Alien Knife Fight

Members: Monique Ortiz: vocals, 2-string slide bass, fretless bass, tritar, baritone guitar, percussion, organs/synths. Mike Howard: vocals, drums, percussion, guitar, bass.


Genre: Underground rock.


Hometown: Austin, TX


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http://www.alienknifefight.com/





Genre


Underground rock.


Band Members


Monique Ortiz: vocals, 2-string slide bass, fretless bass, tritar, baritone guitar, percussion, organs/synths.




Mike Howard: vocals, drums, percussion, guitar, bass.





Hometown


Austin, TX


Record Label


Unsigned.


Affiliation


SESAC


Short Description


http://alienknifefight.bandcamp.com/album

http://alienknifefight.com

http://twitter.com/alienknifefight

http://www.indieonthemove.com/user/AlienKnifeFight


Long Description


Listen and see.


Bio
Based in the small, dusty junction town of Creedmoor, Texas (population 202) the creative duo Known as Alien Knife Fight craft their sound at all hours in their big, old 1930's era house/home studio, situated on 3.6 acres that they call Big Bottom Farm. Bassist/vocalist Monique Ortiz has been performing in duos for over 25 years, out of pure drive and necessity to perform unhindered by the lack of traditional rock instrumentation. Her first notable duo project, Bourbon Princess (1997), lead to over a decade of collaboration and close ties with members of the band Morphine. This includes the evolution of Bourbon Princess going from a duo to a trio with original Morphine drummer Jerome Deupree and guitarist Jim Moran, then leading to the formation of power trio A.K.A.C.O.D., with Morphine saxophonist Dana Colley and auxilary Morphine drummer Larry Dersch.

In 2010 Monique moved from Boston to Austin, met multi-instrumentailst Michael Howard and started writing and recording music together. With Mike switching from bass to drums, and taking the reigns on production and engineering at their home studio, they gradually shaped a sound heavily influenced as much by post punk and new wave, as by desert rock and psychedelic blues. The goal being to go well beyond the typical duo gimmicks and sound that often draw comparisons to acts such as White Stripes, Black Keys, and The Cramps. No. This was never good enough. Never dynamic enough. AKF go where most duos rarely venture: Firstly, they don't think about music within the limits of a duo. They think much larger. With her powerfully soulful voice, and unconventional lyrics and subject matter, along with her unique fretless bass and slide bass playing, there's much more here than a cute interpretation of punk and delta blues.

Bring in Micheal's primal, tom-heavy drumming (a la Adam & The Ants, Siouxsie & The Banshees), with the addition of specialized vocal and keyboard loops, and you have something far heavier and transporting than what so many duos offer. A dark, visceral, soundtrack for the times. An abstract painting from a dystopian future. Over the years Alien Knife Fight have drawn far more comaprisons to acts such as PJ Havrvey, Nine Simone, Queens Of The Stone Age, Can, Joy Divison, and Swans, than the acts people typically think of with duos. Currently AKF are working on a new record with producer Mark Deutrom, best known as "Mark D", former Melvins bassist. They plan on touring next spring, follwing the release of the new record. Monique also sings and plays bass in Mark's live vehichle, Bellringer.

A.K.F. have recently independently released a 5-song EP which is available on their bandcamp page at http://alienknifefight.bandcamp.com/

*For more about Monique Ortiz, and information on her full discography please visit http://moniqueortiz.com/ .

Current Location

Austin, TX

Artists We Also Like

Gallon Drunk, Tenebrous Liar, Grinderman, Black Sabbath, Wire, Can, Led Zeppelin, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Bauhaus, Joy Division,

Influences

Queens Of The Stone Age, Joy Divison, Can, Led Zeppelin, Nick Cave, Romeo Void

Band Interests

The paranormal, conspiracy theories, U.F.O.s, glass blowing, painting, muscle cars, vintage gear and strange guitars.

Website

http://www.alienknifefight.com

Press Contact:

monique@alienknifefight.com

social media links:
http://facebook.com/AlienKnifeFight

http://twitter.com/AlienKnifeFight

Instagram: @alien_knife_fight


Booking Agent


We don't have one.

Quote from Monique Ortiz: "These days duos are kind of a gimmick, a fad. I've been performing in the duo format for over 20 years, and it's mainly out of necessity; I didn't want the lack of right musicians keeping me from performing. Mike and I strive to sound much bigger and more dynamic than other duos. We aren't one-trick ponies by any means. And we aren't a roots / blues act, which is an assumption many make when they see that I play a 2-string slide bass. Sure, I like some early blues, but for the most part we are more influenced by hard rock acts, punk, and new wave. 

Personally, my biggest influences are Queens Of The Stone Age, Birthday Party, Romeo Void, Skull Defekts, and Can, just to name a few. And of course, my long-standing, close ties and collaborations with members of the bands Morphine and Mission Of Burma have influenced and colored our sound greatly. Our rock sound is just a small slice of what we do: Alien Knife Fight is a creative partnership. Mike and I record a lot of instrumental, experimental music, which we hope, some day, will find placement in film and other areas outside of the typical rock-n-roll realm.

We are also filmmakers and visual artists working in glass, paint, photography and illustration. Currently we are working on a new record with producer Mark Deutrom, who is also frontman of another band I play in, Bellringer. Mark is best known as the ex-bassist of Melvins, and Clown Alley. He has also worked closely with Sun O))). We aim to release the record early next year, with extensive US & European tours to follow."