Kelly & the Kellygirls
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Kelly & the Kellygirls

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Band Pop Alternative

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"concert review"

“I could imagine the flamboyant Clipperton's voice going over perfectly in a Las Vegas lounge act, but fortunately, he deploys it with enough menace and anguish to balance its suave, let-me-sell-you-something side…..surrounded by paparazzi eagerly photographing and videoing in hopes that Clipperton would yank the Velcro on his PVC undies loose, as he's been known to do. He didn't bother”
- Now


"out now"

“…everything Hedwig should have been: a fun, sexy, glammed-up adventure fronted by a captivating man with a great cosmetics and wardrobe collection. Kelly Clipperton’s deep, dramatic vocals are reminiscent of both Peter Murphy and Matt Johnson. The fact that Kelly can really sing is what makes him rise above the New York Doll wannabes in this town”
- eye weekly


"Drag Erase CMW preview"

KELLY AND THE KELLY GIRLS tonight (Thursday, March 4), 10:30 pm. $6. 416-504-4239.

NOTHING, ESPECIALLY A BAND, LASTS forever. In June of 2002, R. Kelly Clipperton, now of Kelly and the Kelly Girls, then of the local glam punk outfit Merkury Burn, told NOW that Merkury Burn was going to explode onto the scene "like a great big ejaculation."
"We did ejaculate," he says of the now defunct project. "I think we ejaculated quite well. But then we just couldn't get it up any more."
So Clipperton and his flaccid member moved on to form Kelly and the Kelly Girls, a six-piece jazz/blues/ swing/dance/rock operation with a pop sensibility featuring such illustrious members as Jennifer Gilmour of the Dropdeadbeats and Roach Motel on bass and Michael J of Big Rude Jake.
The group, which is dropping an album called Swing Swing May 25, had an auspicious beginning.
"We started right after I left Merkury Burn. I had a whole bunch of invitations to play Pride with Merkury Burn. So I explained the situation, and the organizers said, 'Come and play with your new band.' We took it from there and then just kept playing our asses off and honing our songs."
Then you have no ass?
"I wish! I'm still white, honey, so I've got what I call a porridge ass, because my ancestors ate a lot of porridge."
Renowned for being a fabulous frontman, Clipperton is rumoured to be relaxing the big gay drag element, taking things in a more manly direction.
"Well, I've done the suit thing a couple of times, but it's going in all directions. It just depends on how I'm feeling at the time. There's no set of rules."
Well, maybe just one rule.
"I want to stay away from the angst thing. I'm so sick of flipping on the radio and hearing anger – everyone's so angry, angry, angry. Most of the songs that I write are relatively introspective, but the vibe of the band is very positive.
"But I'm thrilled that Courtney's out of rehab. There's one angry person I'll probably never get sick of."

- NOW magazine


"the talented R. Kelly Clipperton"

R. Kelly Clipperton says he doesn’t remember where or when he was born, simply offering ‘it was so long ago…’ when asked. He does remember, however, that he grew up in a family of musicians, so playing an instrument and singing was just taken for granted.
The multitalented Virgo – Clipperton is a photographer/musician/playwright - really got his creative juices flowing in high school where he was involved in drama, and that carried him to York University. ‘I wanted to be an actor but I got discouraged from that pretty quickly.’ So he shifted gears to a more directorial approach by writing a play. ‘My first play came as a revolt to the process that was happening at York. (The University’s academic system often has a reputation of suffocating non-conforming artists who attend.) ‘It was just kind of a vomiting of emotion,’ says this definite non-conformist. ‘ I never really thought I’d ever write a play, I certainly had no designs on it, it just kind of happened. And as I was writing it, people just said, ‘you should do this. You should do this. You know we’ve got so many resources here at York, you should totally take advantage of them.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay!’’ And that was a turning point; suddenly Clipperton was seeing himself in a whole new light. ‘I never really looked at myself as a producer either, but I just learned so much about myself at York – that I have this ability to hone things and pull people together and I can be very, very focused. That was probably the biggest thing I learned about myself in the four years that I was there.’

