What exactly is “Soul Punk” you ask? Kitana describes Sister Anne’s special sound as a potent mix of punk rock, a lil’ melodic metal, and rounded out with the soul that comes naturally when your singer grew up in the high-energy gospel church.

Kitana began her singing career in her church choir. When she was in high school she joined an all-female acapella group, and her confidence in her vocal ability grew. By Senior year she was studying opera voice! In college, Kitana studied costume design in the Theater program, but she also took a song class which she took in order to get more comfortable with holding a microphone to sing. After college, Kitana joined the non-defunct funk rock band The I-Crisis. It was through her experience with I-Crisis that Kitana realized she needed to work on her stage presence. A love of live band karaoke helped with this, and after some very fortunate events involving trolling the internet and convincing friends to get involved, Sister Anne was born!

Sister Anne takes its name straight from those most infamous of Detroit ‘60s bad-boys, the MC5. But this ain’t no retro act. Because just as the ‘Five channeled the spirit of Chuck Berry and Coltrane before them, Sister Anne taps into all things punk, rock, and soul—a Tina Turner scream here, a Black Sabbath bassline there, a little bit of James Brown and a whole lotta Iggy and the Stooges—and stuffs the whole mess into its sparkling 21st-century blender. The result is something at once familiar and brand spankin’ new— a frantic, panting, female soul-punk monster that grabs Garage Rock by the scruff of its skinny white neck and shoves it, face first, back into the sweaty rhythm-and-blues murk from whence it sprang.

RRR: Tell me about your first show with I-Crisis.

K.A.: Our first show was at CBs and it totally sucked. We were all new to the whole band thing and I was pretty scared. There were a few shows after that where I was not very comfortable being in the front and I was not the best performer. It was only when my guitarist, Soul Product, told me that his grandparents, after watching a taped performance thought I was boring and stiff on stage that I had to get my ass in gear. For the rest of our two years in existence, I eventually got my shit together and stopped being scared to do my thing.

RRR: Hahaha! It must have been hard being called “boring and stiff” by the elderly… So? What to do?

K.A.: When I noticed the I-Crisis wasn’t going anywhere, I decided to find another group of people who wanted the same things I did. Not necessarily looking for fame, but a group of people that wanted to write good songs, perform them, and work hard to find out where we could go. I was looking through ads on Craigslist of people wanting singers and came upon an ad that bassist and creator Leon Chase, had put up in which he was looking for a crazy, soulful, Tina‘esque singer, and I immediately responded. Leon came to Arlene’s live band karaoke to hear and see what I could do, and he seemed to dig it, as he brought out guitarist Michelle Primeaux and then 2nd bassist Sherry Dana (Dana later parted because of scheduling conflicts) in an effort to coax them onboard. Then all that was left was convincing drummer Joseph Duarte, who at the time, was a drummer for the Hank’s Saloon karaoke band. I came out there and did some Rage, and some Tina, and some Zeppelin and that was all he seemed to need to get into the band.

RRR: And, voila! A band is formed…

K.A.: This is the group of people I have dreamed of playing with. They are all incredibly talented, and incredibly dedicated and motivated. We write amazing songs together, and on the shows are infectious and energetic. When people come to our shows, they get a lot of fun and a sexy sweat soaked rock experience.

RRR: What influences your onstage persona?

K.A.: I am sexually influenced performance wise, but I don’t use it as a gimmick, the talent of the band is there, and my vocals are strong and they are there too… I am an extremely sexual being; my first job in NYC was managing a sex toy shop for crying out loud! I like to wear minimal clothing (booty shorts, latex, vinyl, catsuits), because singing and performing is a very physical experience. I am all over the place! I’m on the stage, off the stage, humping random people in the audience, dancing with the audience – they’re the best! The audience always knows how to have fun, and they’re not afraid to dance!

RRR: Pet peeves about the industry?

