Lois Maffeo (professionally known for much of her career as Lois) is an American musician and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. She has been closely involved with and influenced many independent musicians, especially in the 1990s-era Olympia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. music scenes.

Career

Maffeo was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and graduated in 1981 from Xavier College Preparatory, an all-female private Catholic high school. She moved to Olympia, Washington to attend The Evergreen State College. In 1989, Maffeo and drummer Pat Maley founded the band Courtney Love, the name of which is coincidentally identical to the musician of the same name. The duo released their first single in 1990 and broke up the next year. Maffeo began performing as "Lois" in 1992; she was usually joined by drummer Heather Dunn and various backing musicians. Lois released two albums by 1994. The third album, Bet the Sky, came out in 1995. In 1996, Lois released Infinity Plus, promoting it by going on "a grueling world tour" that included the US, Europe, and Japan. Lois ended in 1996, with Maffeo taking a break from music and deciding to pursue journalism. Maffeo wrote for The Stranger, an alternative newspaper in Seattle, in addition to Out, Salon, Time Out New York, and CMJ New Music Monthly. She also provided vocals on records by Bis, Red Stars Theory, and the Evil Tambourines. In 2000, Maffeo released the album The Union Themes, a collaboration with Brendan Canty of Fugazi that was two years in the making.

Discography

As Lois Maffeo

With Cradle Robbers (with Rebecca Gates of the Spinanes)

Source:

With Lumihoops

With Courtney Love (the band)

As Lois

With Tommy

With The Tentacles

With Owl & The Pussycat