4 Non Blondes was an American rock band formed in 1989 by four women, none of whom were blonde. They consisted of bassist Christa Hillhouse, guitarist Shaunna Hall, drummer Wanda Day and vocalist 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 hit. Perry left the band in 1995 to begin a solo career, and the remaining members disbanded soon thereafter. They represented American alternative rock genre of music.
Founding of the group
Bassist Christa Hillhouse knew guitarist Shaunna Hall for many years in San Francisco. They met drummer Wanda Day, and after witnessing Linda Perry sing solo at a club they convinced her to join the band. In an interesting coincidence, October 17, 1989 was the day of the Loma Prieta earthquake that hit San Francisco and was supposed to be their first day of rehearsal.
The band picked the name, 4 Non Blondes, after an incident in a San Francisco park where the band members were having pizza. Apparently, a family was walking by, and their little boy wanted to grab some left over pizza to feed the birds. 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.
Wanda Day was fired from 4 Non Blondes because of drug use shortly before the making of the album
Bigger, Better, Faster, More! (she died in 1997). While promoting the song "What's Up", lead singer Linda Perry, a lesbian, who wrote the song, displayed a "dyke" sticker prominently plastered on her guitar for a performance on
Late Night with David Letterman.
Dawn Richardson replaced Day, after being introduced to the group by mutual friend Cherie Lovedog; but as the recording of their first album progressed, producer David Tickle replaced Hall with a session guitarist. Roger joined after the recording was completed.
Musical Success
Lead vocalist Perry went solo in 1995 and the group disbanded after recording, but not releasing, their second album. Perry has since released solo work, and produced songs on hit albums by Pink and Christina Aguilera.
In 1995, 4 Non Blondes contributed the song "Misty Mountain Hop" to the
Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin.
In 2007, Kitty Rose and Christa Hillhouse started working with Carolyn Gage on a five-woman rock musical called
How to Write a Country-Western Song.Kitty Rose, during the 4 Non Blondes era, traveled with the band throughout the 1990's, as she was drummer Dawn Richardson's girlfriend at that time.
[ Logoonline.com]Guitarist Roger Rocha recorded an unreleased record with the hard rocking Dolorosa in 1995 and then in 1997, joined psychedelic pop group, Mockingbirds on Guitar. Rocha then recorded two CDs with El Destroyo,
the Latest Drag 1999 and
Power of my Mind released in 2002. The latter was produced and featured the bass guitar of founding member of the Violent Femmes, Brian Ritchie.Rocha recorded "Roger Rocha has..."the Blues!"" in 2006. Roger is currently living, singing, writing and performing in the San Francisco Bay Area with the group Roger Rocha & the Goldenhearts.
Founding guitarist, Shaunna Hall, released a producer project CD/DVD set in 2006 entitled
Electrofunkadelica: e3+FUNKnth = music for the body, mind & soul, which features members of Parliament Funkadelic, Sativa Diva, Christa Hillhouse, Eric McFadden, Lisa Cash and many others. Shaunna has been a touring member of George Cinton & Parliament Funkadelic since 2002. She has also recorded and performed with The Alcohol of Fame (1993-1995); The Eric McFadden Experience (1995-2002)
Our Revels Now are Ended (1998 NMX Records); Tribe 8 (producer & guest guitarist)
Role Models For Amerika (1998 Alternative Tentacles Records); Storm, Inc. (1999-2001)
The Calm Years (2000 Taylor Made Records/ Gender Nectar); 420 Funk Mob
Alive in Spain (2004 WeFUNK ad2k Records).
Discography
Albums
- Bigger, Better, Faster, More! (1992)
- Dear Mr. President (1993)
Singles
- "Dear Mr. President" (1993)
- "What's Up" (1993) #1 Germany, #1 The Netherlands #2 Australia #2 Israel #2 United Kingdom #14 The Billboard Hot 100 29 Modern rock 16 Mainstream rock
- "Spaceman" (1993) #39 US Mainstream Rock, #28 Germany
- "Superfly" (1993)
External links
Articles & Interviews
Notes
American alternative rock music groups1990s music groupsMusical groups established in 19921996 disestablishmentsBands with female lead singersLGBT musical groupsQuartets
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