Kira Roessler ist wohl am bekanntesten dafür, Bassistin bei Black Flag gewesen zu sein. 1983 ersetzte sie Chuck Dukowski am Bass und stieg 1985 wieder aus. Danach gründete sie mit Mike Watt die Band Dos. 2008 wurde Kira ein Emmy für ihre Arbeit beim Dialogton von John Adams – Freiheit Für Amerika verliehen.
Kiras Soloalbum wurde kürzlich von Last Exit Music auf limitiertem Vinyl veröffentlicht. Anlass genug mit der Bassistin über ihre zehn Lieblingsplatten zu sprechen!
1Billie Holiday – Music for torching
I first heard this record when I was 13 or 14. Very formative years and I think many of us learn to connect our emotions to music at this time. I surely did… every time I hear Billie she is expressing incredible emotion that I immediately connect to.
2David Bowie – Aladdin Sane
There are at least 5 Bowie records that could be here. There’s a connection to me with the amazing piano on this record- as piano was played in the other room throughout my childhood by my brother Paul. Bowie got me in touch with my non conformity way before punk rock did.
3Meat Puppets – Meat puppets II
I first heard the meat puppets on day one of my first tour with Black Flag. They had a huge effect… like a bright light in a torrid storm. Touring was going to take everything I had and they were the respite every night. They had just released this record and when I wasn’t watching them play live I would listen to this for that same sense of calm and well-being. Hard to explain how music soothes …. But it definitely does.
4The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street
Rock and roll pure and simple is also just a huge part of my music story. I was hugely influenced by a guitar player named Glenn Brown throughout my teens and twenties and his mentor was Keith Richards. My punk rock life was totally about figuring out how to not lose anything from rock and roll but still do something new. To me bands like the Ramones just sounded like rock and roll – so to me they just all went together into a big ROCK bucket.
5Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bullocks
An obvious choice – in the late seventies this was the record we played, we heard in our crappy punk clubs. I went to San Francisco to see the Sex Pistols at winterland. This bonded all of us weirdos into a scene.
6Selena – Amor Prohibido
When I was in my thirties I suddenly decided to learn Spanish and immerse myself completely. I listened to the local radio station and watched the Spanish tv stations here in la. Selena was one of the clear voices in heard. When we was killed – I had to honor her and my band dos started doing a cover version of her song: no me queda más
7The Stooges – Raw Power
When people ask me what came before punk rock, it is of course only from my own experience. But having been a David Bowie fan… the obvious step towards punk rock was iggy. This record came out when I was twelve, but I don’t remember hearing it until I was fourteen and exploring music with gusto. I still feel the same basic response when I listen – touches me to my soul.
8Supremes – The Supremes greatest hits
This may have been the first record I owned. I knew all the lyrics. Either you get it or you don’t.
9Black Sabbath – Volume 4
I didn’t listen to Black Sabbath as a kid. It was actually through black flag that I was educated about the heavy end of rock and roll and how heavy things could get. What came out of it was a very strong appreciation for this rhythm section, and all rhythm sections that aspire to make the music as heavy as possible.
10Madonna – Like a Virgin
When I got back from my first tour with black flag in 1984, I got into my car and “Like a Virgin” was playing on the top 40 radio station. I was shocked. Finally someone actually saying something new on AM radio! In America anyway this was truly the start of what I thought would be punk rock becoming mainstream which actually took another 25 years. I have always admired Madonna for her willingness to smash barriers and boundaries.