Kristian Hoffman

NEWS! Kristian's Hoffman new 17 song CD, "FOP", will be released on Kayo Stereophonic Recordings on September 28, 2010 .



KRISTIAN HOFFMAN OVERVIEW



Rolling Stone calls Kristian Hoffman "one of the underground's best songsmiths"! The Album Network calls the singer/songwriter/producer/keyboardist "almost blessedly skilled". If that sounds gushy, read on!



Kristian has finished recording his fantabulous self-produced and arranged new solo CD, the 17 song opus "FOP"As usual, the album features scads of kooky and talented guests, including Abby Travis, Andrew Sandoval, Kristi Callan, Carolyn Edwards, Probyn Gregory, Prince Poppycock, and Weba Garretson, with string arrangements by Kristian's SBHS High School pal, Jeff Bruner and Broadway's own amazing Stephen Oremus (arranger/conductor of "Wicked", "Avenue Q", "9 to 5", and of course the glamorous heartthrob orchestra conductor of Rufus Wainwright's tribute to Judy Garland).



Kristian's usual band, The Rock Gods, ( Dave Bongiovanni, William Bongiovanni, and Joe Berardi) provide the bulk of the FOP accompaniment, with guest drummer extraordinaire Dan Joeright (the Rentals) on several tracks and some magical guitar stylings from Earle Mankey himself.



Before that, Kristian Hoffman's latest project was producing, arranging, co-writing, and playing multiple instruments on long time friend and collaborator Ann "Bongwater" Magnuson'sn long awaited newest CD "Pretty Songs and Ugly Stories", released on December 2 2006, with the attendant fanfare of a sold out standing ovation show at Los Angeles' buzzy Redcat Theater in the legendary Disney Concert Hall



The album is an ambitious orchestrated assault on most of Kristian's and Ann's fave musical styles, including Bowie-damaged glam rock, stripped down lounge cabaret, crazed sitar inflected psychedelic ragas, overblown over-produced Richard Harris musical harrassments, and intimate McGarrigle weepers. The "Pretty Songs" sessions were frequented by a a galaxy of gifted stars and collaborators: The ubiquitous Rufus Wainwright contributed a muti-tiered choir of vocals to "Whatever Happened To New York", which he also sang live with Ann for none other than New York City's Mayor Bloomberg on stage at PSI in November 2006 The fabulous Chapin Sisters have added their trademark gorgeous three part harmonies to two songs as well. Heather Lockie of KCRW faves Listing Ship is the CD's one woman string orchestra, and other guests include the fabulous Lisa Jenio of Candypants on flute and backing vocals on several tracks, Jonathan Lea of the Jigsaw Seen, Abby Travis, and Weba GarretsonDJ Bonebrake of X played vibes on two numbers, and drums on another

"Pretty Songs" is currently available through Amazon, CD Baby and Ann Magnuson's My Space page.

Currently living in Los Angeles, Kristian's most recent solo album is called simply "&" The L.A.Weekly said " '&' is the record that every fan of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Kinks, and great songcraft in general, has been pining for. Frighteningly Excellent!" Uncut called it " a spectacular operatic art rock power pop album, crammed full of invention", as if that isn't a mouthful!



"&" is a collection of duets with many of Kristian's favorite musicians, and some notion of the eclectic nature of his songwriting can be gleaned from the incredible list of participants: Russell Mael from Sparks, Stew from The Negro Problem, cult legend Ann Magnuson, Rufus Wainwright, Maria McKee, Darian Sahanaja of the Wondermints (who is also vocal director and keyboardist for the Brian Wilson "Smile" tour, album and DVD), Michael Quercio of The Jupiter Affect and the Three O'clock, Steve MacDonald of Redd Kross, Anna Waronker, Lydia Lunch, Abby Travis, plus a performance by Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens - And beautiful string arrangements by pop genius Van Dyke Parks!.



