The Gossip formed in 1999 in Searcy, Arkansas with vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine, and drummer Kathy Mendonca. They were influenced in part by riot grrrl bands and feminism, although the members of the band don't identify themselves as a riot grrrl band. The band relocated to Olympia, Washington in 1999, and signed with the Independent record label, K Records. K Records released Gossip's first release, their eponymous debut EP, The Gossip in 1999.Since its release Ditto has caused controversy for being open about her weight and sexuality, and not holding back when it comes to discussing fellow musicians.Their next release was their first album That's Not What I Heard and was released by the record label Kill Rock Stars on January 23, 2001. In between the release of their second album, they released the EP Arkansas Heat on May 7, 2002. Movement, the group's second studio album, followed one year later and was released on May 6, 2003. In November 2003, two months after the release of their first live album Undead in NYC on September 9, drummer Kathy Mendonca left the band to pursue a career as a midwife. Hannah Blilie joined to replace her.The first release featuring new drummer Hannah Blilie was the collabarative EP Real Damage with the Electropop solo artist Tracy + the Plastics, which was released on January 25, 2005. The band's next album Standing in the Way of Control followed a year later. It was released on January 24, 2006 on Kill Rock Stars and later on in 2006 on UK indie label Back Yard Recordings.They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The Gossip have opened for bands such as Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre, and Mates of State. Furthermore, The Gossip opened for the Scissor Sisters for three dates on their tour in November 2006, but in NME magazine singer Ditto complained that she disliked performing for an audience who didn't 'know their Ramones'.The group's hit song "Standing in the Way of Control" was written by Ditto as a response to the United States government’s decision to deny gay people the right to marriage. “Nobody in the States was that surprised or shocked by what Bush did, but it made everyone I know feel helpless and cheated,” she has said. “I wrote the chorus to try and encourage people not to give up. It’s a scary time for civil rights, but I really believe the only way to survive is to stick together and keep fighting.” The song also gained popularity in the UK when it featured in the advertising for the television programme Skins on Channel 4 in 2007.As reported on Pitchfork in March 2007, the group have recently signed to Music With a Twist, a subsidiary of Sony Music Label Group, concentrating on LGBT music act