Maggie Estep
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Comedic, alternative, spoken word, performance art
Status:
Maggie Estep died in 2014. Final release was Love Is A Dog From Hell (1997).
See also:
Official site
Comparisons:
Maggie is a spoken word artist; can be offensive but also very funny. Possible comparisons include Dana Bryant, Bob Holcomb, Beau Sia, Laurie Anderson, Lydia Lunch, John S. Hall, King Missile, Lou Reed, Wally Pleasant, and Brenda Kahn. Poetry influences: Charles Bukowski, William Burroughs, among others. When she sings, she sounds like Hole on a bad day. (miazgama@pilot.msu.edu)
Covers/own material:
Writes own material, occasional covers
General comments:
her first album had its ups and downs. her spoken word pieces were probably most effective than her actual songs that she put on the album. she is friends with Brenda Kahn by the way (or at least they acknowledge each other on their albums) so that might put her in some context. I would probably seek out her first album if you like her second, since i have heard that most people like her first album better than her second. (iflin@speakeasy.net)
Recommended first album:
No More Mr. Nice Girl
Recordings:
- No More Mr. Nice Girl (1994)
- Love Is A Dog From Hell (1997)
No More Mr. Nice Girl
Release info:
1994—Polygram (re-released by Mouth Almighty)
Availability:
Unknown
Ecto priority:
Not very ecto at all, but for fans of in your face poetry, spoken word, and comedy.
Group members:
Maggie Estep—vocals
I Love Everybody—backup band
Comments:
i was slightly amused by her first album, and the spoken word stuff, but not the extent that i am weary of getting her new one, since some of her first album was a clunker. especially when she sang. (iflin@speakeasy.net)I enjoy this album immensely, and it still makes me laugh. I love her confrontational, snappy poetry, particularly "Hey Baby", "Car Guy", "I'm Not a Normal Girl", and "Sex Goddess of the Western Hemisphere". The compulsive "The Stupid Jerk I'm Obsessed With" is the best moment here, with the music perfectly complimented Estep's poetry. There are some really other funny moments here, however..."F*#! Me", the all-spoken word "Bad Day At The Beauty Salon", the quick "Vegetable Omelet" are all loads of fun. I don't even mind it when she sings.... The immensely catchy "Rip Trip Strip" is the best Hole demo you've ever heard. Certainly not for everyone, and the language is pretty coarse, but it's worth a try. (miazgama@pilot.msu.edu)
Well, I've got the No More Mr. Nice Girl. CD, and it is, er, unusual—good if I'm in that sort of mood. It is spoken word, some of it would be considered "offensive" (so don't play it for people before you've listened to it yourself)—but I'm guessing that the new one is this way as well. I wouldn't want to ever lose this cd, though I don't play it very often either.... (rholmes@CS.Stanford.EDU)
Love Is A Dog From Hell
Release info:
1997—Polygram (re-released by Mouth Almighty Records
Availability:
Fairly wide
Ecto priority:
For Estep fans
Comments:
I just wanted to thank the folks who posted here about Maggie Estep. Based on what I read here about her, I went out and bought Love is a Dog From Hell, and I love it! My favorites are: "Stalk Me", "I'm an Emotional Idiot" (brilliant!), and "I Want Mangoes". Also really enjoy the story about Jennie's shirt with the Eiffel towers painted on it. (jwermont@sonic.net)Slightly more experimental and not as consistently funny as her debut, but has some great moments. "I'm an Emotional Idiot" is the standout, but her cover of Lou Reed's "Vicious", the (dare I say it) lovely "Fireater" and the hilarious "Scab Maids on Speed" are also very worthy. More musical than her debut, and Estep doesn't even attempt to sing on this one, which is probably a good thing. (miazgama@pilot.msu.edu)
Further info:
She is on the videotape called No Alternative put out by the Red Hot and Blue organization that raises money to fight AIDS, doing a spoken word piece. she was also featured in an MTV spoken word Unplugged showcase a couple of years ago.She released a book called Diary of an Emotional Idiot, which was a very solid and funny debut novel. She's got a lot of talent as a writer, and is currently working on two more novels, one to be released in fall '99. (miazgama@pilot.msu.edu)
Thanks to Mark Miazga for work on this entry.
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