4 Non Blondes
Encyclopedia
4 Non Blondes was an American
rock
band
from San Francisco, California
, 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.
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.
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.
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 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. Other guitarists such as Cara Crash 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, and Day went on to join Malibu Barbi. Day died July 10, 1997.
" 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 Osbourne
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, formed in 1989. The group was formed by bassist Christa Hillhouse, guitarist Shaunna Hall
Shaunna Hall
Shaunna Elizabeth Hall, an American composer and musician, was born July 28, 1963 in Modesto, California to musically inclined parents. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, soaking up the diverse music culture there...
, drummer Wanda Day, and vocalist and guitarist Linda Perry
Linda Perry
Linda Perry is an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer. Once best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of 4 Non Blondes, Perry has founded two record labels and has become a major songwriter and producer...
. Prior to the release of their first album, Roger Rocha
Roger Rocha
Roger Rocha is an American songwriter, guitarist and vocalist of italian origin.He is perhaps best known as the guitarist for the group 4 Non Blondes. He is the grandson of the famous abstract expressionist artist, Clyfford Still....
replaced Hall on guitar, and Dawn Richardson replaced Day on drums. They hit the charts in 1993 with "What's Up
What's Up (song)
"What's Up?" is a rock song written by Linda Perry for 4 Non Blondes' debut album Bigger, Better, Faster, More! . It was released as the album's second single in 1993...
", their only major hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
. Perry left the band in 1995 to begin a solo career, and the remaining members disbanded.
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 PerryLinda Perry
Linda Perry is an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer. Once best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of 4 Non Blondes, Perry has founded two record labels and has become a major songwriter and producer...
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
Loma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
hit the San Francisco area.
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.
The band was signed to Interscope
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
in July 1991 following a performance at the Gavin Convention
Gavin Report
The Gavin Report was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs...
where the band opened for Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
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 and was replaced by Richardson. In 1992 while recording Bigger Better Faster, More! the album's producer, David Tickle
David Tickle
David Tickle is a British record producer and engineer. As a producer, he is most noted for his work with Split Enz, and in Canada, for his mid-80s work with Red Rider, Platinum Blonde and Gowan...
, felt that Hall's guitar playing was "not happening" so she was let go from the band as well. Other guitarists such as Cara Crash and Louis Metoyer were brought in to finish the record. Roger Rocha
Roger Rocha
Roger Rocha is an American songwriter, guitarist and vocalist of italian origin.He is perhaps best known as the guitarist for the group 4 Non Blondes. He is the grandson of the famous abstract expressionist artist, Clyfford Still....
joined after completion of the album and would stay with the band until 1994. After 4 Non Blondes, Crash, and Day went on to join Malibu Barbi. Day died July 10, 1997.
Later work
4 Non Blondes contributed the song "Mary's HouseWayne's World 2 (soundtrack)
Wayne's World 2 is the soundtrack of the film of the same title. It features two live tracks from Aerosmith, and a version of "Louie, Louie" by Robert Plant.-Track listing:#"Louie, Louie" #"Dude " *...
" to the film Wayne's World 2
Wayne's World 2
Wayne's World 2 is a 1993 comedy film starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as hosts of a Public-access television cable TV show from Aurora, Illinois. The film was adapted from a sketch on NBC's Saturday Night Live and is the sequel to Wayne's World....
in 1993. They also covered Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
's "I'm the One" on the soundtrack for the film AirHeads
Airheads
Airheads is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes and directed by Michael Lehmann. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler as a band of loser musicians called "The Lone Rangers" who take a radio station hostage, just so that their song would get played on the radio...
They later contributed "Bless the Beasts and Children" to a 1994 The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
tribute album If I Were a Carpenter, and "Misty Mountain Hop
Misty Mountain Hop
"Misty Mountain Hop" is a song from English rock band Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album, released in 1971. In the United States and Australia it was the B-side of the "Black Dog" single, but still received considerable FM radio airplay...
" to the 1995 Encomium
Encomium (album)
Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin is a tribute album by various artists dedicated to Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on March 14, 1995...
tribute album to Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
.
The group disbanded in late 1994 during the recording of their second album, which was never completed. Lead vocalist Linda Perry
Linda Perry
Linda Perry is an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer. Once best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of 4 Non Blondes, Perry has founded two record labels and has become a major songwriter and producer...
went solo in 1995. Perry has since released solo work, produced and written songs on hit albums by Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, Pink, Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
, Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
and Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
.
Studio Album
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
AUT Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
NLD Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
NO VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
NZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
SWE Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
UK |
|||
| 1992 | Bigger, Better, Faster, More! Bigger, Better, Faster, More! - Personnel :* Linda Perry - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals* Roger Rocha - guitar* Christa Hillhouse - bass, vocals* Dawn Richardson - drums- Additional personnel :* Shaunna Hall - guitar* Rory Kaplan - mellotron* Suzie Katayama - cello...
|
13 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... : Platinum British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Gold |
Singles
- "Dear Mr. President" (1992)
- "What's Up?" (1993) #1 Germany, #1 The Netherlands, #2 Australia, #2 United KingdomUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, #14 Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, #29 Modern rock, #16 Mainstream rock - "Spaceman" (1993) #39 US Mainstream Rock, #28 Germany, #53 UK
- "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 HopMisty Mountain Hop"Misty Mountain Hop" is a song from English rock band Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album, released in 1971. In the United States and Australia it was the B-side of the "Black Dog" single, but still received considerable FM radio airplay...
" - Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (1995)
External links
- A Story of 4 Non Blondes, by Christa Hillhouse. (Retrieved February 27, 2011)