Liz Larin
Encyclopedia
Liz Larin is a Detroit
-based singer-songwriter
and rock musician who has risen to become one of the most celebrated artists of the Detroit music scene
. In 2003, when readers of Jam Rag Magazine voted her #1 out of 80 Detroit acts, Jam Rag featured her on the cover as "Detroit's Goddess of Rock," a title that is now used to describe her at the venues in which she plays. In 2004 she swept the Detroit Music Awards
with her album The Story of O-Miz, beating out better known Detroit-area artists such as Eminem
, White Stripes and The Funk Brothers
. In 2006 she dominated the Detroit Music Awards again with her latest release, Wake Up, Start Dreaming, garnering top awards including "Outstanding Rock Artist/Group," "Outstanding Rock/Pop Recording," "Outstanding Rock/Pop Songwriter," "Outstanding Rock Instrumentalist (guitarist)," and "Outstanding Rock/Pop Vocalist."
Larin is known for her soul-searching lyrics, her eclectic tracks, her award-winning acoustic guitar
work, and her powerful and evocative vocals. The Metro Times
writes "Although sometimes compared to Alanis Morissette
, Tori Amos
, Sarah McLachlan
, Sheryl Crow
, Liz Phair
, Avril Lavigne
, PJ Harvey
, Liz Larin has style all her own." RockWorld says of Larin, "Her music is in the realm of say, Bonnie Raitt
but much, much better."
s across the city. When Liz announced to her parents she was going to join a rock band
, her parents objected. Liz left home at age 16, supporting herself by teaching guitar and playing gigs.
in 1987.
Rebel Heels' first album, One by One by One (1988), produced by Rupert Hine
, served to establish her fan base in the US
, UK
, Australia
, Germany
, Belgium
and the Netherlands
.
Rebel Heels folded after only one album but Atlantic Records
retained Liz Larin as a solo artist. Her debut album, Test Your Faith, was released in 1993.
. In an interview with Liz Hill of Strut Magazine, Larin says, "It wasn't about listening to the music. It was all about what I looked like." Hill continues, "Label executives and publicity folks wanted Larin, whose songs are tough, independent pop-rock anthems, to sex up her image."
Liz Larin ended her contract with Atlantic and came home to Detroit. She formed her own record label, Bona Dea Music, and went indie (cf. Bona Dea
, a figure from Roman mythology).
and Dave Taylor on drums. Vinnie Dombroski
of Sponge
lent drums and vocals to the track "Pretty Is."
Liz Larin won six categories in the 2003 Detroit Music Awards
, including "Outstanding Pop Artist Group," "Outstanding Rock/Pop Instrumentalist," and "Outstanding Rock/Pop Vocalist."
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
-based singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and rock musician who has risen to become one of the most celebrated artists of the Detroit music scene
Music of Detroit
This article discusses the Music of Detroit, Michigan. World renowned for its Detroit Symphony Orchestra and music celebrities, the area has a long and rich heritage, including several Platinum artists in different genres whose recordings had surpassed forty million copies by the year...
. In 2003, when readers of Jam Rag Magazine voted her #1 out of 80 Detroit acts, Jam Rag featured her on the cover as "Detroit's Goddess of Rock," a title that is now used to describe her at the venues in which she plays. In 2004 she swept the Detroit Music Awards
Detroit Music Awards
The Detroit Music Awards was initially proposed in 1988. Presented by the Motor City Music Foundation, the multi-genre awards ceremony was established to bring recognition to Detroit area musicians. The first award show was held in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall, and moved to the State Theatre in...
with her album The Story of O-Miz, beating out better known Detroit-area artists such as Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, White Stripes and The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
. In 2006 she dominated the Detroit Music Awards again with her latest release, Wake Up, Start Dreaming, garnering top awards including "Outstanding Rock Artist/Group," "Outstanding Rock/Pop Recording," "Outstanding Rock/Pop Songwriter," "Outstanding Rock Instrumentalist (guitarist)," and "Outstanding Rock/Pop Vocalist."
Larin is known for her soul-searching lyrics, her eclectic tracks, her award-winning acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
work, and her powerful and evocative vocals. The Metro Times
Metro Times
The Metro Times is the largest circulating weekly newspaper in the metro Detroit area. Supported entirely by advertising, it is distributed free of charge every Wednesday in newsstands in businesses and libraries around the city and suburbs...
writes "Although sometimes compared to Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
, Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
, Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
, Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
, Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
, PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...
, Liz Larin has style all her own." RockWorld says of Larin, "Her music is in the realm of say, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
but much, much better."
Background
A self-taught guitarist and pianist from the age of ten, by the age of 15 she was asked to teach guitar at the local music store. In the store she made connections with musicians of many styles and was soon playing jam sessionJam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
s across the city. When Liz announced to her parents she was going to join a rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, her parents objected. Liz left home at age 16, supporting herself by teaching guitar and playing gigs.
Rebel Heels, Atlantic Records, and her solo debut
Along with guitarist and songwriter Michael King, Larin formed Press. The band later added Danny Cox as drummer/percussionist. The band changed its name to Rebel Heels and signed with Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 1987.
