Kris Landherr - Guitar & Lead Vocals , The following performers appear on my recordings have backed me up in the past and continue to do so on occassion: Troy Lambert - Backing Vocals, Guitar :: Charmaigne - Backing Vocals :: Danny Katz - Backing Vocals, Guitar :: Gordon Smith - Synth, Backing Vocals :: Corinne Curcio - Guitar, Backing Vocals :: Clover Honey - Backing Vocals :: Tracy Stark - Piano :: Wilson Batista* - Piano ::: Bassists: Pete Bayard, Steve Caneiro, Toshio Mana (depending on region and availablitiy) :: Anthony Mualllela - Drums ::: *Wilson passed away June 16, 2006
Influences
There have been too many musicians who've made an impact on me. In 1985 I roadied for a friend's band named 2 1/2 Minute Shower who opened for The Butthole Surfers at The Showplace in Dover, NJ. Seeing Gibby Haynes and the Buttholes' showmanship made me realize at the moment I wanted to be a performer.
I think that I am more influenced by people like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Leonard Cohen vocally and in terms of guitar stylings as well as politics. I tend to look to people like New Order, Lightning Seeds, Barenaked Ladies, Joy Division, and Bauhaus for structure. Simon and Garfunkel, Sonny and Cher have guided my desire for harmonies and to do duets while Dr. Demento's music rotation and The Smothers Brothers steer some of my writing to use humor to make my point.
Sounds a little screwy but it seems to be working.
Kris wears many hats in addition to being a musician. Read on:
**********************************************************************
Musician:
Kris Landherr has worn many hats through his life so far. His careers/activities have been and still are video editing, graphic design, marketing, CD & DVD duplication, composer, singer, guitarist, pianist, synth player, backing musician, as well as concert and live event promoter..
He began writing and performing in the New Jersey club scene at the age of 16 with the new wave band 2 ½ Minute Shower thanks to a fake i.d. and the Juno synth his mom got him for Christmas. During college he began composing for pharmaceutical companies and medical documentaries, while simultaneously promoting his punk rock group Maxi Reagans Nancy Pads and his first pop venture Idle Warship.
More recently he has been working on his solo comedic experiment Liquid Chicken as well as his more serious material. Kris performs as a solo act, as a duo with drag celeb Charmaigne, and with his band The LandShark! Experience. Often times his boyfriend Troy will join him on stage for some heartfelt duets.
Kris has appeared with the likes of Joey Arias, Bedlam, Butthole Surfers, C&C Music Factory, Petula Clark, Paul Lekakis, and Terry White to name a few. Celebs spotted while watching him perform are Lea Delaria, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Austin Pendleton (Catch 22, Whats Up Doc), Stanard Ridgeway (Wall of Voodoo), Tom Smothers, Jimmy Somerville, Ron Stringer (Fibonaccis), and Tequila Mockingbird.
**********************************************************************
Producer/Activist:
In addition to being a performer Kris supports the queer music community by producing and promoting the Fagapalooza music series. Fagapalooza provides a space for musicians to showcase Out material in a safe, nurturing environment without an audition process or worry about audience quotas.
Fagapalooza grew last year to include shows in N.J. and Palm Springs furthering access for queer artists. The series also serves as a fundraising vehicle for a wide various community, health, political, AIDS services and social organizations (way too many to list here). Groups and charities benefiting from fundraising efforts through Fagapalooza directly as well as in association with other promoters this last year received over $65,000 in funds.
Aside from fundraising, 2005 marked Kris 8th year of involvement with NYU School of Medicine's search for an HIV vaccine as both study and recruitment volunteer. During this year he did battle with the American Family Association as they called for a boycott of Walgreen's for their support of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. The AFA used Kris photo along with several other gay athletes from the Sydney Gay Games on their website as part of their propaganda. Troops were rallied for a letter writing campaign in support of Walgreens as well as against the AFA and within 48 hours managed to have the photos removed from the AFAs site. Kris received notes from church groups around the country expressing their stating solidarity with the LGBT community's fight for equal rights and asking not to be lumped in with the Religious Righteous. Kris is no longer an agnostic due to a renewed faith in actual organized religions.