Kristian wrote many of new wave legend Klaus Nomi's best known pop songs, including "Total Eclipse" (also recorded by Soft Cell's Marc Almond with German Dance sensations Rosenstolz)Kristian is featured extensively in the recently released Klaus Nomi documentary "The Nomi Song" as are four of his songs

Kristian is also known as the main songwriter of NYC CBGBs era punk/pop band Mumps, whose lavish CD/DVD two disc career retrospective "How I Saved The World" was released by Sympathy For the Record Industry. The notoriously flamboyant Lance Loud, the lead singer of Mumps, is known as T.V.'s first reality star, and was also the first out gay character on American television, in PBS' award winning 70's documentary "An American Family"All Music Guide calls Mumps "the 'great lost band" of the CBGB era" and the L.A. Weekly called them "a groundbreaking wild combo prized for off-kilter thrillers" which the L.A. Times say have "great hooks and snotty lyrics". For more information, pictures, and ephemera, visit www.mumpsmusic.com. Kristian has two earlier solo albums, both produced by one-time Spark Earle Mankey, who is highly regarded as the most skilled purveyor of shimmering L.A. pop production:

"Earthquake Weather" for which Magnet dubbed Kristian "a true American original" and about which BAM said "fearlessly plunders and reinvents all that is good in melodic rock music". .A highlight among many is an uber-rare appearance of the Cramps' own Ivy Rorschach on lead guitar on "That's Our Secret".Kristian's first solo CD was "I Don't Love My Guru Anymore" which Genre hailed for it's "left-field lyrics and splendid, classic pop style"Kristian is also currently a DJ on the incredible and luscious on-line radio sation, Luxuriamusic.com. His show, which runs from noon until 2:00 P.M. most Sundays (unless he is on tour) is called "Pepperland Spicerack".The playlist is mostly late 60's/early70's lite psych, peppered liberally with quirky novelty records and whatever Kristian feels like playing! Expect to hear East Bloc psych faves like Czerwone Gitary, Illes, Skaldowie. Prudy, and Olympic; French folk/psych heroes Eric Charden, Gerard Manset and Michel Polnareff, along with liberal doses of Blossom Toes, Los Brincos, and anything Kinksy, Beatley, or just plain weird! .Luxuriamusic.com has a default Auto DJ Jukebox from the incredible collection of Erik Bonerz, and also features such stellar live DJs as Howie "The Blessed, Danzig, D-Generation" Pryo , Kari French, The Millionaire.(musical director of the legendary Velvet Hammer Burlesque Shows), Steve "The Now People" Stanley (who also produces incredible re-issues for the fab Rev-Ola label), our own Andrew Sandoval (who just produced the Bee Gees first three LP box set), and many more entertainingly obsessed record collectors! For a calendar and how to log on, check out Luxuriamusic's MySpace profile, or www.luxuriamusic.com .Kristian also appears on numerous tribute CDs, and as a musical guest on many other albums. A complete discography is available at his extensive website (www.kristianhoffman.com), which also includes regularly updated diaries and blogs, news, photos, and exclusive MP3s and recordingsAn in-demand keyboard player, Kristian toured for five years as a member of the legendary Kinks' own Dave Davies solo band, and appears on three of his recent CDs.

Kristian is currently a member of Abby Travis' band, as well as playing keyboards with John Waters legend Mink Stole, Ann Magnuson, and making regular appearances with songwriter extraordinaire Carolyn Edwards. Kristian makes regular Los Angeles area live solo appearances backed by The Rock Gods, which the L.A. Weekly called "a dynamic wonder."Kristian is also an illustrator and graphic artist, and had two one-man gallery shows in Los Angeles in 2005. He has designed album covers for Los Angeles punk legends X, Andrew Sandoval, and others, illustrated books for Lydia Lunch and poet Iris Berry, and designed the poster for the recent Green Day documentary "Heart Like A Hand Grenade"He is also the proud illustrator who drew the famous "bendover girl" from the New York Dolls debut LP insert.But it is songwriting that remains Kristian's greatest love, which often results in such unabashed and over-the-top accolades as: "To say Hoffman is a great songwriter is an understatement - the man and his music are pure genius! - Genre



Be sure to visit The Official Kristian Hoffman Website for a more detailed history, loads of kooky trivia, extensive diary entries, and scads of pictures!