4 Non Blondes

4 Non Blondes
4 Non Blondes, left to right: Roger Rocha, Dawn Richardson, Christa Hillhouse, Linda Perry
Background information
Origin	San Francisco, California, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock
Years active	1989–1996
Labels	Interscope, Atlantic
Associated acts	Malibu Barbi Louis Metoyer Band
Past members
Original members Linda Perry (vocals, guitar) Christa Hillhouse (bass guitar) Shaunna Hall (guitar) Wanda Day (drums) Other members Roger Rocha (guitar) Dawn Richardson (drums) Louis Metoyer (guitar)

4 Non Blondes was an American rock band from San Francisco, California,^[1] formed in 1989. The group was formed by bassist Christa Hillhouse, guitarist Shaunna Hall, drummer Wanda Day, and vocalist and guitarist 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 major hit single. Perry left the band in 1995 to begin a solo career, and the remaining members disbanded.^[1]

Career

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 Convention where 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.^[5][10] Day died July 10, 1997.^[10]

Later work

4 Non Blondes contributed the song "Mary's House" to the film Wayne's World 2 in 1993. They also covered Van Halen's "I'm the One" on the soundtrack for the film AirHeads They later contributed "Bless the Beasts and Children" to a 1994 The Carpenters tribute album If I Were a Carpenter, and "Misty Mountain Hop" to the 1995 Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin.

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

Discography

Albums

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

Singles

• "Dear Mr. President" (1992)
• "What's Up?" (1993) #1 Germany, #1 The Netherlands, #2 Australia, #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)
• "I'm the One" Airheads Soundtrack (1994)
• "Dear Mr. President" [re-release] (1994)
• "Superfly" (1994)
• "Bless The Beasts and Children" (1994)
• "Misty Mountain Hop" (1995)

See also

• List of bands from the San Francisco Bay Area

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 355. ISBN 1-84195-017-3. 
2. ^ Indiana, Gary (July / August 1991). "4 Non Blondes Interview". Flipside Magazine. 
3. ^ "Earthquake". Time Magazine (Time Inc). October 30, 1989. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,958883-1,00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-13. 
4. ^ Chun, Kimberly. "Noise: Miss understood". The San Francisco Bay Guardian (The San Francisco Bay Guardian). http://www.sfbg.com/40/01/noise_miss_understood.html. Retrieved 2008-11-13. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Miner, Nicola, BAM (Northern California Edition), p. 14. September 4, 1992.
6. ^ Hall, Shaunna. "Shaunna Hall and the Dog Ass Project". Shaunna Hall website. Shaunna Hall. http://www.shaunnahall.com/DoggAss_.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
7. ^ "SF Metal Girls". Photo album. http://californiacosplaytimes.com/metalgirls1.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
8. ^ "Malibu Barbi - Rude Girls". The Corroseum. http://www.thecorroseum.com/rev/malibubarbi.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
9. ^ Mae, Hannah. "Women in Heavy Music: Malibu Barbi". Blood Sisters. http://kzsu.stanford.edu/~hannah/m/malibubarbi.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Hall, Shaunna. "Life and Times of Wanda Day". Loudith Faire. http://loudithfaire.net/celebskin/shaunna_wandaday.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
11. ^ ^{a b} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 209. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links

• 4 Non Blondes at Allmusic
• A Story of 4 Non Blondes, by Christa Hillhouse. (Retrieved February 27, 2011)