Girls with Grungy Guitars

When the Glossines came together in summer 2001, Kristin Warnken had just left the band Dizzy, for whom she played guitar (she’s also a drummer now). Bassist Amber Everson was a go-goth dancer at Sabbat, a cult club gathering for the city’s darkly dressed. Various other members have come and gone, including cofounding guitarist Nina Reynolds. “Kristen and I are the only full-time members,” says Everson. “We have a handful of different people who play drums for us in concert settings.”

The band’s debut CD captures a rough-edged garage-band sound with 1960s girl-group harmonies and grungy guitars. Musically and visually, the group aspires to be part Bangles and part Josie and the Pussycats. Not that being “all-girl” is that noteworthy anymore, in Warnken’s opinion. “We’ve got nothing to compare this to, as we have always been girls, and there is no difficult aspect. We just happen to be girls. So, there.”

After legendary British DJ John Peel began spinning their songs “Cornbread” and “Too Much” on his nightly BBC Radio 1 program, he named their record among his “Best of December 2002” list. “We found out that he was playing our record from the avalanche of emails from the U.K. asking to buy our record because they heard it on John Peel,” says Warnken. “We were stoked out of our heads. We got some fans, and we sold some records!”

After several years touring and playing around town, the Glossines will premiere their new self-titled 11-song disc on August 12 at the Tower Bar.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Amber Everson:

1. Roky Erickson, The Evil One. “Perfect songs and perfect lyrics.”
2. ESG, A South Bronx Story. “Sometimes I like to get funky with Emerald, Sapphire, and Gold.”
3. The Cure, Boys Don’t Cry. “One of my all-time faves.”
4. Iggy Pop, The Anthology. “Sometimes there’s nothing better than an Iggython.”
5. Gram Rabbit, Miracles & Metaphors. “Sometimes I like to get all trippy with a dance party.”

Kristin Warnken:

1. Warsaw, self-titled. “‘It’s really a Joy Division album.”
2. The Smoke, High in a Room. “Well, duh.”
3. The Flo and Eddie Show. “Bootleg of a radio show from 1974. They rule as DJs, and their guest on that show was Harry Nilsson.”
4. The Real Kids, Live at Earthling Studios. “It was an epic moment in time.”
5. The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Take It From the Man. “Who doesn’t want to take it from the man?”

EVER BEEN INJURED ONSTAGE?

Everson: “One time on tour I got shocked so bad by the mic that it split my lip, causing me to spit blood through the whole set.”

Warnken: “Some really drunk dude got all up in my face, and I had to chin-check him with my guitar. It hurt my hand.”

ANY FEARS OR PHOBIAS?

Everson: “Spiders and big bugs.”

Warnken: “Really drunk dudes.”

IF YOU COULD TIME-TRAVEL, WHEN/WHERE WOULD YOU VACATION?

Everson: “I would choose 1973 New York City, so I could loiter around CBGB and Max’s Kansas City to see the birth of New York punk and party with Blondie, Iggy Pop, and Wayne County.”

Warnken: “Swinging London 1967 has always been where I want to be.”

FAVORITE CONCERT?

Everson: “I just saw Peter Murphy at the Casbah, and he was so beautiful and magical that it was like seeing a unicorn. I had goosebumps and tears in my eyes the whole time.”

Warnken: “There are so many, but Arthur Lee at the Belly Up in 2002 was an amazing night.”

BIGGEST LIE YOU EVER TOLD?

Everson: “I’m like George Washington: I cannot tell a lie.”

Warnken: “Lying is wack.”

YOUR DREAM DATE?

Warnken: “Batting cages with Joe Perry [of Aerosmith].”

SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Everson: “I’m obsessed with Dog the Bounty Hunter.”

Warnken: “Martha Stewart has nothing on me.” ■