FEATURED BAND: KISSER

KISSER is a sassy, foxy, supertalented powerhouse of rock based in New York City co-fronted by two amazing ladies, Briana and Michal, known as "Michal the Girl." I saw them play recently and was blown away -- think the GoGos plus the Bangles, turned inside out and with cranked up sex appeal. Briana plays the bass in a way that would make Peter Hook pay attention, Cresta will make you wish every rock band had a flute player, while Michal's voice is poignant and surreal (think the Cranberries plus Belinda), and Holly kicks it all from behind her drums. They're all gorgeous and they're all talented -- and they've only been together for six months. Where will they be in six more? •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• How did the band get together? B: A mutual friend of mine and Michal's, who had a band of his own suggested that Michal and I start a side project (as a goof), and he would be our drummer(whereas his normal role was frontman/guitarist) -- I would pick up the bass and Michal would play rhythm/lead guitar as a trio. M: Briana and I have been good friends for over 4 years. We're both songwriters and performers in our own right. I have my own band (Michal the Girl) and Briana has her solo project (Briana Winter). One night a friend of ours was saying that we should join forces and put a band together. So, we did. We started out as a trio, with Mike Begnino (The Voyces) on drums. Then we met Cresta Freeberg and added her to the lineup, encouraging her to find some cool new sounds and pedals for her flute. We are so thankful to have met her, not only personally 'cause she's a great friend, but also her distortion flute gives us a very unique sound. And finally, we met our fabulous drummer, Holly Sawyer - rock drummer extraordinaire, who completed our mission: a rock band that happens to be all-female. C: On October 23, a former bandmate of mine from 3k Silk, Dave Doobinin, introduced me to both of them. I met Michal the Girl first...we walked from Canal to Houston Street with Dave. He did most of the talking. Then, an hour later, at Dave's farewell party in a bar in SoHo, I met Briana. We hit it off famously, and within the first hour she asked me if I wanted to be the 3rd member in Kisser, the "ambient member." I said yes, right away -- spontaneity rules us Sadges, right, Bri? For the first 5 or 6 shows, our drummer was Mike Beans from the Voyces, then I met Holly Sawyer's boyfriend on the set of a Verizon commercial I was acting in. He said she is a rockin drummer and gave me their number. When we lost Mike Beans to his primary band, I called Holly and asked her if she would be willing to learn 10 songs and perform them with us in 8 days. She rose to the occasion and rocked our world!That's when we became KISSER for real. What inspired you to learn your particular instrument? B: Necessity. M: Well, I've been singing since...forever...since I was really young. I heard an "Annie" record and just had to learn how to sing like them. And I did. As for guitar, I was writing songs and singing in bands, and I really needed a way to interpret what I heard on guitar in my head to what I wanted the musicians to play. I finally got over my fear and took guitar lessons myself which helped instantly. I never thought I'd end up playing guitar onstage, but sure enough, I have been for 7 years. In Kisser, I have more pressure than ever 'cause I'm the only guitar player, so I can't hide. It's certainly kicked my butt -- in a good way. C: I started playing the flute when I was 10. Everyone in my family is a musician. So when it came time for me to start, my father asked me what I wanted to play...I picked out the flute because it was the most beautiful and the only instrument that I could not make a single sound on. H: My older brother Parker is an amazing drummer, and he taught me how to play. Also my mother always wanted to be a drummer, but it wasn't the thing to do in her day, so she was very supportive. Can you tell me a little about your musical influences? B: I learned how to sing listening to Free To Be You and Me the album, "Annie" the musical, Barbara Streisand, and the Beatles. As a teen, I was hooked on Whitney Houston, George Winston, Air Supply and STYX. My ear for music didn't really start to "refine" until my 20's -- I fell in love with a guy that introduced me to: Morrissey, Bloody Valentine, Bjork, Beck, This Mortal Coil, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sundays, Tom Waits, and William S. Burroughs. I started writing songs while immersing myself in the nyc local scene -- watching artists like Daniel Harnett, Thisway, Mini Kings, Dave Doobinin, Pets, Industrial Teepee, Don Piper, Pam Miller, Jo Arthur -- meanwhile listening to cds like: Elliot Smith, Radiohead, Sinead O'Conner, Sarah McLachlan, Ella Fitzgerald, Supergrass, Sade, Jeff Buckley, Cake. Right now, the Voyces cd has permanent residence in my cd player.