Alison Mosshart

Alison Mosshart

Performing in July 2010.
Background information
Also known as VV, Baby Ruthless
Born November 23, 1978
Origin Vero Beach, Florida, United States
Genres Post-punk revival, blues rock, psychedelic rock, garage rock, indie rock
Occupation(s) Musician, singer-songwriter, artist, model
Instruments Vocals, guitar, percussions, synthesizer
Years active 1995–present
Associated acts Discount, The Kills, The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs, Royal Trux, The Last Shadow Puppets, Arctic Monkeys, Placebo, Primal Scream, Carla Azar, Cage the Elephant
Notable instruments
"White Penguin" Gretsch Bo Diddley, red 1960s Hagstrom Ⅰ, red 1970s Höfner 4575/V, black Rickenbacker 620.

Alison Nicole Mosshart (born November 23, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, artist, and occasional model best known as the lead vocalist for the indie rock band The Kills and blues rock band The Dead Weather. She started her musical career in 1995 with the Florida punk rock band Discount which disbanded in 2000.[1] She then co-founded The Kills with British guitarist Jamie Hince (formerly of Scarfo and Blyth Power) in 2000.

In The Kills, Mosshart is known by her stage name "VV" and Hince is known as "Hotel".

In early 2009, she joined the supergroup The Dead Weather, formed by Jack White, along with Jack Lawrence and Dean Fertita. In that band, her stage name is "Baby Ruthless."

Career

Mosshart features on the 2006 Primal Scream song "Dolls (Sweet Rock and Roll)", from the album Riot City Blues, as well as on the Placebo song "Meds", the title track of their 2006 album. She also featured on Cage the Elephant's song "It's Just Forever", from "Melophobia".

The Kills

Before the two even met, Mosshart and Hince overheard each other playing music while sharing the same hotel during Mosshart's European tour with Discount. They finally met up, and started playing around with some music ideas. After she went back to Florida, she continued writing songs with Jamie, by sending her ideas overseas to London, where he lived. She became very exhausted and ill, so after saving money, Mosshart moved to London and the duo officially started. She has tattooed the date of their first concert on her left hand : 14 February 2002.

In 2003, The Kills released their first album Keep on Your Mean Side.

In 2005, they released their follow-up album No Wow.

In 2008, Midnight Boom was released, and singles "U R A Fever", "Cheap and Cheerful", and "Sour Cherry" got much more exposure than The Kills' previous singles on shows and movies like House M.D., 90210, The House Bunny, Friday The 13th (2009 film), and The Losers.

On January 11, 2011, Mosshart announced the name of the new album Blood Pressures. It was released April 5 in the U.S. and April 4 elsewhere. The album is their most commercially successful to date. During the 'Blood Pressures' tour they celebrated their 10 year anniversary on February 11, 2012.[2] They have released a photography book called Dream & Drive of their past 9 years with the photographer Kenneth Capello.[3]

On June 26 2014, The Kills opened for Jack White in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, for White's Lazaretto tour. Mosshart joined White to perform White's song "Love Interruption", and both Mosshart and Hince joined White to perform Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene".

The Dead Weather

Alison Mosshart and Jack White performing live with The Dead Weather at the Glastonbury Festival, June 26, 2009.

Mosshart is one of the original members of the blues rock band The Dead Weather, formed in late 2008. She had been involved with previous performances with Jack White and Jack Lawrence and The Raconteurs. She sings lead vocals and plays rhythm guitar.

She co-wrote (along with Dean Fertita) the band's first single "Hang You from the Heavens" which was released on March 11, 2009. Mosshart also wrote So Far From Your Weapon and co-wrote eight of the original ten tracks on their debut album Horehound.

In 2010, a second album - Sea of Cowards - was released. The lead single, Die By The Drop, was written by Mosshart, Fertita, and Lawrence.

Mosshart and White jammed with Seasick Steve and John Paul Jones for the 2011 ITunes Festival. [4]

White's Third Man Records released a book made by Mosshart for her three bandmates called Shark Infested Soda Fountain containing pictures she took during their tour.[5]

She recently joined Jack White on stage for his show at Bridge School Benefit to perform I Cut Like A Buffalo (from The Dead Weather) and Love Interruption with him while Dean Fertita was playing guitar.[6]

On 29 August 2013, The Dead Weather announced that they had returned to the studio to record a follow-up to 2010's "Sea of Cowards."[7]

Art

Mosshart debuted her artwork as part of ArtNowNY's collaborative exhibit, Push It, in 2014. Her primary medium is paint.

Fashion

In April 2011, Mosshart contributed to Vogue.co.uk's "Today I'm Wearing" feature, sharing a picture of her outfits each day for one month. In 2013, she teamed up with French brand Surface to Air to design her ideal leather jacket.[8]

Personal life

Mosshart grew up in Vero Beach, Florida. She has a brother, Matthew Mosshart, a chef, who was engaged to media personality Kelly Osbourne, the daughter of Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne and his wife, Sharon Osbourne until they announced their split on 9 January 2014.[9][10] Mosshart maintains a residence in London, England as well as Nashville, Tennessee.

Discography

Appears on

References

  1. Ankeny, Jason. "Biography: Discount". Allmusic. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  2. "The kills-10 anniversary show NYC (full concert)". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  3. "The Kills - Official Online Store". Kills.dominorecordco.com. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  4. "Write me a few lines ( ft Jack White & Alison Mosshart )- Seasick Steve iTunes Festival 2011". YouTube. 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  5. "VAULT PACKAGE #14". Third Man Records. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  6. "Photo show". Jackwhiteiii.com. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  7. "Jack White Brewing New Songs With the Dead Weather | SPIN | Music News". SPIN. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  8. "Meet: Alison Mosshart". Surface To Air. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  9. RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Chris (28 July 2009). "Weather front: An interview with Alison Mosshart". Star Tribune. Retrieved 27 July 2012. having spent her childhood in Vero Beach, Fla., where she fronted an emo-ish punk band
  10. Fahy, Colette. "Kelly Osbourne and fiancé Matthew Mosshart split | Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-16.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alison Mosshart.