Kristeen Young

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Kristeen Young
Cargo, London (Nov 2003)
Cargo, London (Nov 2003)
Background information
Instrument(s) Vocals, keyboards
Years active 1990s—present
Associated acts Tony Visconti
David Bowie
Morrissey
Website http://www.kristeenyoung.com

Kristeen Young is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter and keyboardist from St. Louis, Missouri.

Contents

[edit] Early life and career

Kristeen Young is half-Apache, half-German and the adopted daughter of Christian fundamentalist parents. Young studied music theory and composition at Webster University,[1] She found her niche in St. Louis' independent music community. After early experimentation with bands Nov. 9th and WaterWorks, she went solo in 1997, releasing her first album under her own name, Meet Miss Young and Her All Boy Band, with frequent collaborator, drummer "Baby" Jeff White. Young and White have worked together throughout most of the past ten years, and now refer to themselves as a band called KRISTEENYOUNG rather than a solo performer with backup.

In 1999, she sent a demo CD (later released as the album Enemy) to producer Tony Visconti, who claims he was on the phone to her before the CD ended.[2] She moved to New York to work with Visconti on the album "Breasticles," and played numerous shows there trying to find the right sound (either with a full band, alone or accompanied by Baby Jeff).[3]

The album was released by N_Records in Portugal, who held a release party for Young in Lisbon at the Saint Louis Theatre. Portuguese band Micro Audio Waves opened for her. She continued to promote "Breasticles" with appearances throughout Portugal, London, and New York City.

In 2004, Young released an album called X (Roman numeral), about the Ten Commandments.[3] The structure of the record is fairly loose, and allows for some songs written in character, as well as others that discuss a commandment directly. Though Young's official description of the album is that it is a series of arguments against the ten, she has added in interviews that X's morality is more neutral, and intended to reflect a post-religious reality.[1]

2006 saw the release of The Orphans, an album which represents a return to Young and White's original stripped-down sound, minus the guitars and effects present on X and Breasticles;[4] the resulting album relies almost entirely on piano, synth, White's distinctive and aggressive drumming and Young's operatic vocal. The Orphans features several of her common lyrical themes: mortality, individualism, generational succession ("Kill the Father") and middle America ("Under A Landlocked Moon").

Young's stage persona is very dramatic, featuring elaborate make-up and costumes (many incorporating very high heels, exaggerated details and unorthodox materials, including plastic bubbles and, most famously, Wonder Bread bags).[5] Her work is characterized by its open sexuality and abrupt, sarcastic humor.

She has supported Morrissey, on his Ringleader of the Tormentors tour in 2006 and 2007.[6] Young has also lent vocals to Morrissey's B-Side "Sweetie-Pie," and sang vocals on the Morrissey single "That's How People Grow Up", produced by Jerry Finn in Texas, and debuted on the David Letterman show on June 29th 2007. She has also contributed keyboard and vocal work for tracks on David Bowie's Visconti-produced album Heathen (2002). Both Bowie and Placebo's Brian Molko have duetted with her on her own albums.

Young was fired from the 2007 Morrissey tour for comments made onstage about the former Smiths vocalist. After an audience member called out for Morrissey during her set, she said, "Morrissey gives great head...I mean cunnilingus." She has since issued a statement explaining that the statement was part of her performance and not meant as an insult.[7] Despite the incident, Morrissey has recently invited Young, amongst other performers, to support him at the 02 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, London.

Young most recently completed a tour with Ted Leo & The Pharmacists in the latter half of 2007.

She was featured as "Playgirl Of The Month" in the April 2008 issue of Playgirl Magazine.[8]

Young contributed backing vocals to Anti-Flag's 2008 release, The Bright Lights of America (featured mainly on the song “If You Wanna Steal (You Better Learn How To Lie).”[9]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • With Nov. 9th: Waiting Like Witch Doctors (1992)
  • With WaterWorks: WaterWorks (1994)
  • Meet Miss Young and Her All Boy Band (1997)
  • Enemy (1999)
  • Breasticles (2003)
  • X (2004)
  • The Orphans (2006)
  • Music For Strippers, Hookers, and the Odd On-Looker (2008)

[edit] Singles

  • Touch Tongues (N-Records 2003, Portugal)
  • Kill The Father (Sanctuary/Attack Records 2006, UK)
  • London Cry (Sanctuary/Attack Records 2006, UK)

[edit] Songs On Other Albums

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Biographical detail: accessed May 31, 2007.
  2. ^ Tony Visconti on Young: accessed August 15, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Discography: accessed August 15, 2007.
  4. ^ The Orphans: accessed August 15, 2007.
  5. ^ Elaborate stagewear: accessed August 15, 2007.
  6. ^ Morrissey post-tour notes: accessed June 2, 2007.
  7. ^ Young leaves Morrissey tour: accessed August 15, 2007.
  8. ^ Playgirl: accessed February 25, 2008.
  9. ^ Punk band spouts rhetoric, anger: accessed April 5, 2008.

[edit] External links

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