Molly McGuire is a Canadian musician and visual artist based in New Orleans. As a visual artist, she works under the moniker "Magwire" and frequently features at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. As a musician, McGuire has performed and recorded with various acts, including Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator, Mark Lanegan, Martina Topley-Bird, Nick Oliveri and Frank Black.
Musical career
Originally from Ontario, Canada, McGuire relocated to New Orleans where she met guitarist Dave Catching. The two played together in the punk band Gnarltones, before McGuire formed her own band, Rhudabega. Following the break-up of Rhudabega, McGuire relocated to Los Angeles in 2001. Together with Catching, drummer Brant Bjork and her brother, Brenndan, McGuire recorded the album Demon Crossing in 2003 as the band Yellow #5. McGuire next formed The Spores, with guitarist Greg Biribauer and drummer Kenny Pierce. The band released the album Imagine the Future and, using McGuire's background as a visual artist, toured with an elaborate stage show. Though they toured as the opening act for the Eagles of Death Metal, the band was dropped from the tour due to infighting. Throughout her musical career, McGuire has performed and recorded with Mark Lanegan, Martina Topley-Bird, Mondo Generator, Nick Oliveri, Queens of the Stone Age, and Frank Black. McGuire stopped touring in 2007.
Visual arts career
In 1990, McGuire enrolled in a two-year sign-painting course at George Brown College. Working under the moniker “Magwire,” McGuire's art is created from re-appropriated canvas drop cloths and custom tinted house paint salvaged from movie sets.