Laura Ballance: Full Life Interview

In this oral history, Laura Ballance discusses her family life growing up in Hatteras, North Carolina. Ballance highlights her initial hesitation to play music and how she was drawn to music by the DIY attitude of the punk scene. Ballance talks openly about trauma, her mental health, and their impacts on her life and career. She details how Superchunk started, as well as her independent record label “Merge”. Ballance talks openly about her hyperacusis, why she left Superchunk, and her love for her daughter. The interview concludes with her proudest accomplishments: her daughter and Merge.
Laura Ballance is a musician, bassist, and record label owner. She is best known for playing in her band Superchunk. Ballance currently works for her own label Merge and has quit touring with Superchunk due to her hyperacusis. She lives with her husband and daughter.
Learn more at: WomenofRock.org
Interviewed by Kate Sumner for the Women of Rock Oral History Project
The Women of Rock Oral History Project is a collection of digital interviews and written transcripts, housed at the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College-one of the oldest women’s history archives in the United States. Started by Tanya Pearson in December, 2014, WOROHP documents the lives and careers of women in rock whose work and careers have been underrepresented or omitted from rock journalism and historical scholarship. With a collection of publicized and accessible primary source documents, the Women of Rock Oral History Project seeks to facilitate a more comprehensive, inclusive, and accurate cultural history.
#rock #punk #interview #music #history

[@drumzRfun1]

I'm really enjoying these interviews!

[@toddeaton9953]

Me too!

[@JJTFishing]

This is great! Thank you for this.

[@GyntherMeyer]

I thiink this is a really good interview. And I don't even know the band.