Artist description Karen recorded Peon Queen and Pink & Blues with a group of talented artists from Central Illinois back in the mid 90's. She has toured the country, opening for such artists as Ani Difranco, Carrie Newcomer, The Vulgar Boatmen, Vic Chestnutt and more. Currently she is writing and recording in her garage studio in San Francisco when she's not busy teaching high school video and digital imaging classes.p.s. She designed all of the graphics for her songs, and plans to upload one song a month!

Music Style Folkie, Lo-Fi, Pop, Rock, Queer, Women's, Independent

Musical Influences Too many to list...

Similar Artists Lucinda Williams, REM, Yo La Tengo...

Artist History Karen has been writing and recording since the early 1980's when she was in high school.

Group Members Karen Hellyer: Songwriter, guitarist and vocalist.Mark Rubel: Bass player and producer of Peon Queen at Pogo Records in Champaign, IL.Matt North: Drums and percussion. Currently working as a writer and actor, and drummer for the Buxotics in Hollywood, CA.Mitch Marlow: Screaming electric guitars. Formerly of Chicago band The Charming Beggars, now in Box-o-Car.

Albums 7" single Month of March / Can't Figure It Out: Spur Records, Urbana IL

Press Reviews "She sings of everyday things, accompanying her contralto on acoustic guitar. But this folkie's music reverberates simply because she sings of it: By not shouting her political leanings, she tells the world that everything is political and important in it's own, small way."-New York Review of Records"At times, Hellyer's lyrics ask us to look at her entire soul, and we can only thank her for the invite."-Illinois Entertainer"Very pleasant folkie songs with a cool surprise"-The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette"A very fine singer / songwriter"-Carrie Newcomer"Hellyer has something Poop is always keen to: a unique and groovy sound. Sometimes it sounds like a folk Pretenders meets the B-52's with a little bit of Yo La Tengo's Fakebook thrown in. But there's also quite a bit of rippin' guitar work, and that's always a plus in Poop's book."-Poop's Column, The Daily Illini

Additional Info Peon Queen, You Are What You Shoot

Location San Francisco, California - USA

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