The Spinanes were an American indie rock band, primarily active during the 1990s. Originally founded by and consisting only of singer-songwriter/guitarist Rebecca Gates and drummer Scott Plouf, the band released three albums on the Sub Pop label before Gates retired the name in 1999 and began releasing music as a solo artist; Plouf began playing with Built to Spill in 1996, and left The Spinanes shortly thereafter to become their permanent drummer.
The duo formed in Portland, Oregon in 1991, just as worldwide interest in the music scene of the Pacific Northwest was beginning to crest. After releasing two singles on the local label IMP Records in 1992, they were signed by Sub Pop, who issued the single "Spitfire" in mid-1993, followed that October by their first full-length album, Manos. Much was made of The Spinanes' unorthodox lineup - specifically, the lack of bass guitar - but it proved invaluable in helping them forge a more singular, original sound. In a March 2010 review, nearly two decades after the album's release, eMusic praised them for having "a sense of negative space that's rare for a rock band", then went on to describe their sound as "Gates's dreamy murmur and resonant, open-tuned riffs up top, Plouf's inexorable attack at the bottom, and nothing but air between them." Manos became the first album released by an independent label to hit No. 1 on the college radio charts; its second single, "Noel, Jonah and Me", received considerable airplay on college and alternative radio stations and video outlets such as MTV's 120 Minutes. A video was also made for a third single, "Sunday", in 1994, but the duo's appearances over the following two years were largely limited to separate guest spots on their friends' records. Gates provided backup vocals on Elliott Smith's "St. Ides Heaven" (from his self-titled album), as well as on multiple tracks on Ben Lee's first album, Grandpaw Would. Plouf did a brief stint in Team Dresch, and appeared on their first single, "Hand Grenade"; he also played on the Beck album One Foot in the Grave.
