Ednaswap

Special Achievement Award “Torn”

Ednaswap was a rock band from Los Angeles, United States, that existed between 1993 and 1998. Over a span of five years, the band released four major label records on East West, Elektra Records and Island Records. The band is known for their song “Torn”, which appeared on their debut album and was later covered by Trine Rein and Natalie Imbruglia.

In 1993, songwriters Scott Cutler and Anne Preven invited Rusty Anderson, and Paul Bushnell to join their new band, Ednaswap. Frontwoman Anne Preven came up with the band’s name after she dreamed she was in a band of the same name that was so bad they were booed off-stage.

Soon after recording an acoustic demo, the band was signed with the EastWest label. Ednaswap’s self-titled 1995 album was the band’s only record for EastWest, and the album was never put into wide release. Ednaswap was released from their contract after the album was out. The band was immediately signed by Island Records. During this time, they briefly called themselves Edna Swap rather than Ednaswap.

In 1997, Wacko Magneto was their first full-length album to be put into wide release, with an unquestionably grungy Hard rock sound with some similarities to Veruca Salt and Live Through This-era Hole. One of the tracks from Wacko Magneto, “Torn”, was covered by Natalie Imbruglia, reached number two in the UK Singles Chart and number one on airplay around the world. It was number one on the Billboard Airplay chart for 14 weeks. The single went on to sell over a million copies in the United Kingdom alone. However, Imbruglia’s version of the song failed to stir up interest in the group’s third (and final) LP, 1998’s Wonderland Park, and Ednaswap subsequently disbanded on April 12, 1999.

Like many bands, Ednaswap’s sound evolved with nearly every release. Their self-titled debut could be best described as Post-grunge, but Chicken and Wacko Magneto were unquestionably grungy Hard rock with some similarities to Veruca Salt and Live Through This-era Hole. Wacko was also described by one reviewer as a “Sex Pistols, Mick Ronson, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix smoothie”. Wonderland Park further altered their sound. It was an extremely melodic Pop rock album with some harder edges than most, again similar to Hole in both musical direction and timing. Before their dissolution, the band stated that they could have easily seen a return to the hardness of Wacko Magneto, and while no songs were ever recorded after Wonderland Park to back up this statement, Annetenna’s work showed an even more polished Pop sound than Wonderland Park

Members
Former members
Anne Preven – vocals
Scott Cutler – guitar
Rusty Anderson – guitar
Paul Bushnell – bass
Scot Coogan – drums
Discography
Main article: Ednaswap discography
Release year Album
1995 Ednaswap
1997 Wacko Magneto
1998 Wonderland Park