K.A.: It can be as annoying for women in rock to be told ‘That is awesome, a girl that rocks!’ by guys who would’ve never thought we could, as it is to be a black woman in rock. There are many of us out there; we’ve been there! We are some of the pioneers of rock! When people tell me, ‘That’s amazing! A black woman singing rock music!” – I know they mean to compliment, but it can be annoying. The same thing happens to black men, but they are able to find mainstream success at least, i.e. Sevendust, Living Colour. With the rise of more black rock groups, or more groups featuring black front people, I’m hoping that people will stop seeing the women, or the color. After all, rock IS black music, it is derived from the blues. Listen to early Sabbath, and ALL of Zeppelin and most of the Stones and Beatles. Most bands will admit to being influenced. The Stones named themselves after a Muddy Waters tune!

RRR: So, do you try to downplay the female element in your band?

K.A.: Here’s where I’ll sound like a hypocrite. When you read the Sister Anne bio, we are very honest about people noticing the woman guitarist, and the black woman singer. But hey, whatever works to get you noticed! If that’s all that people are gonna see, we might as well make it work for us so that we can get the bodies on the floor and have ‘em coming back for more! Hell yeah! You like that rhyme?

We at the Rock and Roll Report DO like that rhyme, Kitana. LONG LIVE SISTER ANNE!

All our New York people should go check them out at The Studio at Webster Hall on November 11th, 2009!

www.myspace.com/sisteranne: band site.

You can also cop their self-titled cd at their shows and at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sisterannemusic

All photos by Kristian Rickert

Our October Triple R Girl of 2009 is Camille Escobedo. She’s not only the front woman of Beretta76; she’s also the songwriter/guitarist/glue that brings the band together.

They rock. Imagine an amalgamation of garage/punk/rock/sex + awesome, and there you have it. Camille is our Triple R Girl because she’s talented, gorgeous, and knows how to make it happen. She and her band are on their way, and we hope our interview with her will inspire other women to ROCK.

We, at the Rock and Roll Report, are THRILLED to have had some one on one time with Camille, and here’s what happened:

RRR: How did you segue from classical training to rocking stage presence?

CE: Initially, my goal was to study voice, to study music and come away with very strong vocal technique. As I left music school I realized I was less interested in pursuing a career in teaching, higher education, Music Theater, or go the wedding band route and that I was more interested in singing original material from my own point of view. This of course led me to write music/lyrics and to pick up the guitar for the first time (a late bloomer in that respect). It’s safe to say that my style and point of view came out intrinsically rock.

RRR: What’s the Philly rock scene like? Are there lots of local rock groups featuring women?

CE: I absolutely love the Philly rock scene. There are more than a handful of women performing in rock groups in Philadelphia which makes for a great sense of community. I think the best part about that is that there is a very diverse cross section of women instrumentalists in Philadelphia. In fact Beretta76’s newest member is bassist Liz Dalberth, she’s a great musician, very knowledgeable and a veteran of the Philly rock scene – we are very fortunate to have her playing with us. And I have to say, it’s quite nice having another female in the band. It’s always been me and the guys – which ain’t so bad either, but it’s a refreshing change.

RRR: I saw that the band formed in 2002. What gave birth to Beretta76?

CE: I formed the band with Pete Rydberg after he had agreed to demo a small portion of songs that I had written. I wasn’t sure what to do with them so it was a big experiment. I knew I wanted to record them and see how far they would go. Pete and I quickly became very simpatico and he had great ideas for the recordings. At that time I had barely enough material to start a band, so in the very early stages it was just Pete and I cranking out recordings. At that stage one of the recordings was making its rounds in the area and drew some attention from a demo contest we’d won from Jane Magazine. Not soon after, I remember getting gig inquiries from local promoters for this band that consisted of just the two of us. The beginnings of a band were certainly there and it was initially intended, but at some point it became the chicken and the egg. I think that what was a recording project quickly transformed into something else in a matter of a year and we both thought it best to find a drummer and a bass player and to finally form what would become Beretta76.

RRR: Do you find being a woman has advantages in rock music? Disadvantages?

