4 Non Blondes Biography

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 Linda Perry 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. 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.^{[citation needed]}

The band was signed to Interscope in July 1991 following a performance at the Gavin Conventionwhere 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^{[citation needed]} 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.^[10][5] Day died July 10, 1997.^[10]

Later work

Lead vocalist Perry went solo in 1995. The group had disbanded in late 1994 during the recording of their second album, which was never completed.^{[citation needed]} Perry has since released solo work, and produced and written songs on hit albums by Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love and Kelly Clarkson.

In 1994, 4 Non Blondes contributed the song "Bless The Beasts And Children" for The Carpenterstribute album If I Were a Carpenter.

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. In the summer of 2008 Hillhouse began playing live shows with singer-songwriter-pianist Bob Malone, who she continues to tour with several times per year.

Rocha recorded an unreleased record with Dolorosa in 1995 and then in 1997, joined the psychedelic pop group, Mockingbirds. Rocha then recorded two CDs with El Destroyo, The Latest Drag (1999) and Power of my Mind (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. He is currently living, singing, writing and performing in the San Francisco Bay Area with the group Roger Rocha & The Goldenhearts.

Hall became an official member of George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic in 2007, making her the first female band member in the band's history. She has been touring with P-Funk since 2002. Hall released a producer project CD/DVD set in 2006 entitled Electrofunkadelica: e3+FUNKnth = Music for the body, mind & soul, which featured members of Parliament Funkadelic, Sativa Diva, Christa Hillhouse, Eric McFadden, Lisa Cash and many others. She has been a touring member of George Clinton & 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 and guest guitarist) Role Models For Amerika(1998 Alternative Tentacles Records); Storm, Inc. (1999–2001) The Calm Years (2000 Taylor Made Records/ Gender Nectar); and 420 Funk Mob Alive in Spain (2004 WeFUNK ad2k Records).^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Albums

• Bigger, Better, Faster, More! (1992) U.S. #13, RIAA: Platinum
• Dear Mr. President (Live in Italy) (1993–1994).

Singles

• "Dear Mr. President" (1992)
• "What's Up?" (1993) #1 Germany, #1 The Netherlands, #2 Australia, #2 Israel, #2 United Kingdom,^[11] #14 Billboard Hot 100, #29 Modern rock, #16 Mainstream rock
• "Spaceman" (1993) #39 US Mainstream Rock, #28 Germany, #53 UK^[11]
• "Mary's House" Wayne's World 2 Soundtrack (1993)
• "Dear Mr. President" [re-release] (1994)
• "Superfly" (1994)
• "Bless The Beasts and Children" (1994)
• "Misty Mountain Hop" (1995)