Love and the Anger: One of my favorites: Alison Mosshart

Alison Mosshart has been one of my favorite musicians since her second album with The Kills. She has been with 3 bands so far: Discount, The Kills and The Dead Weather. Discount was a punk band from Florida that she fronted for a few years before a break up in 2000. In that same year she moved to London and struck up a friendship Jamie Hence, who became her band mate in The Kills. The Kills have put out 3 albums between 2003 and 2008, Keep on your Mean Side, No Wow, and Midnight Boom. I was aware of The Kills with the first album but really became of true fan with their second release, No Wow. The music had a stripped down, driving blues quality that still made you want to move. Going to see The Kills live is a true rock and roll dance party. Alison commands the stage, pacing, kicking, punching her band and falling on the ground-all while growling out the lyrics. Its pretty amazing.

With Midnight Boom, they pushed the beats further and created an even more rock/dance album with tracks like Cheap and Cheerful. Around the time of this album, Alison became something of a fashion icon as well. She was featured in many fashion/culture magazines such as Nylon. She has a dirty, gritty style featuring tight jeans, leather or leopard jackets and straight mop hair cut that normally covers her eyes, giving her a dark and brooding look.

In 2009, Alison created a side project with Jack White called The Dead Weather. They recorded an album in 3 weeks, put in out there and then through together a tour. The album and tour were extremely successful, just like anything Jack white touches, but it has a rawness and spontaneity that I did not care for as much as The Kills. The first single, Hang You From the Heavens, was the one track I really liked and Alison co-wrote it.

The Dead Weather have another album out in 2010, just a year later. Alison has been working on a new Kills album as well.

If you have not given her a chance, check out these videos with The Kills and The Dead Weather:

The Kills: Last Days of Magic