Sissy Bar
“Touchcandy, Lutefisk, Centimeters, Rob from Possum Dixon and Sissy Bar … this is the exact kind of beautiful symphonic chaos that defined that ’90s era. Nights like this are what propelled a fractured Eastside music scene into becoming a full-fledged scene.”
—Club Spaceland promoter Mitchell Frank (LA Times, 2025)
The childlike lo-fi pop sextet Sissy Bar formed in 1994 when the core duo of singer Joy Ray and guitarist Courtney Holt -- the son of Will Holt, the author of the Peter, Paul and Mary hit "Lemon Tree" -- delivered an impromptu performance at a friend's party in Los Angeles. After enlisting banjo player Brad Kluck, bassist Anne Kadrovich, keyboardist Mary Ellen Mason, and drummer Patrick Simpson, the group began honing a sound built around Holt's mandate that the members play whatever they feel like, resulting in an off-kilter fusion of country, new wave, and waltz music. In 1996, Sissy Bar issued their debut LP, Statutory Grape, a record highlighted by the band's odd cover of Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Gin and Juice," later sampled by members of the Dogg Pound posse. Songs for Peeps followed in 1999.
—Jason Ankeny
Upcoming shows:
October 8, 2026: Maui Sugar Mill, Tarzana, CA
October 15, 2026: Fish Fry (Luz de Jesus), Los Angeles, CA
Statutory Grape (1996)
Spotify
Sad II Say b/w Free to Be - 7” (1997)
Pop American Style - Compilation (1996)
Magic Bunny - EP (1995)
Mr Computer Man - Lathe Cut 7” (2022)
Bandcamp
The Patio Collection, Volume 2 - Compilation (1995)
Songs for Peeps (1999)
Smiley (We Become) - 7” (1999)
From But I’m a Cheerleader (2000):
“The soundtrack of “But I’m a Cheerleader” perfectly encapsulates queer teen angst using a humorous lens. The songs turn a dark satire into a campy romantic comedy. Though the subject matter is grim, it is a nice escape from the horrors that queer youth have to experience, even 20 years after its release. The movie has gained a cult following over the last two decades and with its addition to YouTube Movies free to watch and talks of a musical adaptation in the works, a whole new generation of kids are getting to experience this film and all of the significance it holds within the queer community.” — Adam Cherlan
