History

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Bitch was formed in December 1980. Their first live performance was in May of 1981 alongside Dante Fox (later to become Great White). Shortly after the band was formed, guitarist David Carruth met Brian Slagel, future CEO of Metal Blade Records, and the two became friends. Brian Slagel was working on a compilation album to tie into a heavy metal fanzine he had started called The New Heavy Metal Revue, and offered to place Bitch on the compilation if they would submit a demo to him. This project would become the landmark compilation LP Metal Massacre (1982), which would become famous for launching the career of Metallica, and for being the first album ever released by Metal Blade.Bitch's contribution to Metal Massacre was a demo version of the track "Live for the Whip", which would later be rerecorded for their debut EP Damnation Alley.

Bitch was signed to Metal Blade,  and released a self-financed EP titled Damnation Alley in 1982.
In 1983 they released their first full-length album, "Be My Slave" During this album's tour, Bitch developed their controversial and elaborate stage shows. These included BDSM elements such as bondage clothing and paraphernalia, and the domination of a male "submissive" on stage. The band then became one of the targets of the political action group P.M.R.C. (Parents Music Resource Center) controversy. The "Be My Slave" LP was featured on talk shows and in a televised congressional hearing that took place before the U.S. Senate Committee On Commerce, Science, and Transportation on September 19, 1985.

Bitch played regularly in West Hollywood, at Sunset Strip clubs like The Whiskey-a-Go-Go, Gazzarri's, The Starwood, The Roxy, and many others, sharing the bill with other early metal groups such as W.A.S.P. Slayer, and Armored Saint.

"The Bitch is Back" was released four years later in 1987. The Bitch is Back became the band's best-selling album due in part to the publicity created by the P.M.R.C., and band went as far as to thank Tipper Gore and the P.M.R.C. in the album liner notes for "keeping our name in the press".

Also in '87 Betsy Bitch appeared as guest vocalist on a cover version of the Tubes track "Don't Touch Me There" with Lizzy Borden for Borden's mini-LP "Terror Rising".
In 1988, the group decided to change their name to "Betsy" and release an eponymous LP. The sound on this release leaned toward a more melodic and hard rock sound.

In 1998, the band produced another EP, "A Rose by Any Other Name - a compilation featuring remixes of previously released songs, unfinished tracks from previous recording sessions, and a song recorded for a tentative new album that was to be entitled Bet-Z. That project was later abandoned.
The band has continued to perform on occasion ever since, with their most notable recent live appearance being in 2003 for the "Bang Your Head!" music festival; their performance of "Live For The Whip" from this appearance is included on the Best of Bang Your Head DVD (2006).

Original Bitch drummer Robby Settles passed away on May 26, 2010.
In the years preceding, Settles and Electric Prunes guitarist Steve Kara were collaborating on a new album with a lineup featuring original member Betsy Bitch with bassist Steve Gaines of Abattoir, Bloodlust, and Anger as Art and Electric Prunes guitarists Jay Dean completing the lineup.

A second lineup featuring the members of Anger As Art played Germany's Keep it True Festival in April 2011 and some local L.A. shows.

In 2017, Bitch's current lineup includes the infamous Betsy Bitch on Vocals, Guitarist Chris Cardenas, Bassist Angelo Espino (Heretic), and Drummer Randal West.

Recent live appearances include New York City headlining the "Defenders of the Old" Festival. \m/\m/ 

Bitch will be performing live throughout the United States in 2018.

Bitch will be playing live in Chicago at Legions of Metal on May 19, 2018

Bitch will be playing live at the Whisky A Go-Go on August 1, 2018, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the "Be My Slave" LP