- For other uses, see Fifth Column (disambiguation).
Fifth Column is an all-girl experimental punk band from Toronto, which came about during the early 1980s. Originally the group had been known as Second Unit, but they took the name Fifth Column after a military manoeuvre made infamous during the Spanish Civil War, in which National insurrectionists within sieged Republican Madrid, called 'the fifth column', would aid the four columns (north, south, east and west) outside the perimeters.
The name of their first full-length recording To Sir With Hate was a play on the theme song from the British school film, To Sir With Love, performed by Lulu. A song from this LP, "The Fairview Mall Story" was based on true events concerning media publication of the names of men arrested after being entrapped by police and lead to the band being influential in the emergence of the queercore scene.
Independent-minded, they released their recordings, including their second full length recording All-Time Queen Of The World themselves. Their last full-length recording, 36-C, was also released on an independent label, K Records.
The band performs live in the film named for them, Fifth Column, by John Porter, as well as in She's Real, Worse Than Queer by Lucy Thane.
Albums
- To Sir With Hate (1985) Hide Records
- All-Time Queen Of The World (1990) Hide Records
Singles
- I Love You, But One song on split single with Trailer Queen (1995) Dark Beloved Cloud Records
Cassettes
- Work (1998) Hide Records & Tapes; soundtrack for the video by Paulette Philips, cassette only release
Compilations
- "The Fairview Mall Story" on J.D.s To Ten Homocore Hit Parade Tape (1990) Hide Records & Tapes (cassette only)
- "Yo-Yo" on The Yo-Yo Gang (1992) Hide Records & Tapes; soundtrack for the film by G.B. Jones (cassette only)
- "Chewing Gum" on Keep On The Sunny Side (1993) Amoeba Records
- "All Women Are Bitches" on International Hip Swing (1994) K Records
- "Don't" on Free To Fight (1996)Chainsaw/CandyAss co-release
Most Recent Line-Up
- G.B. Jones (drums, guitar, vocals)
- Caroline Azar (vocals, organ, guitar)
- Beverly Breckenridge (bass; 1987 -)
Previous Members
- Anita Smith (bass; 1985-1987)
- Charlotte Briede (guitar; 1985-1990)
- Joel Wasson (drums; 1990-1992)
- Michelle Breslin (guitar; 1993-1995)
- Don Pyle (of Canadian instrumental band Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet) (drums; 1992-1993)
- Donna Dresch (of queercore band Team Dresch) (guitar; 1994)
- Torry Colichio (drums; 1993-1995)
See also
External links
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