| 4 Non Blondes | |
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4 Non Blondes, left to right: Roger Rocha, Dawn Richardson, Christa Hillhouse, Linda Perry |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock |
| Years active | 1989–1996 |
| Labels | Interscope, Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Malibu Barbi Louis Metoyer Band |
| Past members | |
| Original members Linda Perry (vocals, guitar) Christa Hillhouse (bass guitar) Shaunna Hall (guitar) Wanda Day (drums) Other members Roger Rocha (guitar) Dawn Richardson (drums) Louis Metoyer (guitar) |
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4 Non Blondes was an American rock band from San Francisco, California,[1] formed in 1989. The group was formed by bassist Christa Hillhouse, guitarist Shaunna Hall, drummer Wanda Day, and vocalist and guitarist Linda Perry. Prior to the release of their first album, Roger Rocha replaced Hall on guitar, and Dawn Richardson replaced Day on drums. They hit the charts in 1993 with "What's Up", their only major hit single. Perry left the band in 1995 to begin a solo career, and the remaining members disbanded.[1]
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Bassist Christa Hillhouse and guitarist Shaunna Hall had been roommates and met drummer Wanda Day when they joined a band she was playing in. When the three left that band they started playing as a three piece but after seeing sing at a solo performance Hillhouse and Hall asked her to join as vocalist. According to Perry, she and Hall were at Nightbreak, a San Francisco club, and when it was mentioned the threesome were looking for a vocalist, Perry announced she was a singer to which Hall replied "I know". Their first rehearsal was supposed to be at 6 PM on October 17, 1989, but shortly after 5 PM the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco area.[2][3]
The band picked the name 4 Non Blondes after an incident in a San Francisco park where the band members were having pizza. Reportedly, a family with a small child walked by the band. Their child wanted to feed the birds with some left-over pizza abandoned by the band, but he was told by his parents, "No, don't touch that, that's dirty from all the birds and people around here,” and they proceeded to give the band members a dirty look. The family was supposedly "very blonde", so they decided to call themselves 4 Non Blondes.
The band was signed to Interscope in July 1991 following a performance at the Gavin Convention where the band opened for Primus on Valentine's Day of the same year. As they began pre-production for their debut album, according to Hillhouse, Day was fired from 4 Non Blondes because of drug problems and was replaced by Richardson. In 1992 while recording Bigger Better Faster, More! the album's producer, David Tickle, felt that Hall's guitar playing was "not happening" so she was let go from the band as well.[4] Other guitarists such as Cara Crash[5] and Louis Metoyer were brought in to finish the record. Roger Rocha joined after completion of the album and would stay with the band until 1994. After 4 Non Blondes, Crash,[6][7][8][9] and Day went on to join Malibu Barbi.[5][10] Day died July 10, 1997.[10]
4 Non Blondes contributed the song "Mary's House" to the film Wayne's World 2 in 1993. They also covered Van Halen's "I'm the One" on the soundtrack for the film AirHeads They later contributed "Bless the Beasts and Children" to a 1994 The Carpenters tribute album If I Were a Carpenter, and "Misty Mountain Hop" to the 1995 Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin.
The group disbanded in late 1994 during the recording of their second album. Lead vocalist Linda Perry went solo in 1995. Perry has since released solo work, produced and written songs on hit albums by Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love and Kelly Osbourne.
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [11] |
AUS [12] |
AUT [13] |
NLD [14] |
NO [15] |
NZ [16] |
SWE [17] |
SWI [18] |
UK [11] |
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| 1992 | Bigger, Better, Faster, More!
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13 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |