Laura Watling

Laura Watling began performing music with the Southern California pop band the Autocollants in 1995. Together with guitarist Ed Mazzucco, she helped during the early days of Shelflife Records, which transplanted itself to New York in the late '90s. Along with drummer Dwayne Palasek and guitarist Tim Morris, the Autocollants released two singles, two cassettes, one retrospective CD, and appeared on nine compilation CDs during their brief tenure. The band toured along the West Coast, performing at various indie pop pop fests and enjoying feverish enthusiasm from their small fan base. In addition to the Autocollants, Watling was involved in the bands Casino Ashtrays, In a Day, and Cartwheel. Watling began her solo endeavors in 2000, after getting settled in her new Northern California home, releasing a four-song single on Shelflife in 2000, followed by the 16-track Early Morning Walk on Shelflife in 2001, along with the seven-song Twenty-Five on Sofa Records from Hong Kong.