Rebel Heels' first album, One by One by One (1988), produced by Rupert Hine
Rupert Hine
Rupert Neville Hine is an English musician, songwriter and prolific record producer, having produced albums for artists including Kevin Ayers, Tina Turner, Howard Jones, Saga, The Fixx, Bob Geldof, Thompson Twins, Stevie Nicks, Chris de Burgh, Suzanne Vega, Rush, Underworld, Duncan Sheik, and ...
, served to establish her fan base in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
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...
.
Rebel Heels folded after only one album but Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
retained Liz Larin as a solo artist. Her debut album, Test Your Faith, was released in 1993.
Los Angeles: Can You Give Us More Sexy?
Larin became disillusioned with life in the music business of Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In an interview with Liz Hill of Strut Magazine, Larin says, "It wasn't about listening to the music. It was all about what I looked like." Hill continues, "Label executives and publicity folks wanted Larin, whose songs are tough, independent pop-rock anthems, to sex up her image."
Return to Detroit
According to Larin, "My life had become surreal and I wanted to return to playing music. Detroit is a real music town and its reputation for great musicians is right on. I found myself wanting to write and play, more than ever, for the sheer joy of it."Liz Larin ended her contract with Atlantic and came home to Detroit. She formed her own record label, Bona Dea Music, and went indie (cf. Bona Dea
Bona Dea
Bona Dea was a divinity in ancient Roman religion. She was associated with chastity and fertility in women, healing, and the protection of the Roman state and people...
, a figure from Roman mythology).
Merry Wicked
Merry Wicked, her first independent album, was released in 1999. Lacking the support of a major label, it went nowhere on the national charts, but it opened doors in Detroit where audiences could directly experience her powerful ballads and rock anthems themselves. Liz also returned to her family and her musical roots, and her life no longer felt "surreal." The focus on music, and not on image, opened up a creative well-spring that would catapult her to the top of the Detroit music scene over the next five years.The Story of O-Miz
The Story of O-Miz (2002) broke it open for Liz Larin. With the LA publicity types now in her past, Larin focused on working with the top musicians in the Detroit area. Her sound became even more emotionally intense. The album took advantage of the skills of Robert Tye on guitar, James Simonson and Chuck Bartels on bass guitar, and Todd GlassTodd Glass
Todd Steven Glass is an American stand-up comedian originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:Glass is perhaps best known for his appearances as a contestant on the second and third seasons of NBC's Last Comic Standing and has appeared regularly on programs such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!,...
and Dave Taylor on drums. Vinnie Dombroski
Vinnie Dombroski
Mark “Vinnie” Dombroski is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Sponge. He has also fronted various Detroit-based bands throughout his career.-Sponge:-Albums:...
of Sponge
Sponge (band)
Sponge is a post-grunge band from Detroit, Michigan formed in 1991 by Vinnie Dombroski, Mike Cross, Tim Cross and Joey Mazzola. Sponge was signed to Sony Records in 1994 but have since switched to other labels....
lent drums and vocals to the track "Pretty Is."
Liz Larin won six categories in the 2003 Detroit Music Awards
Detroit Music Awards
The Detroit Music Awards was initially proposed in 1988. Presented by the Motor City Music Foundation, the multi-genre awards ceremony was established to bring recognition to Detroit area musicians. The first award show was held in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall, and moved to the State Theatre in...
, including "Outstanding Pop Artist Group," "Outstanding Rock/Pop Instrumentalist," and "Outstanding Rock/Pop Vocalist."
Discography
- One By One By One (album), 1988, Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. With Michael King- guitar, Danny Cox - drums. Produced by Rupert HineRupert HineRupert Neville Hine is an English musician, songwriter and prolific record producer, having produced albums for artists including Kevin Ayers, Tina Turner, Howard Jones, Saga, The Fixx, Bob Geldof, Thompson Twins, Stevie Nicks, Chris de Burgh, Suzanne Vega, Rush, Underworld, Duncan Sheik, and ...
. - Test Your Faith (album), 1993, Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Produced by Ben GrosseBen GrosseBen Grosse is an American record producer and mixer, who has worked on numerous albums. He currently works with a staff at his own studio, The Mix Room, in Burbank, California...
(Filter, Ben Folds, Vertical Horizon). Guitarist Randy Jacobs (SealSeal (musician)Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, Tears for FearsTears for FearsTears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
, Was Not Was). Drummer Tony Thompson (Chic, BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Power Station). - Merry Wicked (album), 1999, Bona Dea Music. Produced by Scott Spock.
- The Story of O-Miz (album), 2002, Bona Dea Music. With Robert Tye on guitar, James Simonson and Chuck Bartels on bass guitar, Todd Glass and Dave Taylor on drums and Roscoe of Roscoe's Recording as co-producer (SpongeSponge (band)Sponge is a post-grunge band from Detroit, Michigan formed in 1991 by Vinnie Dombroski, Mike Cross, Tim Cross and Joey Mazzola. Sponge was signed to Sony Records in 1994 but have since switched to other labels....
, Brothers Groove). - Wake Up, Start Dreaming (album), 2005, Bona Dea Music.
- Stella 13 (album), 2008, Bona Dea Music.
- Blue Circus Life (album), 2008, Bona Dea Music.
- Luster Kraft (album), 2008, Bona Dea Music.