Helen Halloran

Helen Halloran, Doll Squad

Guitarist and singer Helen Halloran‘s first band was in 1982, a cover band called “Astre.” She joined Seattle band, “The Kinetics” as a back-up singer for a couple of years. Helen teamed up with Mara Dralle, Rich Jensen, and Gary Allen May to form “The Corn Dogs” that played various little divey venues in 1985-86. The Corn Dogs sang songs like Frank Mills (from Hair), That’s the Way I Always Heard it Should Be (Carly Simon), Leaving on a Jet Plane, and 16 Tons to very confused punk kids. While doing this project, Mara & Helen had the idea of forming an all girl band. Doll Squad began with Cathy Watson, Patty Schemel and Annette Billesbach (and credit Bon Von Wheelie from Girl Trouble for making many of these connections). The band appeared on the cable access TV show, The Spud Goodman Show, which inspired the creation of a movie, “Rock & Roll Mobster Girls,” loosely based on a fictional version of Doll Squad. Not only was their music in the film, they all “starred” in it as well. The same film makers included some of their music in another film called, “Attack of the Hideopoid.” Doll Squad called it quits in 1989 and three members reunited recently, with Mike Soldano on guitar, and Rich Evans on drums. Mike and Rich now play with Helen in a band called The Industry People. Other bands Helen played in: Broken Statue; an all girl punk band called the Mavens, Sex Girl Patrol, Bash and Los Peligrosos (with drummer Robert Gutierrez.)