Funeral for Yesterday

In 2004, Kittie released its third studio album, Until the End. The band's record label, Artemis Records, offered the band little to no support, forcing founding members Morgan and Mercedes Lander to fund the album's supporting tour with their personal finances.[15] This ultimately resulted in financial difficulties that left them unable to pay bassist Jennifer Arroyo and guitarist Lisa Marx.[15][16] Owing to this, Marx and Arroyo both left the band in February 2005, although Arroyo's split was more amicable than Marx's.[16][15][17] Around the time of both members' departures, Kittie was in the midst of negotiations with Artemis over whether the label would sign the band on for another album;[18] ultimately, the band parted ways with Artemis on March 31, 2005, due to "a proposed amendment to the recording budget for the pending fourth Kittie album."[19] After leaving Artemis Records, the Lander sisters quietly disbanded Kittie and, after contemplating their future, decided to keep pursuing music. "There was a lot of sadness and tears, but there was also a lot of creativity", Morgan Lander said; "And we ultimately decided that this is where our hearts lie and we couldn't do anything else."[20][21]

During Kittie's six-month hiatus, the Lander sisters began working on new music together under the name Sweet Revenge, which they shopped to various record labels, including Epic Records. Although the band's demos attracted some interest, the labels were disappointed with the project's change in sound from Kittie.[22] Mercedes Lander recalled: "Everybody that we [saw], every label person [said], 'Oh, but where's that heaviness? It doesn't sound like Kittie.' And it's like, but that's the fucking point."[23] Ultimately, the Lander sisters decided to reform Kittie, and began seeking out a new guitarist and bassist for the band.[24] Guitarist Tara McLeod (of the band Sherry) was brought into the fold by the Lander sister's manager/father, Dave Lander, who witnessed one of Sherry's performances in Strathroy-Caradoc.[25][26] Trish Doan, who played bass for a local all-female band called Her, successfully auditioned for Kittie after reaching out to Mercedes.[27]

Kittie played their debut gig with their new lineup at Call the Office in their hometown of London, Ontario on September 29, 2005.[28] The band planned to make another appearance at the Windy City Invitational in Chicago on October 1, 2005, though this was cancelled and later postponed after Morgan Lander was denied entry into the United States, due to "a perceived visa complication".[28] On February 7, 2006, Kittie issued a digital-only extended play, Never Again, through Rock Ridge Music, and supported its release with further touring of the United States in April 2006.[29][30][31] All of the songs featured on the Never Again EP were re-recorded for Funeral for Yesterday.[32] Around the same time, Kittie formed their own record label and management company, Kiss of Infamy Records, in August 2006,[33] in collaboration with Merovinigan Music (MRV), an EMI-distributed label owned by producer Jack Ponti.[20][34][35] The label's name was later changed to "X of Infamy" in December 2006 after the band received a cease-and-desist order from Gene Simmons, who owns the "Kiss" trademark.[36][37]

Kittie entered Retromedia Studio in Red Bank, New Jersey to record Funeral for Yesterday on July 15, 2006.[38] Ponti served as the album's producer, and was his first production job in nearly twelve years, following the release of Machine II Machine (1995) by Doro.[39] The album's guitars, bass and drums were recorded onto analogue tape, whist the vocals were recorded with Pro Tools.[40] The album's recording sessions were partially documented in a bonus DVD, released with physical editions of the album.

The recording sessions for Funeral for Yesterday were marked by a "power struggle" between Kittie and Ponti over the album's direction, which Ponti won because he had the "stronger personality", according to Morgan Lander.[41] Ponti rejected most of McLeod and Doan's contributions, with Doan estimating that she was forced to rewrite 90% of the basslines she had written for Funeral for Yesterday in the studio.[42][43] Angered by Ponti's treatment of her, Doan walked out of the studio following a fight, before being convinced to go back by Kittie's tour manager; after returning, Ponti refused to communicate with Doan for the rest of the album's recording sessions.[44] "It was really awkward, and every time I recorded, he would say the bare minimum words to me, or speak to me through someone else," Doan recalled.[45]

Recording was completed in late August 2006,[46] after which Kevin Shirley began working on the album's mix on September 5, 2006.[39][47] Shirley finished the album's mixes on September 14, 2006, which he then sent to Leon Zervos at Sterling Sound to be mastered.[48] On October 11, 2006, Mercedes Lander announced that the album had been completed.[49][50]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Blabbermouth.net	4/10[51]
IGN	7.7/10[7]
NOW	[1]
Ultimate Guitar	8.2/10[52]

Kittie promoted Funeral for Yesterday with the Sweet Revenge tour, which saw the band travel across the United States and Canada from February to September 2007.[53][54] In June 2007, Trish Doan left the band due to her worsening anorexia athletica-nervosa, which she had developed during the recording sessions for the album, although this would not become public knowledge until March 2008.[55][56] Shortly thereafter, Kittie bought themselves out of their contract with Ponti and MRV Music.[35] Jeff Phillips subsequently filed in on bass for the band's tours for 2007,[56] before the band hired Ivy Vujic as their new permanent bassist.[57] Doan would later rejoin the band in 2012, remaining their bassist until her death in February 2017.[58]

All songs written by Morgan Lander, Mercedes Lander, Tara McLeod and Trish Doan.

• Morgan Lander – lead vocals, guitars, piano
• Mercedes Lander – drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Tara McLeod – guitars
• Trish Doan – bass

Citations

Sources