CE: I have to be honest in saying that this question does come up a lot in interviews and I feel like I can never give a definitive answer. I certainly believe there are more and more very talented women musicians out there that are able to take advantages of opportunities that were in some way or another paved by way of Lita Ford, Chrissie Hynde and Bonnie Rait. I’ve never really felt any disadvantages in being a woman as a rock musician per se but I do have a suspicion that there may still be a stigma attached to the female performer as being perceived as someone who’s chops might be less than a man’s simply because she has boobs and a vagina. I do see the landscape changing however and I think I would eventually like to see women in bands or all women bands be seen or promoted more as simply a great band and less as a novelty.

RRR: What do you have to say to women who are looking to form their own bands?

CE: Write good material and they will come. That having a point of view and making sure to stand your ground is really REALLY important. Also, take advantage of the network of musicians around you and ask questions. If you don’t already, go to shows, go to shows, go to shows and get to know the players. Most importantly be confident and completely FEARLESS.

Check out Camille and her band at www.beretta76.com

We are huge fans of Beretta76 here at the Rock and Roll Report. You can listen to their music on Rock and Roll Report Podcasts # 2, 10 and #19.

The music speaks for itself; everyone else SHUT the F*UCK up… xoxo Allegra

“Debra from Devi has a compelling voice—a mix of Sheryl Crow and PJ Harvey—while her guitar playing reminds us of the incomparable Jimi Hendrix.” – Metal Hammer (Italy)

“A ferocious guitar-driven power trio equally adept at sprawling psychedelic jams and terse, haunting rockers.” – Lucid Culture

Devi is a rock trio from Hoboken NJ, led by a woman NYC blog Lucid Culture calls “one of the great guitar players of our time.” This is “an utterly bad-ass power trio,” says Midwest Record, with “a sense of humor, swagger, blistering guitar chops, looks, and the smarts to fuse niche with mass market.” Italy’s Audiovideofoto magazine adds “something tells us we are witnessing the birth of a rock star.”

Devi (“Davey) is Sanskrit for The Goddess—nature in all her forms, including sound. Debra co-produced the band’s debut album, Get Free, which is digitally distributed by Redeye USA and starting to get airplay on college and AAA radio. After getting rave reviews in Italy, Get Free was featured on the iTunes Italy homepage for 2 weeks in June.

Devi roped some talented friends into the Get Free sessions, including keyboardist Rob Clores (Black Crowes, Blues Traveler), jazz clarinetist Perry Robinson, sarod player & singer Wynne Paris (Krishna Das), Michael W. Dean (Bomb), and Wiser Time vocalist Carmen Sclafani.

“Get Free is about the longing for love and the longing for God and the crazy things we pursue, from drugs to sex to relationships, to try to appease those longings,” says singer/guitarist Debra, a Jivamukti yoga practitioner. “All our efforts to escape from being human help us evolve,” she adds, laughing, “whether we like it or not!”

Live, Debra loves to stretch out and jam with bassist Keith Mannino (who was in Black Market Radio with Chris Cornell’s brother Peter) and drummer John Hummel (Black Market Radio and Amfibian). The band adds album guests to the mix whenever possible. Wynne Paris joined Devi onstage at the NAMM show this year and Clores sits in on their NYC shows when he’s in town. As Lucid Culture says “you never know where this band’s adventurous jams will take you…”

Debra is another perfect embodiment of what we are trying to do with the Triple R Girl feature in demonstrating that women can rock with the best of them, any time, any day. Rock and Roll may have been a male dominated preserve in the past but that quirk of history is fast changing to everyone’s relief!

BAND
Debra – vocals/guitars
John Hummel – drums, percussion (Amfibian, Black Market Radio)
Keith Maninno – bass (Black Market Radio)

You can get more info on Debra and Devi (and some free downloads!) at www.devi-rock.com and make sure you check out the Rock and Roll Report Podcasts # 53 and 54! Get Free is available digitally from iTunes, eMusic, Napster etc. Or buy the album at CD Baby by clicking on the CD below.

