"I don't feel like I chose music, I think it chose me. I tried to give it up a couple of times - can't do it, I know it's my calling. I love to play, when the groove is happening and everything feels good, there's nothing better."
kj
Well, I'm Kim Jade - yeah, that's my real name, Kim Jade Fry, if you want the whole thing. I'm a bass player, a singer and a songwriter - I live in NYC now, but I've been all over doing the rock & roll cover/original band thing for years. I've been playing and singing since I was 15, I started out rockin' out in my bedroom learning all my favorite songs, just like anyone else. Both of my parents were musicians, my dad played bass and my mom was a singer. It's funny, because from day one, I always considered myself both a singer and a bassist, they were never separate. But I definitely did things the hard way, they tried to educate me, but I didn't want anything to do with reading music, scales or any of that music theory crap. I just wanted to learn every Iron Maiden, Police, and Rush song ever written. Yeah, I used to torture them on a daily basis, but they were pretty good sports. I'm a silly gal who laughs too loud (usually at my own jokes) but I'm serious about playing the bass. I pride myself on being able to play with the boys, I know I'm not the best musician in the world but I've worked hard to get where I am (and I've still got a long way to go). I try to play & sing the same way I like to ride my mountain bike; put the hammer down, don't be a wus! Play hard, play with balls (you know what I mean)! Things were kinda tough for me as a teen, I grew up in upstate New York in a really small town - we were up there because my dad had a good, steady gig playing in the show band for one of those big Jewish Catskill resort hotels. Needless to say, there wasn't really much going on up there for a 17 year old, head bangin' bass player chick.
So, after being released from high school I hopped it down to Florida and did the rock & roll cover band thing for a while. Ripped t-shirts, big hair, spandex, you know it, baby. I think I kept Aqua Net in business for a few years, it's a miracle I didn't kill off all my brain cells with that poison! After that, I went out to L.A. for a couple of years to do the all original, hard rockin', sunset strip, running around on stage like Kip Winger thing. Listen to the song "Drive", it explains everything. Wow, I wouldn't do that again! NYC is where it's at for me, it's a struggle here but for now I'm digging it. I like the energy of this city; it's very inspiring to be surrounded by people who are so talented and willing to work their butts off to make something of their lives. Anyway, back to my edited life story, after L.A., I went back to Florida and goofed off for a year and hung out on the beach and drank lots o' beer. That got old quick, the music called me back, this time it was really strong. I knew it was "shit or get off the pot" this time! I decided that I needed to go back to school, meet some new musicians and learn more about music.
Up until that time I had played completely by ear, I never even knew what chord I was playing over. It just wasn't enough anymore, I wanted to understand what I was playing (or not playing, in my case); I wanted to be able to communicate with other musicians. Basically, I was tired of feeling intimidated and ignorant - UGGH, it's a harsh reality when you realize your father was right all along! So I went, I got what I needed, it was a real shot in the arm for me, it changed my life and sent me in a whole new direction. During school and after, I played in several blues and jazz bands, formed some bands of my own, and basically just gigged a lot. I had a lot of fun, played with a lot of great musicians, schlepped a lot of gear and took a lot of crap from club owners. So, to make a long story short, that got old after a while as well. I wanted to write, I wanted to find my own voice (god, that sounds hokey), but it's true. I wanted to make my mark as an artist, my dream of touring as a sideman wasn't really doing it for me anymore.
So I've been writing for 4 years now and I've been working on this CD for two of those years. In the meantime, I've been doing some shows here in NYC with my band. We have played at: The Bitter End, Tribeca Rock Club, The Lion's Den, Piano's, B3's and more....I love the responses it get from people after the show, they love to see a woman out front singing and playing the bass!
I believe that this CD is me, I'm proud of it. My co-writer, producer, guitarist, and friend, Nunzio Signore, has really helped me to get back to my rock & roll roots and find this sound. Check it out, I hope you like it! Oh, yeah, throughout all this nonsense called my life, I slung a lot of hash, schlepped endless trays of martinis and tapped a lot of beer to pay the rent - still doin' it, too. So buy my CD, I've had enough of this crap!
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