristen Pfaff joined Hole in 1993 to replace Jill Emery as bassist, and played on 'Live Through This', which came out shortly after Cobain's death. On 16th June 1994, a friend found her body in her flat, along with a bag of drug paraphernalia. Like Cobain, she was 27.

Melissa auf der Maur joined Hole in 1994, on a recommendation from Billy Corgan. She later played alongside Corgan in the Smashing Pumpkins.

Kankurette recommends: 'I Think That I Would Die' (from the album 'Live Through This', 1994).

Answer: Norway

Ida Maria Sivertsen's signature song is 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked', which reached Number 13 in the British singles chart in 2008. It borrows heavily from the Banana Splits theme - specifically, it's the line 'I won't mind / If you take me home, come on, take me home'. An episode of 'Grey's Anatomy' is named after the song.

Kankurette recommends: 'Louie' (from the album 'Fortress Round My Heart', 2008).

Answer: Q.U.E.E.N.

'Electric Lady', 'Givin' 'Em What They Love' and 'Tightrope' (which was on the previous album, 'The ArchAndroid') also feature guests - Solange (Beyonce Knowles' little sister), Prince and Big Boi, respectively.

'The Electric Lady' is part of Monae's 'Metropolis' series, based on the Fritz Lang film of the same name. It tells the story of Cindi Mayweather, the 'ArchAndroid' after which Monae's debut album is named. She is an android sent back in time to free the citizens of Metropolis from an evil time-travelling society known as the Great Divide, and who falls in love with a human, Anthony Greendown, despite human-robot relationships being illegal.

Kankurette recommends: 'Cold War' (from the album 'The ArchAndroid', 2010).

Answer: Tropical Brainstorm

Kirsty MacColl was inspired to make 'Tropical Brainstorm' after taking several trips to Cuba, during which she played at concerts for the Cuba Solidarity campaign. The video to 'Mambo de la Luna' was shot in Havana, and several Cuban musicians played on the album. She also hosted a radio series called 'Kirsty MacColl's Cuba'.

Nine months after the album was released, MacColl was killed by a speedboat while on holiday in Mexico. Her family launched the 'Justice for Kirsty' campaign, calling for a further investigation into her death.

Kankurette recommends: 'Fifteen Minutes' (from the album 'Kite', 1989).

Answer: 'Ladies of the Canyon' (Joni Mitchell)

Although 'Ladies of the Canyon' was not on 'Medusa', it was a B-side on 'No More I Love Yous', a cover of a fairly obscure song by The Lover Speaks. Annie Lennox, incidentally, was beaten to a Grammy by Joni Mitchell, who won the Award for Best Pop Vocal Album with 'Turbulent Indigo'.

Kankurette recommends: 'Stay By Me' (from the album 'Diva', 1992).

Answer: A Prayer under Pressure of Violent Anguish

Tairrie B duetted with Lynn Strait when she was with her previous band, Tura Satana. At the beginning of 'Rock Star', you can hear a sample of Strait saying, "This girl is hotter than all you [censored] out there."

Kankurette recommends: 'Miss Ann Thrope' (from the album 'A Prayer Under Pressure of Violent Anguish', 2000), featuring Jessicka of Jack Off Jill and Scarling.

Answer: Gonna Take a Miracle

Laura Nyro met Patti LaBelle through LaBelle's manager, and the two became friends and toured together. LaBelle and bandmates Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash sang backing vocals on 'Gonna Take a Miracle'. The album included songs by Marvin Gaye, the Shirelles and Smokey Robinson.

Several of Nyro's own songs, such as 'Wedding Bell Blues' and 'Sweet Blindness', were covered by the Fifth Dimension. She died of cancer in 1997.

Kankurette recommends: 'And When I Die' (from the album 'More Than a New Discovery', 1967).

Answer: Hydra

As well as fronting Otep, Otep Shamaya is also an artist, actress and poet, and released an e-book of poetry and art called 'Little Sins' in 2007. Her first name is, rather fittingly, an anagram of 'poet'.

'Hydra' was released in 2013, Shamaya stating that it would be their last, although the band continued to tour.

Kankurette recommends: 'Fillthee' (from the album 'Sevas Tra', 2002).

Answer: Sarah

'Angelene', 'A Perfect Day Elise' and 'Catherine' are all on 'Is This Desire?, PJ Harvey's fourth album. 'Sarah' is a song by Bat for Lashes.

A random fact I learned while researching this quiz: Harvey can play a LOT of instruments. As well as her main instrument, the guitar, she also plays sax, cello, violin, various percussion instruments such as the djembe and vibraphone, piano (the main instrument on her seventh album, 'White Chalk'), accordion, and autoharp. She played all the instruments on 'Uh Huh Her', her sixth album, although her longtime drummer Rob Ellis added the final drum tracks.

Kankurette recommends: 'This Mess We're In' (from the album 'Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea', 2000), featuring Thom Yorke of Radiohead.

