Gossip

Larger than life in every way, Beth Ditto - a sprawling, fearless, mass of charisma - has led Gossip from America's underground garage rock scene to international fame. As she wails and hollers like a resurrected gospel mama, the trio whip up pulsating storms of electro punk. Raised in Arkansas, formed in Washington and based in Portland, Gossip spent years in obscurity trawling punk clubs and releasing two albums before the UK music press picked up on the single Standing In The Way Of Control in 2005. An angry riposte to President Bush's opposition to gay marriage, it found favour in indie clubs as an electro/dance crossover before receiving massive coverage in an advertising campaign for hit TV show Skins. Ditto's notoriety exploded when the NME voted her top of its Cool List 2006 and pictured her naked on the cover. Disco soul single Heavy Cross preceded fourth album Music For Men (2009), produced by Rick Rubin.