Amanda Palmer

This article is about the musician-artist-author. For the TV journalist, see Amanda Palmer (journalist).

Amanda Palmer

Amanda Palmer (born April 30, 1976) is a performer most noted for being the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the "Brechtian punk cabaret" duo The Dresden Dolls.

Biography

Palmer grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts. She attended Lexington High School, where she was heavily involved in the drama department, and received her B.A. from Wesleyan University. She staged performances based on work by the Legendary Pink Dots, an early influence, and was involved in the Legendary Pink Dots electronic mailing list, Cloud Zero. She then formed the Shadowbox Collective, devoted to putting on theatrical shows (such as the 2002 play, Hotel Blanc, which she directed) and street theatre, and busked as a living statue called "The Eight Foot Bride" in Harvard Square as well as in many other locations. She references this line of work on The Dresden Dolls' self-titled CD, with the song "The Perfect Fit":

"I can paint my face

And stand very, very still
It's not very practical

But it still pays the bills"

as well as on the A is for Accident track "Glass Slipper":

"I give out flowers

To curious strangers

who throw dollars at my feet."

A group of white-painted living statues appears in the music video to the single "Sing" from the Dresden Dolls' album Yes, Virginia....

Despite the fact that Palmer never learned to read music (though she briefly took lessons at two different times), she formed a band called "Amanda Palmer and the Void".

The Dresden Dolls

Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione, members of The Dresden Dolls

In October 2000, Palmer met drummer Brian Viglione and together they formed the Dresden Dolls. In an effort to expand the performance experience and interactivity, Palmer began inviting Lexington High School students to perform drama pieces at her live shows. Currently, the Dirty Business Brigade, a troupe of seasoned and new artists, perform at almost every gig. The invited costumed characters mingle with the crowd before and during the show, and veteran groups sometimes join in with a choreographed stage act. Life-sized marionettes, coin-operated boys, living statues, and other undergroundlings greet fans while circus and burlesque draw the audience into the Dolls' music, creating a participatory atmosphere which allows the audience to experience numerous types of art simultaneously.

In 2006, the Dresden Dolls Companion, was published, with "words, music & artwork" by Amanda Palmer. In it she has written a history of the album The Dresden Dolls and of the duo, as well as a partial autobiography. The book also contains the lyrics, sheet music, and notes on each song in the album, all written by her, as well as a DVD with a 20 minute interview of Amanda about making the book.

In June 2007, as part of the Dresden Dolls, she toured with the True Colors Tour 2007, including her debut in New York City's Radio City Music Hall, and her first review in the New York Times.

Amanda Palmer and the Onion Cellar

Palmer conceived a musical, The Onion Cellar, which the Dresden Dolls performed in conjunction with the American Repertory Theatre at the Zero Arrow Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from December 9, 2006 to January 13, 2007.

Solo Career

Amanda is recording for a solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, to be released in Spring 2008. Ben Folds will produce and also play on the album. The title appears to be a play on an expression used by fans during Twin Peaks' original run, "Who killed Laura Palmer?"

In July 2007, Amanda played three sold out shows (Boston, Hoboken, and NYC) in rare "with band" performances. Boston alternative rock group Aberdeen City was her backing band (they also opened along with Dixie Dirt).

In August 2007, Amanda traveled to perform in the Spiegeltent and other venues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, and also performed on BBC 2's The Edinburgh Show.

In September 2007 Amanda collaborated with Jason Webley to release Evelyn Evelyn's debut EP "Elephant Elephant" via Jason's Eleven Records.

Personal Life

She identifies as bisexual, saying, "I actually tend to like really femmey girls...I like girls about my body type and about my mix of masculine and feminine. I really don't dig high-maintenance girls who are really into hair and nails and waxing and coifing, but I also really love girls who aren't afraid to be sexy."

Awards and Honors

• 2007 - placed #6 on Spinner.com's Women Who Rock Right Now.
• 2006 - the Boston Globe named her the most stylish woman in Boston.
• 2006 - listed in Blender Magazine's hottest women of rock.
• 2005 - WFNX/Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll, Palmer won Best Female Vocalist.

Discography

Albums

As a Solo Artist

• Who Killed Amanda Palmer (2008)

As Part Of The Dresden Dolls

• The Dresden Dolls EP (2002)
• A is for Accident (2003)
• The Dresden Dolls (2003)
• The Dresden Dolls (reissue) (2004)
• Yes, Virginia... (2006)

Collaborations

• "Everybody Hurts" (with Cormac Bride on Stereogum Presents... DRIVE XV: A Tribute to Automatic For the People) (2007)
• "Elephant Elephant" (with Jason Webley as Evelyn Evelyn)
• "Stuck with You" (with Voltaire on Ooky Spooky) (2007)
• "The Lovers" (with Meredith Yayanos) on Brainwaves (2006)
• "Life", "Eight Days of Hell" and "Witch's Web" (with ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead on So Divided) (2006)
• "Warsaw Is Khelm" (with Golem! on Fresh Off Boat) (2006)
• "Circus Freak Love Triangle" (with Hierosonic on Pornos and Razorblades) (2005)
• "Trudy" (with Ad Frank and the Fast Easy Women on In Girl Trouble) (2003)

Bibliography

• Dresden Dolls Companion, by Amanda Palmer, eight foot music publishing, June, 2006, ISBN 157560888X ISBN 978-1575608884

External links

• About Amanda Palmer and photo archive
• Amanda Palmer's autobiography and blog on the Dresden Dolls website
• Template:MySpace