| Kid Congo Powers | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Brian Tristan |
| Born | 27 March 1959 La Puente, California, U.S.A. |
| Genres | Post-punk, alternative rock, garage rock |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | Mute |
| Associated acts | The Gun Club, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Cramps, The Divine Horsemen, Congo Norvell, Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds |
| Website | Official site |
Kid Congo Powers is the stage name of Brian Tristan (born March 27, 1959, La Puente, California),[1] an American rock guitarist and singer, best known as a member of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
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Powers is a second generation Mexican American. In 1976, he was president of The Ramones fan club, then ran a fanzine for The Screamers. After traveling to London and New York City he returned to L.A. and in 1979 met Jeffrey Lee Pierce. Pierce taught him to play guitar using open tuning, and they formed 'The Creeping Ritual', which became The Gun Club.[1] Powers left that group before their recording debut, instead joining New York-based band The Cramps in December 1980.[1] He rejoined the Gun Club briefly in 1983, rejoining again between 1985 and 1988, when he again left to join Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in Berlin, for several albums and associated tours.[1] Powers has also played with The Divine Horsemen, The Angels of Light, Die Haut and The Fall.
Powers has collaborated with New York City guitarist Jack Martin on projects like The Pink Monkey Birds,[2] Congo Norvell and Knoxville Girls.
2009 saw Powers update band members Kiki Solis on Bass, Ron Miller on Drums, and Jesse Roberts on guitar and keyboards. The band move to In The Red Records and released the much acclaimed LP "Dracula Boots" which was herald by many as a "return to form." Co-Produced by Jason Ward and recorded in a High School gymnasium in Harveyville, Kansas, now an artists retreat known as The Harveyville Project, Dracula Boots uses southern soul, 60's Chicano rock, and psychedelic imagery. British magazine N.M.E. said " In short, on ‘Dracula Boots’ Kid Congo Powers has once again found the juicy jugular of soul-fired, funked-up rock’n’roll. You’d be foolish not to take a bite." In 2011 Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds released their follow up album, "Gorilla Rose" also on In The Red Records. Eamon Carr of The Dublin Evening Herald said of "Gorilla Rose" "Having a working band is paying off. Gorilla Rose elevates seedy go-go weirdness to the level of high art."