Deb endorses DR Strings and Daisy Rock Guitars.

photo credits: Guzman (2,3,4,5,10), Lily Benjamin (1,6) and Bob Schaffer (7,9)

Born and raised in Nooo York, Brijitte raised the flag for rock ‘n’ roll, and still flies it now. NY scenester, and alumni of De-Generation et al, Brijitte paid her dues and then some.

When NY Loose burst onto the scene as an “overnight sensation” (yeah right – after a slew of self-produced singles and sometimes thankless slogs in dirty clubs) back in 1996, she became the pinup gal for gutter rock fans with discerning taste, but she was always much, much more. Insightful lyrics, commanding stage presence and one of the greatest and instantly recognizable voices in rock, for starters.

NY Loose disintegrated in a mire of managerial hoo-hah that would have had the writers of the Sopranos dismissing the saga as “too much” , after touring with Marilyn Manson, Reverend Horton Heat, the Ramones and many more…

After the “Whiskeytown if Lucinda Williams jammed” alt-country-rock stylings of San Dusky, Brijitte kinda “dropped out” (maaan) for a few years…

But now she’s back, with a killer band and ten freaking scorchers of songs, one featuring Jesse Malin in a duet with Brij. All Killer, no filler.

Brijitte West and the Desperate Hopefulls will be released on CD and limited edition LP this summer.

http://www.myspace.com/brijittewest

2007 saw Valenti’s attention focus on her recording career as creator and singer of the alternative pop band Fuji Minx. Affectionately described by one reviewer as “David Bowies Vagina”, Fuji Minx’s debut album “Users, Cheaters, Theaters’” – released in 2008 – was quickly heralded as Album Of The Year by Bullz-Eye Magazine and earned the band a number one spot on the IAC and Cashbox Magazine Indie Charts, a position which they held for over a year.

Valenti is also the founder and CEO of Grow Vision, a multimedia design company creating everything from websites to music videos and documentaries. Clients have included Disney, Atlantic Records, Geffen, Interscope and artists include Ashlee Simpson, Motley Crue, Drowning Pool and Kara DioGuardi.

As a self proclaimed recovering Catholic, Valenti is a proponent of the open mind and free thinking world. Her ‘Masturbating Catholic’ blog is a collection of her social, political, sexual and psychological thoughts, and her next project is an erotic art photography book which encompasses this ethic and features her as the subject.

Whether being the body model for Tinkerbell on the bodies of Alaskan Airways jets, the lead in Buckcherry’s “Too Drunk…” Music Video or commanding the stage with one of her many musical projects, Greta Valenti always approaches everything she does with verve, enthusiasm and a little bit of deviant humor.

Find more on GV here: www.gretavalenti.com, www.fujiminx.com , www.masturbatingcatholic.com + find her on myspace & facebook

STARK

STARK makes purgatory fun by sleazing up the NYC rock scene, embracing their bad luck and traumatizing people everywhere they go! STARK blasted onto the NYC scene in 2003 with tunes reminiscent of CBGB’s circa 1978. In 2004, the band released its debut CD The Curse, instantly making fans out of big players in the NYC rock and roll scene and beyond from Genya Ravan to Lenny Kaye. Since then, the line-up has changed a bit, but STARK has still been playing, recording and touring often. STARK has a steadily growing support base, indie-level industry interest, raving album and live show reviews, international radio, internet and television play, songs in films, and distribution and licensing in the U.S. and abroad.

Self-released CD’s: Put It To Your Head (LP), The Curse (LP), and Live at CMJ (EP). STARK’s song “Slut” is on the compilation disc The Morgue The Merrier (Poptown Records). “18 Again” will be featured on the upcoming Goldie’s Garage, Volume 1 compilation disc (Wicked Cool Records). “Disturbed” is on the Summer Sampler CD of Bubblegum Slut in the UK. “I Pay (Man In The Moon)” is to be placed on a new G’nR tribute CD to be released in 2008 (Versailles Records). “OH NO!” is included on the Women Of Rock compilation CD (MJR Films, August 2008). “This Day” was featured on the CD Sampler of Under The Radar Magazine in September 2008.

