Artist description Kristen Black's songs are about life, drugs, sex, love, and an occasional stalker (partially true story)! This debut rock-n-roll release is sure to go as well with your Saturday night adventures as it will with your Sunday morning coffee. There is one sad song "Sitting all alone" that might just make you cry, but the rest of the tunes are up-beat, rockin' songs that complement Kristen's quirky sense of lyrical humor.

Music Style Upbeat rockin' songs with a quirky sense of lyrical humor.

Musical Influences Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Pretenders, Beck, Bob Schnieder, John Hiatt

Similar Artists Sheryl Crow, Pretenders, Concrete Blonde, X,

Artist History "I used to steal my brother's guitar when I was a teen; I wanted to teach myself how to play. I never understood how he knew I played his guitar. I mean, I always tried to re-tune it when I was done. Man...he was furious!!!" Kristen Black was raised in Los Angeles; the daughter of a corporate business woman and a highschool chemistry teacher. "It was so cool growing up in LA, there was a little of everything. A lot of my music [like Weirdo Magnet] comes from real experiences growing up in LA." Music has always been a very big part of her life. She says, "I was constantly singing. I must of drove my friends and family nuts! I was always making up stupid little songs and skits and performing them for anyone who would stand still for 60 seconds and pretend to listen." As far as musical influences, she credits her older brothers for exposing her to all different styles of music. "I draw from all of those influences when I write a song; I like to mix it up", she says. She had one brother that listened to Big Band, classical, punk, and the Beatles. While the other brother listened to heavy metal, mainstream rock, and the blues. Nowadays, if you were to sit in Kristen's living room you would probably hear Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers), John Hiatt, Cake, Sheryl Crow, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Prince, or Bob Schneider playing. "I used to steal my brother's guitar when I was a teen; I wanted to teach myself how to play. I never understood how he knew I played his guitar. I mean, I always tried to re-tune it when I was done. Man...he was furious!!!" Kristen Black was raised in Los Angeles; the daughter of a corporate business woman and a highschool chemistry teacher. "It was so cool growing up in LA, there was a little of everything. A lot of my music [like Weirdo Magnet] comes from real experiences growing up in LA." Music has always been a very big part of her life. She says, "I was constantly singing. I must of drove my friends and family nuts! I was always making up stupid little songs and skits and performing them for anyone who would stand still for 60 seconds and pretend to listen." As far as musical influences, she credits her older brothers for exposing her to all different styles of music. "I draw from all of those influences when I write a song; I like to mix it up", she says. She had one brother that listened to Big Band, classical, punk, and the Beatles. While the other brother listened to heavy metal, mainstream rock, and the blues. Nowadays, if you were to sit in Kristen's living room you would probably hear Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers), John Hiatt, Cake, Sheryl Crow, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Prince, or Bob Schneider playing. After highschool, Kristen attended college in San Luis Obispo and earned a degree in biochemistry. "How far is that from music?!!!", she laughs. She later went on and earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and pursued a career in teaching chemistry at the university level. However, during all of this time, her true happiness was found in playing and singing in small bars and clubs. "I was in a band called, Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC), during grad school. Those guys, the rehearsals, and the gigs we played kept me sane!"

Group Members Kristen Black, Matt Gittelson, Ronnie Allen, Chris Fisher

Instruments guitar, drums, bass, Hammond B-3 and various others

Albums Kristen Black

Press Reviews "In her self-titled debut album, Kristen Black manages to steam, smoke, and sizzle simultaneously." "Defying a single description, the music inherits influences from Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn to Joni Mitchell" ".....in the blues, the voice is Bonnie Raitt with honey instead of gravel...." "The pervasive theme of Love--Found and Lost is expressed in different styles:  the hard driving beat of Mister Swing, the ethereal Love On Drugs, the melancholy of Sitting All Alone, to the sweet sorrow of Going Home." "....pulsating sensuality...."     "....an electric purr...." "...rising star on her initial leap to the stratosphere...."

Location San Luis Obispo, CA - USA

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