Maureen Herman

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Maureen Herman with Babes In Toyland: 16 November 1995 - ANU Bar, Canberra Australia

Maureen Herman (born July 25, 1966) was from 1992 until 1996 the bass player for Babes in Toyland, a Minneapolis-based riot grrl band. She appears on the band's albums Fontanelle and Nemesisters and the Pain Killers EP. She sings lead vocals on the Nemesisters cut "Killer on the Road." All Music Guide described her bass playing as a "gut-pounding, throttling beat."

Herman was raised in Libertyville, Illinois, the same town that produced Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Adam Jones of Tool. There she met Stephanie Brown, a friend who turned her on to punk bands and shows in Chicago.

Maureen's parents moved to Minnesota a few months before graduation and Maureen stayed behind and lived with her parents friends so she could graduate with her class. She then also moved and attended the University of Minnesota, and subsequently lived in Minneapolis, where she got to know the other members of Babes before being invited to replace the departed Michelle Leon.

She described her initiation into the band (Harmony Central, 8/23/00):

An old friend phoned with news that the bassist had quit the band and asked if I'd like to join. That band, Babes in Toyland, had just signed to Reprise and was about to record their major label debut. I joined. In two weeks I was on tour, with a recording session scheduled immediately after we got off the road.

She recounted her state of mind when she quit the band four years later, citing health issues (South Loop Review, Vol. 1):

I couldn't remember the last time I had enjoyed music either as a player or a listener. It had been far too long. Warner Bros. and the rest of their dysfunctional family had chewed up all the good parts, leaving only the greedy, ugly parts exposed.

After Herman left, the band played sporadically with other bassists for several years, but never released another studio album. She went on to work as an associate editor for Musician magazine, and served as a manager for several acts, including Hank Williams III.