Betty X
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- For Malcolm X's wife, see Betty Shabazz.
| Betty X | |
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| Country | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Years active | 1995 – present |
| Genres | Industrial Metal |
| Labels | Anti-Social Records |
| Members | Betty X |
Betty X is the stage name of Zoe Kaylor, an industrial-metal performer based in Seattle, Washington. She was born and raised in Seattle, of Irish, and Cherokee heritage. She is also a conceptual artist and expressionist painter. Her work is often caustic and controversial.
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[edit] Biography
From the official Betty X website:
- Considering herself first and foremost a conceptual artist and performer rather than a singer, Betty X’s sardonic wit and unapologetic temperament is mirrored in both her music and her powerful (and often theatrical) stage performances. Her music has been described as everything from enigmatic and surreal, to aggressive, nihilistic, and brooding — as well as sarcastic and snide. The lyrical content, mostly cleverly disguised social commentary, is metaphoric and often tongue-in-cheek.
Betty X has been making music since the mid-90's, when she formed the controversial art rock band, Salon Betty — which received international attention and generally positive reviews. Though a native of the United States, Betty has previously lived in Prague, Czech Republic, which she credits as being her creative inspiration for Salon Betty.
- After several independent releases, the group disbanded and she decided to make her solo debut with the electro-industrial EP release Bad Side of Love in 1999, which was a dramatic departure from the campy and raucous lo-fi sound of Salon Betty.
Her solo project proved to be much darker and heavier than anything she had previously released. Naturally, this was met with mixed response from her fanbase. While losing some old fans, she also gained many new fans as the project gained momentum.
In 2004, several songs on her second solo release, Dystopia, found their way onto the soundtrack to independent filmmaker Craig Kovach's sci-fi horror film, Unearthed, featuring Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, From Dusk Till Dawn). Around the same time, she began collaborating with Martin Atkins (Pigface, Ministry, PIL), providing a live guest performance with Pigface and vocal recording for Sheep On Drugs' Machine Sex.
During the course of her music career, Betty X has shared the stage with many notable performers, including Patti Smith, Powerman 5000, Machine Head, Pigface, Aiden, Professional Murder Music, Zeke, and Tim Cridland (AKA "The Torture King").
[edit] Genre
Betty X's earlier sound with Salon Betty has been described as psychobilly, gothabilly, death lounge, new wave, or, most commonly, art rock. One reviewer for the Seattle P.I. described the music as, "Neu-Wavo Ranchero" and referred to the fans as "Bettephiles."
Her current self-titled solo project is much heavier and darker than previous material; with heavy, loud and grinding guitars, breakneck tempos, apocalyptic distortion and noise, moody soundscapes and extremely aggressive, distorted vocals, the music is best described as industrial metal.
The newer songs cover a range of genres, however: "Human Disease" has the totalitarian/Orwellian flavor of Marilyn Manson, "Dystopia" is a poppy, bass-driven tune a la Nine Inch Nails, "Mons Venus" is a dark and sultry rock piece akin to P.J. Harvey, and most of Memoirs of a Pain Junkie could be considered straight-forward alternative metal in the style of Ministry's Psalm 69.
[edit] Albums
[edit] Bad Side of Love
Betty X's debut solo album, Bad Side of Love (2000), was written and co-produced by Betty X with Vincent Saletto (Genitorturers). The album's heavy and dark industrial trip-hop vibe was a drastic change from the campy, light-hearted Salon Betty material. The album did not receive much attention and quickly went out of print.
[edit] Dystopia
Betty X's second solo release was Dystopia (2004), an EP of six tracks plus one bonus track. This album, co-produced by Betty's husband and silent partner, Hate, featured heavier guitar riffs and more violent sonic tones than the debut album. It was fairly successful, gaining some national attention and radio play, and also spawning a small national tour. Several of the album's tracks, including "Shoot'em Up" and "Aurora," were featured on the movie soundtrack to Unearthed, starring Tom Savini.
[edit] Memoirs of a Pain Junkie
Memoirs of a Pain Junkie (2006) is Betty X's third solo release and first full-length album. It is also her heaviest and hardest-hitting material to date. Released in summer of 2006, the album features a new version of "Shoot'em Up" remixed by Martin Atkins of Pigface.
[edit] Discography
With the inclusion of the her releases with Salon Betty, Betty X's primary releases are:
- Salon Betty - The Big Hair Sex Circus, 1996 (iMusic)
- Salon Betty - Arizona, 1997 (self-released EP)
- Betty X - Bad Side of Love, 2000 (Anti-Social Records)
- Betty X - Dystopia, 2004 (Anti-Social Records)
- Betty X - Memoirs of a Pain Junkie, 2006 (Anti-Social Records)
