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kristen black |
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"I was raised on one quarter funk/blues, one quarter swing, one quarter classic rock-n-roll, and one quarter punk. You throw them all together and voila!! You get Kristen Black." Kristen grew up in Los Angeles, California. From the start, music has always been an integral part of her life. "There are so many talented musicians in my family that I grew up thinking all family reunions ended with sing-a-longs and jam sessions. I'm not kidding...it's like, pick up an instrument and find your harmony part quick or you'll be disowned! The shy in-laws get a little freaked out." she laughs. As a teen, she taught herself guitar and helped out with her brother's glam rock band "Mary Poppinz" with background vocals whenever she got the chance. She says with a smirk "It was an expensive gig growing up around a glam rock band; my make-up kept disappearing."
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Kristen attended college at Cal Poly, SLO and CU Boulder where she studied chemistry. However, her true happiness was found playing music in small bars and clubs in Boulder with a band she and her friend, Dougie V, started called Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC). "This is when I got the song-writing bug and started to goof around with my own tunes." she adds. However, we played mostly cover tunes (lots of Stones with some Gene Vincent, Stevie Wonder and Sippie Wallace thrown in) Now, residing back in the beautiful Central Coast, Kristen decided to further her love for music and song-writing. She just released a self-titled CD and has an extremely talented and experienced group of musicians backing her up. The band members include drummer Matt Gittelson (LuLu and the Cowtippers, Peter Will, and Bingo Nite), bassist Forrestt Williams (Mother Funk Conspiracy, Big House, and Peter Will), and lead guitarist Steve Conrad. "I was so fortunate to be introduced to these amazing musicians right at the time I had the inspiration and support to do this project. The songs on this CD are simple, rock and roll, tunes. I sound pretty pissed off, but don't let it fool you. I am a nice girl and am definitely having the time of my life!" |
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