| Lynn Perko-Truell | |
| Background: | drummer |
| Birth Name: | Lynn Elise Perko |
| Birth Place: | Palo Alto, California |
| Origin: | San Francisco, California |
| Instrument: | Drums, Vocal, piano, percussion, bass guitar, keyboards |
| Genre: | Punk rock, indie rock, grunge, hardcore punk |
| Occupation: | Musician, drummer |
| Years Active: | 1980–present |
| Label: | Slash, London, Reprise, Subpop, Merge, Alternative Tentacles, SST |
| Associated Acts: | Imperial Teen, Sister Double Happiness, The Dicks, Frightwig, The Wrecks |
Lynn Perko-Truell is an American musician, best known as the drummer, bass guitarist, and co-singer for the San Francisco indie rock band Imperial Teen. She is also known as the drummer for the San Francisco-based blues grunge band Sister Double Happiness, and the San Francisco version of the hardcore punk band The Dicks. Perko-Truell was an iconic figure and a pioneering female in the American hardcore punk and alternative rock movements of the 1980s and 1990s and remains active.
In 1980 at the age of 16 Perko took up the drums and joined the all-girl punk band the Wrecks with Helen Johnson, Bessie Oakely, and Joan Stebbins. They performed locally and regionally. They supported touring punk bands such as Black Flag, TSOL, D.O.A., and 7 Seconds. Their last show was July 4, 1982, at the Vancouver Community Center opening for Black Flag and Saccharine Trust.[1] They had one self-released cassette, Teenage Jive, and appeared on the Not So Quiet On The Western Front compilation (Alternative Tentacles).
Perko moved to San Francisco in 1982 and met Gary Floyd, singer of the punk band The Dicks, which had formerly been based in Austin, Texas. In 1983, Gary started a San Francisco-based version of The Dicks and invited Lynn to try out. This new version of the Dicks became a popular band in the SF punk scene. They also toured nationally multiple times with D.O.A, and fellow SF band MDC. One of the most prominent shows was playing outside the 1984 Democratic National Convention with the Dead Kennedys.[2] With the Dicks Perko recorded one album on Alternative Tentatles and one single on R Radical Records, which included the anti-war anthem "No Fucking War""
Perko and Gary Floyd formed Sister Double Happiness in 1985 with Benjamin Cohen and Mikey Donaldson.[3] They favored an alternative hard-rock blues sound and quickly became one of the most popular bands in San Francisco. They did multiples US tours both as headliners and as support for other prominent alternative bands (Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., The Mighty Lemon Drops, L7, and Soundgarden, The Replacements, 4 Non Blondes). They were also well received in Europe where they did several tours and released one live concert video from Zurich, Switzerland. Their last performance was in 1996.
Towards the end of the Sister Double Happiness, Perko formed a band with her long-time friend Roddy Bottum of Faith No More,[4] It also included Jone Stebbins from her previous band the Wrecks and Will Schwartz. Imperial Teen remains active and have released six studio LPs, one live LP and numerous singles. They toured with The Lemonheads, Hole, The Breeders, The Amps, Pink and The Go-Gos. Imperial Teen is perhaps best known for their single "Yoo Hoo", used in the 1999 film Jawbreaker.
Perko-Truell was nominated multiple times for Best Drummer at the Bay Area and California Music Awards. She was named one of the top 100 drums of alternative rock by Spin magazine.[5]
Perko-Truell was raised in Palo Alto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Miami. She moved to Reno, Nevada at the age of 13 where she would eventually join her first band. She is currently married and lives with three children in Denver, Colorado.[6]