by Jason Ankeny
British indie-pop quintet Comet Gain formed in early 1993, influenced as much by the riot-grrrl movement as by the music of the girl-group era; comprised of singer Sarah Bleach, singer/guitarist David Feck, guitarist Sam Pluck, bassist Jax Coombes and drummer Phil Sutton, the group signed to the legendary Wiiija label to debut on the split EP Some Hearts Are Paid to Lie, followed in 1995 by the full-length Casino Classics. Comet Gain's next release, The "Gettin Ready" e.p., preceded the release of their second LP, 1997's Magnetic Poetry (known as Sneaky in the U.S.); Bleach, Pluck, Coombes and Sutton all exited the line-up soon after to record as Velocette, leaving Feck to assemble an all-new roster for 1999's Tigertown Pictures, issued on Kill Rock Stars. The next record, 2002's Réalistes, featured a guest appearance from riot-grrl innovator Kathleen Hanna.