Album Notes

Squaws were formed in 1996 around Sophie, the band’s voice and frontwoman. The Squaws tribe is made up of 2 girls (Sophie and Ariane) and 3 boys (Jeff, Adam and Rob). Sophie came up with the band’s name, a reference to strong, brave, proud and beautiful women. The band’s girls also find it quite cool and funny that a group named after women also features male members, breaking away from traditional rock machismo.

Squaws have a passion for American Indian culture: Red Indians are still the land keepers 500 years after the White Man started his extermination process, and are still persecuted in the World’s leading country. Indians try to communicate respect for human beings, for nature, and remain aware of everyone’s responsibility to stop an apparently irreversible destruction process. Squaws use their music to communicate their concerns about the destruction of our environment, and to fight for their ideal.

The band was first inspired by musicians such as The Stooges, Faith No More, Pixies, The Buzzcocks, Jane’s Addiction, Violent Femmes… but quickly started writing songs in their own style. They were one of the revelations of the Printemps de Bourges festival in France: their raw and instinctive rock, combined with great tunes and Sophie’s amazing and powerful voice led them to play in other festivals, sharing the stage with Supergrass, Black Grape, Salad, Cast, Marc Almond…

Squaws display great songwriting talent, ranging from energy-fuelled guitar rock to dark ballads, in a very personal style that is making them a highly promising act on the modern Rock scene. Their stage presence and Sophie’s unmistakable voice and charisma also make them an extremely strong live act.

The self-titled debut album showcases varied aspects of Squaws’ talent: “What’s Wrong with You?” is a great ballad and an obvious radio favourite, combining power, melody and a touch of darkness; “Rage”, “Falling”, “+1” are delivered with all the power of what the Squaws are first and foremost: a Rock band. “Borderline”, “Your World” and “Order” also reveal the band’s tribal/oriental influences and are another example of their magic combination of killer tunes and raw energy.