Answer: Chemo Limo

'Chemo Limo' tells the story of a New York mother dying of cancer, and her four young children. She dreams about getting in a limousine and driving away with the children and her doctor. It can be found on 'Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories', as can the other three songs. Another singer, Kate Nash, who cites Regina Spektor as a major influence, said of the song in 'Q' Magazine (May 2008): "I was utterly convinced that she had children of her own, but it's all made up. That's one of the great things about her - she has a way of making you believe what she's singing about."

Kankurette recommends: 'Apres Moi' (from the album 'Begin to Hope', 2006).

Answer: This is a trick question - the band did not have a bass player!

Rather than your usual guitar-drums-bass setup, Sleater-Kinney had Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker both singing and playing guitar (downtuned to D), while Janet Weiss played drums from their third album, 'Dig Me Out', onwards. Tucker played basslines, while Brownstein was more of a lead guitarist.

Brownstein and Tucker had both been involved in the Riot Grrl scene, playing with Excuse 17 and Heavens to Betsy respectively. After Sleater-Kinney went on hiatus, Weiss and Brownstein played in Wild Flag with Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole, while Tucker released a solo album.

Kankurette recommends: 'Turn It On' (from the album 'Dig Me Out', 1997).

Answer: Neil Gaiman

Tori Amos and Neil Gaiman have both referenced each other in their work. For instance, the 'Talula' B-side 'Sister Named Desire' is named after the character in 'Sandman', and Gaiman wrote the backstories for the characters Amos portrayed through song on her covers album 'Strange Little Girls'. He also based a talking tree on her in 'Stardust' (hence the line 'if Neil makes me a tree' in 'Horses' on 'Boys for Pele').

Kankurette recommends: 'Liquid Diamonds' (from the album 'From the Choirgirl Hotel', 1998).

Answer: I'm Sticking With You

Moe Tucker was recruited by Lou Reed, a friend of her brother's, to replace percussionist Angus MacLise. She had a distinct style of playing - she played standing up, used mallets instead of drumsticks, and turned her bass drum on its side. After the band split, Tucker made a series of solo albums with the Maureen Tucker band, which included former Velvets bandmate Sterling Morrison.

Kankurette recommends: 'All Tomorrow's Parties' (from the album 'The Velvet Underground & Nico', 1967).

Answer: Octopus

Veruca Salt were Louise Post (vocals and guitar), Nina Gordon (vocals and guitar), Steve Lack (bass) and Jim Shapiro (drums). Named after the spoilt brat from 'Charlie & the Chocolate Factory', the band went through several line-up changes and went on hiatus in 2012, reforming a year later. They got the title for 'Eight Arms to Hold You', incidentally, from the working title for the Beatles' 'Help!'

Kankurette recommends: 'Seether' (from the album 'American Thighs', 1994).

Answer: Kate McGarrigle

Martha Wainwright credits Kate McGarrigle with teaching her the finger-picking style which she uses today. As kids, she and Rufus sang with their mother and aunt Anna at gigs and on records. When McGarrigle died of cancer in 2010, both Martha and Rufus performed at a tribute concert at that year's Meltdown Festival, along with other artists including Emmylou Harris, Nick Cave, and Richard and Linda Thompson.

Loudon Wainwright III wrote several songs about Martha when she was a child, including 'Hitting You' and 'Five Years Old'. Martha returned the favour with a song with a very rude title, which I am not going to print here!

Kankurette recommends: 'Ball & Chain' (from the album 'Martha Wainwright', 2005).

Answer: Conscious Consumer

X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene was a colourful figure with dental braces, and started the band after watching a Sex Pistols gig. They were one of the many punk bands who played at the first Rock Against Racism gig in 1978, and Poly Styrene also appeared at its 30th anniversary gig, backed by guest musicians. She died of cancer in 2011. 'Generation Indigo' and 'Translucence' are Styrene's solo albums, the former being released shortly before her death. ('Cut' is by the equally brilliant Slits.)

Kankurette recommends: 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!' (1977).

Answer: Where the Wild Things Are

Karen O (the O is for Orzolek) is credited as 'Karen O and the Kids'. Her bandmates, guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase, contributed to the soundtrack for 'Where the Wild Things Are', as did members of other bands such as the Dead Weather and Deerhunter.

Kankurette recommends: 'Maps' (from the album 'Fever to Tell', 2003).

Answer: Valerie

Originally released by the Zutons in 2006, 'Valerie' became a much bigger hit for Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson a year later, peaking at number two in the UK Singles Chart. (To be honest, I actually prefer the Zutons' version.)

The Zutons were originally a quartet until Harding, who was going out with drummer Sean Payne, joined them onstage at gigs to play alto saxophone on a couple of songs. The band decided they liked the addition of a sax on their songs, and invited her to join. She also sings backing vocals on several of their songs, and duets with frontman Dave McCabe on 'You've Got a Friend in Me'.

Kankurette recommends: 'Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?' (from the album 'Tired of Hanging Around', 2006).