STARK’s new CD ‘Put It To Your Head’ is available for download at http://www.digstation.com/stark
and for purchase on http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/laniford and at live shows.

Lani Ford—Lead vocals, bass player
ASCAP Plus Songwriting awards 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Eric Rock ‘n Robel—Drums

Sonic Joe Hogan—Guitarist, backing vocals

http://www.starknyc.com
http://www.myspace.com/stark

Born in San Diego to a military father and a go-go dancing mother, Jennifer made her career choice early when, at the age of 3, she darted away in a crowded mall and was found standing on a bench singing to a crowd. Such outbursts are not uncommon. Flash forward to age 16 when Jennifer joined her first band as lead vocalist with band mates that had to sneak her into bars to perform. This was the beginning of a professional career that involved classical training as well as countless live performances and studio recordings involving rock, pop, blues, jazz, classical, gospel and even light opera, plus a variety of cover and tribute bands as well as musical theatre productions throughout southern California and parts of Canada.

In 2008, Jennifer parted from her previous bands and began work on a demo CD of original rock songs with attitude. With a fist full of lyrics in one hand and her life’s savings in the other, Jennifer went in search of a producer who understood her desire to bring back a modern, strong female-rocker figure influenced by the high energy rock of the 80’s with a touch of the glam. As destiny would have it, a random contact from musician/producer Kevin Patrick, the keyboardist for Blondie (2001-2008), offered a unique chance for collaboration. Within a few weeks, Jennifer was on a plane from Los Angeles, California, to the recording studio of Kevin Patrick in Manhattan, New York.
The 4-song demo, released April, 2008, is receiving very positive reaction from fans and industry people around the globe. Jennifer’s songs have played on 30+ radio stations around the USA, Canada and across Europe, plus numerous radio interviews. Six additional songs will be available early January, 2009.

Jennifer Rose has been the “Clear Channel NEW! Featured Artist” on STAR 98.7 FM, 104.3 MyFM and KISS 102.7 FM in Los Angeles. Jennifer has also been a Featured Artist on Smokin Tunz Radio, Incite Rockit ‘n Mix and Jambonie.com.

Jennifer is also the Video DJ for the monthly internet TV show MetalHeadRadioTV at www.MetalHeadRadio.com/mhrtv.html

www.myspace.com/JenniferRocksTheMic
www.JenniferRoseRocks.com

Emerging to stardom from a once working class lifestyle under the grey skies of Ohio, Christine Varian is a classic example of how hard work, dedication, musical talent, street smarts and a whole lot of sex appeal can quickly pull a person from the shadows into the spotlight.

Christine was discovered by long time music scene kingpin and axe-man Brian Gerbetz; she states “I was singing karaoke in a ‘hole-in-the-wall’ bar one night, when Brian was asked by a friend to come scout me out.” Astonished by Christine’s voice, dance moves and humble personality, Brian decided to give her a shot at being lead singer for the quickly uprising band “Ardor” (www.ardorband.com, myspace.com/ardorband)

Christine started writing with Ardor in the fall of ‘08, and has been with the band ever since. “Being the front-woman for such a powerful and respected metal band is an awesome experience, and a huge responsibility. I often find myself having to not only perform my best vocally, but also maintain my physical and mental composure in public. It’s not easy being a hot rock chick, ha ha.” says Christine.

Christine’s voice has been called “The Christina Aguilera of Heavy Metal” and her looks have been compared to “Avril Lavigne, except with more edge and sex-appeal”. One thing is for sure though, no one in the celebrity world, or the metal music scene can hold a candle to Christine’s original style and uniqueness.

In her spare time, when she is not tearing up the microphone with her impeccable screams and radiating vocals, Christine has been heading up several modeling projects; posing for some of the nation’s top photographers. She says she plans to dominate every media outlet she can someday, which opens up the possibilities of acting in movies, being involved in politics, starring on network television and more. “Being the lead singer of a renown metal band is such a privilege, but I want more… I want to rule the world!” she says.

