Catholic Girls

Originally called Double Cross, the Catholic Girls toyed with religious symbols before Madonna made it fashionable; moreover, they wore plaid skirts while Britney Spears was still in diapers. But the all-female new wave group never became popular enough to earn credit for being ahead of their time. Featuring Roxy Andersen (guitar, vocals), Gail Petersen (synthesizer, guitar, vocals), Joanne Holland (bass, guitar), and Kyd Ellsworth (drums), the Catholic Girls were really Catholic girls, it wasn't an act. Nevertheless, the Archdiocese in Rhode Island banned them from performing there because of "God Made You for Me," a song suggesting that God might be a woman. The Catholic Girls sold out concerts on the East Coast; however, the masses weren't ready for such rebellious young ladies. The Catholic Girls recorded a self-titled LP on MCA Records in 1982. Despite opening for high-profile artists like Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and the Kinks, the Catholic Girls couldn't find mainstream acceptance and they broke up. Petersen became a novelist, writing The Making of a Monster in 1993. In 1999, their only album was reissued on CD and the band's importance in injecting female angst in rock & roll was finally acknowledged. Petersen and Andersen then revived the Catholic Girls with Jen Bond (drums) and Stephanie Koles (bass), releasing Make Me Believe in 2002.