caption current_members associated_acts years_active alias label article_title landscape past_members background genre origin name
the first album deadly nightshade in 1974 , from their eponymous pamela brandt anne bowen helen hooke the moppets , ariel 1967-1970 , 1972-1977 , 2008-present ariel phantom , rca the deadly nightshade
 yes gretchen pfeifer beverly rodgers florence ballard group_or_band country rock , folk rock northampton , massachusetts the deadly nightshade
the deadly nightshade

the deadly nightshade is a new england-based rock and country trio consisting of members anne bowen , pamela brandt , and helen hooke , who originally began performing under the name ariel in 1967 , along with gretchen pfeifer and beverly rodgers .
they were one of the earliest all women rock bands signed to a major label , and an early women 's music group .
some early members of the group originally performed as the moppets .
in 1970 , ariel separated .
bowen then reunited with former bandmates brandt and hooke in 1972 , to play at a women 's festival , now as the deadly nightshade .
in 1974 the band secured one of the first record contracts as an all female band to a major label , rca , and went on to release two albums , to mixed reviews .
the performed at ms. magazine 's second annual party in 1974 .
during the height of their success in the mid-seventies , the deadly nightshade appeared on sesame street , singing their version of the carter family hit , `` keep on the sunny side '' , as well as several of their own songs .
the band broke up in 1977 , when bowen decided to leave the band to pursue other interests .
brandt went on to work as a feminist writer , co-author of `` the girls next door : into the heart of lesbian america '' with lindsy van gelder -lrb- simon & schuster , 1996 -rrb- .
her work included commentary on the band and its relation to the women 's movement and the music business .
the band reunited in 2008 , and performed again in 2009 .
rock critic robert christgau wrote that despite their being avowed feminists , which he sympathized with , he hated their music as `` squeaky-clean folk rock '' .