“Rule the world”; pretty strong words for a girl who was once a waitress in a small town Applebee’s, however, Christine has proved her worthiness more than most; she has managed to stay humble and sympathetic throughout the years, often providing a sort of ‘vehicle’ for her friends and fans. Christine’s stage performances, radio interviews and public speeches have all included strong messages of hope and perseverance that everyone who is listening, can relate to. Truly, her words have been motivating and she is well on her way to being the next spokesperson for a generation of striving teens and an inspiration for upcoming, struggling singer/songwriters.

As for Christine’s band mates, they all seem to be pleased with her efforts to help push the band to greater heights since her induction in the early fall of ‘08. Stephen Meier (bass guitar) stated, “I don’t know what we’d do without her, she really makes this band and this music the best it could ever be! Without her, we’d only be half way up the music scene ladder.” Brian Gerbetz (guitar) went on to say “Christine’s presence in this band is unmistakable, she truly makes every note pop and shine the way it should. We are really lucky to have found her.”

To keep updated with Christine’s work, visit Ardor’s website at, www.ardorband.com as well as their myspace page, www.myspace.com/ardorband

Look for Christine to be on U.S. tours with Ardor in the mid-summers of ‘09 and ‘10.

When asked to describe her music, she says: “It’s all about expression and temperament. It’s about hearing a female artist sing words that weren’t put in her mouth but were lived through to the bone. Rock and metal’s where I feel at home but I tend to mix elements from different genres. It’s whatever the song asks for. I’m here for the music – outside the box.”

She hit the stages of Slovakia and Czech Republic in 2004 and very soon built up a solid fan base. Sno and her band shared the stage with some of the biggest acts: Alice In Chains, Scorpions, Cradle Of Filth, Die Happy, Fun Lovin’ Criminals and many other famous Slovak and Czech bands. During two years of touring she was offered a record deal by an American label which, unfortunately, went bankrupt and the debut never made it to the surface.

By the end of 2007, while living in London, she signed another deal. This time, it was followed by over a half year of struggle with her English ex-management which led to delaying the album “It’s Sno Baby – Not Sugar” until an eventual break-up with the label.

The first single “My Sweet Fiend” was released in May 2008 and is selling through all big download stores. It was mixed and mastered by Ryan Chapin and Chris Domingo who’s credits include: Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys, Seal, 3kStatic and were nominated for Grammy awards for Seal and 3kStatic. Despite Sno’s changing of labels for the third time, “It’s Sno Baby – Not Sugar” is still coming out later in 2009 so keep an eye on the Sno website for updates!

“It’s Sno Baby – Not Sugar” is a determined piece, sliced through with temperament and heavy rock riffs, yet burning with fragile and heart breaking melodies. It is pure elegance in all the dark shades. After playing shows in the U.K. Snovonne will be supporting the album live in the rest of Europe.

http://www.snovonne.nfo.sk/
http://www.myspace.com/snovonne

Rew* has often been called “a ‘female Lou Reed’” and has graced the stage with many of her inspirations, including Regina Spektor, Joey Ramone, Patti Smith, David Johanson, Murphy’s Law, BETTY, the Spin Doctors & more. Her latest release that*S*rite has been receiving rave reviews and has grabbed industry attention. Songs from that*S*rite are in rotation on Genya Ravan’s radio show ‘Chicks & Broads’ on Little Steven’s Underground on Sirius Radio and many college radio stations. Her song ‘u suck‘ is featured in the television series the ‘BAD GIRLS CLUB’ on the Oxygen Network ; ‘u persued me‘ recently won a for songwriting in the Atlas Muti Media contest.

Rew is an active supporter of her fellow musicians, and a core organizer and performer for the Girls Rock Girls Rule Tour and MAMAPALOOZA. Rew* performs regularly in her hometown of NYC, tours the USA and has performed at world-renowned festivals like SXSW, CMJ, and Jazzfest. “This is what you moved to NYC for…” (Village Voice)

www.myspace.com/rewwalsh