He is taking a short break from producing to complete his long awaited CD tentatively title Pussy Foot now scheduled for release until autumn of 2006 Keep your eyes out for a video of his queer anthem Im A Fag.
**********************************************************************
Accolades/Accomplishments:
2002 Sydney Gay Games - Bronze Medalist / Freestyle Wrestling 2004 Outmusic Awards Nominee - Outsong of the Year Waiting For My Man - Outmusician of the Year
2005 Outmusic Awards Nominee - Outsong of the Year Im A Fag - Outmusician of the Year 2006 Outmusic Awards Nominee - Outmusician of the Year
**********************************************************************
Press Quotes:
With unapologetically queer music this naughty boy of the New York City scene is becoming an influence in his own right. Is the rest of the world far behind? The results are FAG-alicious!"
- Jed Ryan, PM Entertainment :: "Kris Landherr represents quintessential queer sensibility. His tuneful politically offbeat songs are relevant to todays issues, mischieviously playful, and have great heart."
- Will Clark, NY Blade :: One of the up and coming queer artists to look out for in 2005.
- Gregg Shapiro, Windy City Times :: The Outmusic Award nominated Im A Fag is destined to knock you off your seat!
- Justen Ocean, Next Magazine :: Kris is the future of Queer Music.
- Randy Jones, The Village People
**********************************************************************
Performance Venues:
:: 9th Avenue Bistro, NYC :: 9th Avenue Saloon, NYC
:: Across The Street Bar, Dallas, TX :: Bar B, NYC :: Barracuda, NYC :: Black Out Café, Asbury Park, NJ :: Blue, NYC :: Café Ole, Trenton, NJ
:: Café Puss Puss, Seattle, WA
:: Cartwheel, New Hope, PA
:: CBGBs, NYC
:: CBGBs Gallery, NYC
:: Cherrys, Fire Island, NY
:: Corner Room, Rahway, NJ
:: C-Note, NYC
:: Dirt Club, Bloomfield, NJ
:: Duplex, NYC
:: Finally Freds, NYC
:: Gaslight, NYC
:: Hannahs Lava Lounge, NYC
:: Jacob Javitz Center, NYC
:: Jersey City Pride, NJ
:: The Jetty, Bloomfield, NJ
:: Juice Music Series - Various Venues, NYC
:: Kean College McCarter Theatre, Union, NJ
:: Kettnors, London, England
:: La Fleurs, NYC
:: Le Parking, Montreal, Canada
:: Lesbian & Gay Community Center, NYC
:: Liffy II, NYC
:: Lizard Lounge - NYC
:: Madam Wongs, Los Angeles, CA
:: Maplewood, NJ Same Sex Marriage Celebration
:: Marquee, NYC
:: Melody, New Brunswick, NJ
:: Modern Art, Rahway, NJ
:: Moochies, Jersey City, NJ
:: Newark Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ
:: New Jersey Pride Center, New Brunswick, NJ
:: New Jersey Pride Festival, Asbury Park, NJ
:: Nut & Bolts, NYC
:: Olympic Park Stadium, Sydney Australia
:: O.W. Bar, NYC
:: Pegasus, NYC
:: Philadelphia Pride Festival, PA
:: Phoenix & Firkin, London, England
:: Pipeline, Newark, NJ
:: Plough & Stars, Cambridge, MA
:: Posh, NYC
:: Ramada Inn, Shreveport, LA
:: Rebar, Seattle, WA
:: Roses Turn, NYC
:: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Newark, NJ
:: Scoundrels, Linden, NJ
:: Smalls, NYC
:: St. Johns Lutheran Church, Newark, NJ
:: Sun Music, NYC
:: Triad, NYC
:: Uncle Joes, Jersey City, NJ
:: Valley Road Covenant Church, Montclair, NJ
:: View Bar, NYC
:: XL, NYC
Create your own visitor map!
Hey Handsome, It was fabulous seeing you on your recent visit to NYC!! I just loved your exciting and sexy performances at Rockwood Music Hall and at 9th Avenue Bistro! love, Clover Honey
