Kiki & Herb

 V
Location:
New York, US
Type:
Artist / Band / Musician
Genre:
Punk / Alternative / Jazz
Site(s):
Label:
People Die Records
Kiki and Herb met in the Eerie Childrens Institute in Western Pennsylvania

in 1934. By the time they were in their late teens they were playing pro-

fessionally on the Burlesque Circuit where Kiki,who had just given birth to

her first child -a bastard named Bradford- was billed as "The Completely

Insane Miss Kiki DuRane". In 1957 Kiki and Herb released their first LP



"The Hazy Days of Kiki" to universal indifference.

During the spring of 1960, Kiki married a professional boxer named Ruby

Mansbach -a white man- and very shortly thereafter gave birth to her

daughter Coco (1960-1967) Mansbach -may she rest in peace.



During Kiki's brief and violent marriage Herb, a gay-jew-'tard, worked

supporting himself as a piano player in a Jewish resort in the Catskils.

In 1963 Herb met and fell in love with the love of his life, Mr. Wick, an

African American bartender and jazz aficionado. Herb's connubial bliss

was not to last long however for shortly thereafter Kiki was released from

jail and summoned the long-suffering Herb back from the show-biz

hinterlands to resume their co-dependant stab at the big-time.In the summer of 1967 Kiki and Herb made their European debut at the

Grand Casino playing a Bastille Day Ball thrown by the crown princess

of Monaco, Princess Grace (formerly the movie actress Grace Kelly). A

few days later Kiki's daughter Coco drowned in the French Riviera

prompting an emotional breakdown from which the already

psychologically challenged Kiki never fully recovered.What followed were many years of obscurity with bouts of alcohol and

drug induced psychosis. In the early Eighties Kiki cleaned up her

"act" for a period of time long enough to give birth to her only

surviving daughter Miss D. By the mid-eighties Miss D was in the hands

of the department of Social Services due to Kiki's ongoing "health" issues.



After a disastrous turn working for the Princess Cruise lines Kiki and Herb

were "rediscovered" by a new generation in the early nineties in San

Francisco. Since then they have performed around the world as a sort

of freak show for the post-modern set. They released a Christmas album

"Do You Hear What We Hear" in the summer of 2000 and made their

off-Broadway debut at the Cherry Lane Theatre in 2003. On September 19th 2004 Kiki and Herb delivered their "farewell" concert at Carnegie Hall to American audiences, before travelling over to the UK, where they supported New York band, The Scissor Sisters on their sold out UK tour.



Kiki & Herb spent 2005 touring the UK with sell-out runs in London, Manchester and Edinburgh before being ressurected for a tour of America in fall 2005, dubbed The Resurrection Tour. Their Obie Award winning show "Jesus Wept" was also resurrected in December 2006 for shows in London and Chicago. They spent February and March 2007 entertaining the crowds down under at the legendary Studio @ Sydney Opera House as part of the city's Mardi Gras festival, enjoying a sold out extended run. All this however, was a mere warm up for the duo's spectacular Broadway appearance, "Kiki & Herb: Alive on Broadway!" in August 2006. Following previews in Philadelphia, Kiki & Herb wowed critics and audience members as they began their 5 week limited engagement at the Helen Hayes Theatre. This show garnered much praise from the critics and a nomination for a prestigious Tony Award.



As their come down show, Kiki & Herb took over The Reindeer Theatre in East London for their new Christmas show, "Christmas Happens" in December 2006. In 2007, Kiki & Herb set up camp at Joe's Pub in New York, performing every Sunday night til the end of May, in preparation for taking Alive on Broadway on the road. They are currently scheduled to perform in Washington D.C, Boston and San Francisco, with the possibility of runs in Chicago, Philadelphia, Sante Fe, London (UK) and Sydney.



Rhythm Divine - Preview from forthcoming DVD!
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