About Kristen Barry
For Kristen's own perspective on her life and career - broken down by year - please read the excellent These Streets interview from 2013.
There are also numerous articles that go over her early life and they're very much worth reading.
While often overlooked, Kristen was a part of the PNW band scene that birthed so many popular bands in the 90s. Her Seattle home was loaned to bands like Pearl Jam for easy access to venues, some of their songs written using her guitars, and was even featured in the film Singles. Her home studio was also used by local bands to record demos.
Early Life and First Thought
Kristen was born January 1970 and became interested in music at five years old, after receiving a piano for Christmas.
She joined her first band at the age of 15, becoming the keyboardist for First Thought in 1985. This band only performed live occasionally, and Kristen gradually began writing her own songs, recording demos onto tape before rehearsals. This would lead to her breaking from the band in 1988 to go alone, and their manager - Susan Silver - also agreed to manage Kristen as a solo act.
Going Solo, First Band Lineup, and Epic Deal
Kristen's first known, and possibly only 1988, performance was at the Vogue June 1988. It is unclear if this was completely solo or featured any other musicians. It seemingly wouldn't be until 1989 that she had her first full band and they recorded their first studio demos. They would perform frequently in various Seattle clubs in the early 90s.
The band lineup at this point:
- Kristen Barry - vocals, keyboards
- Tommy Martin - lead guitar
- Jim Tillman - rhythm guitar
- Al Tompkins - bass
- Chris Friel - drums
- Tyler Stone - keyboards
- Krisha Augerot - backing vocals
It was not long until Kristen landed a "Development" contract with Epic around 1990/1991, which apparently required her to be set up with various songwriters to help mold her into whatever Epic was looking for. This didn't work for Kristen, and she eventually walked out.
Around this time Susan Silver joined with Kelly Curtis, and both would manage Kristen.
Return to Independence and Second Band Lineup
Shortly after the Epic deal fell through, the band lineup changed. Only Jim Tillman and Krisha Augerot remained, Greg Gilmore would join from Mother Love Bone. Kristen began to focus more heavily on guitar:
- Kristen Barry - vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
- Rick DeChurch - lead guitar
- Jim Tillman - rhythm guitar
- Sean Mugrage - bass
- Greg Gilmore - drums
- Tom Morrison - keyboards
- Krisha Augerot - backing vocals
- Annemarie Correa - backing vocals
This lineup would persist through to around 1993, possibly early 1994. A variation of this lineup can be seen performing on the Spud Goodman show, the backing vocalists are not present.
Signing with Virgin, Debut Album and Tour
In 1994 Kristen would finally sign with Virgin, and recorded her first officially released song Joyride for the Home Alive compilation. This recording did not feature any of her former bandmates, and it is not clear when exactly the previous band lineup dissolved. Only Rick DeChurch remained, but did not contribute to this recording.
Between July and November 1995 The Beginning. The Middle. The End. was recorded, in parts from Kristen's own home studio and Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles. The album featured Chris Ballew on bass, who had performed on bass a few times with Kristen in 1992, and session drummer Matt Chamberlain. Kristen then embarked on a tour throughout the US and parts of Asia with a lean 4-piece touring band.
- Kristen Barry - vocals, guitar
- Rick DeChurch - guitar
- David Doyle - bass
- Brad Caseldan - drums
This band would continue touring until mid 1997, when they booked a studio and recorded some demos for a 2nd album, which at that time was looking to sound similar to her debut, if not a little more evolved and aggressive.
Label Changes, Abandoned Sophomore Album, and Moving On
Shortly after the 1997 portion of the tour concluded and studio demos recorded, all activities were suddenly put on hold. Her contact at Virgin had left, her managers moved on, her band dissolved, and Kristen moved to New York.
Her songwriting for the next album took a new, more personal, direction. 20 songs were written, recorded in demo form on 4-track, and 2 were rerecorded in a London studio with her labelmates the Sneaker Pimps - Ordinary Life and Built a Temple. Ordinary Life would find a home on the Cruel Intentions soundtrack, and become Kristen's most well known and loved song. Despite this, new management at Virgin were not interested in Kristen's music and let her go.
Kristen moved to Boston and continued to perform in clubs, while returning to school and studying for a new career path. She is now successful and happy in her new life, but sadly only a small portion of her recorded music was ever released.