He hit the creative road running but quickly shifted gears again, heading into the music and fashion industry. ‘I thought I was better at writing shorter pieces of information. A three-minute pop song seemed to make more sense to me in my head than an hour-and-a-half journey. Sometimes I couldn’t pull my very busy brain to focus and hone. An hour-and-a-half seemed too long. So when I started writing songs, I’m like, ‘Oh! God I’ve found it!’ It encompasses everything. I can be theatrical and I can write and music has always been part of my life.’ So during the transition from fashion to theatre he just woke up one morning and decided, ‘I wanna write songs and I’m going to start a band.’ Working at Roy Thompson Hall at the time, he put the feelers out and pulled his first professional band together, My Dear Heretic. Clipperton never looked back. After four successful years and a slew of band member changes, My Dear Heretic finally disbanded. But shortly thereafter Clipperton learned that he’d been accepted to play multiple music festivals. Not willing to let these opportunities pass him by, he quickly threw together a new band, Caustic Chevy for the summer of ’98, which then grew into Merkury Burn.

Fast forward to 2003. As of March his newest incarnation is Kelly and the Kellygirls (who you can catch opening the S.M.U.T. party, Friday October 4th at Zen Lounge, before they embark on a tour of the East Coast). The Kellygirls move from the screaming, glam rock of the previous bands to a more swinging, pop groove. ‘My biggest fear is that people who really, really loved Merkury Burn – and there were lot of people because we worked really hard for two-and-a-half years – were not going to embrace what I was doing. But some of the hardcore people who were really into the headbanging stuff that was Merkury Burn have come to see shows and they were like ‘I didn’t think I was going to like it, but you’re just an amazing entertainer. I can just watch you do anything.’ And that makes me feel good.’
Clipperton is riding high on the vibe of success. He’s also wrapping up his first ever solo photography exhibit at Gallery X. (Make sure you can catch the tail end of it before it closes October 3rd, if you haven’t already - 491 Church St, Suite 200).
But most importantly: what does the ‘R’ stand for? ‘Richard…Dick,’ Clipperton says with a grin. ‘All my siblings have a first initial. My parents put our given names as our middle names.’ So if you ever run into him, just remember, the ‘R’ is silent.
The R might be silent, but for our thriving art scene it’s a good thing Kelly isn’t
- Gay Guide Toronto


"NOW Magazine Cover Story"

“.… a towering spectre, clad only in platform boots and red PVC undies, is taunting the crowd. R. Kelly Clipperton, the fabulous frontman, wants to lure unsuspecting audience members into compromising situations. "Come on, people! What are you? A bunch of pussies?" .

“…. anything can be turned into an ironic John Waters moment. Bleach-blond Clipperton (fully clothed today and sporting mirrored aviator shades) tosses off caustic one-liners like a drag queen on crank, bouncing around witty banter like a Noel Coward play.”

“… The most distinctive element is Clipperton's quavering baritone, which conveys nuanced emotion from track to track.”

“….you've got yourself a flaming cultural phenomenon.”
- NOW


"Kelly and the Kellygirls"

July 2003

For Kelly Clipperton, who just this year started the musical group the Kellygirls, taking life as it comes has become a mantra: “things will happen when they happen. I don’t want to force things, ever. I want to take things as they come.” However, at the same time he concedes “ I always have to keep busy. I was never the type of person who would sit and relax. I have to stay active”.

The next month is sure to prove busy for Kelly, who for the first time will be playing at a trio of Prides starting in Toronto and then joining the performances in both Ottawa and Montreal.

His songwriting and performing has run the spectrum of light pop to harder rock and now has delved in to explore a more rhythm-focused danceable music with a jazz, swing or disco beat. Earlier this year he decided to leave Merkury Burn to have more creative control of the music he writes and performs: “Finally in my thirties, I have come to understand what my voice is as an instrument. When you play in a really loud rock band you have to holler over top of the music. I just wanted to sing and there had to be a different tone.”

While some songwriters see music as a craft or a trade that they need to work on systematically, Kelly focuses on the more instantaneous inspiration of creativity. “The best songs I have written just come out of nowhere…a melody comes into my head as I’m riding my bicycle and I have to stop, sing into a payphone to my answering machine…those are the best ones.”

“I am so thrilled about the response I have been getting from fans,” he says of his experience since forming the Kellygirls along with Jennifer Gillmor, Amer Diab, Michael J., and Jerry Pergolesi. Kelly was originally going to use just his own name for the band but found Kellygirls (synonymous with temporary secretarial work in the 60s and 70s) to be a humourous twist…and performed his debut show in drag.

The Kellygirls will be on hand in Ottawa at the Community Stage and Main Stage, then at the Sex Garage Stage in Montreal.
- tobe magazine


"Deep Dish"

Instant Replay! R.Kelly Clipperton, whose band Merkury Burn split up in March, has resurfaced, this time wearing a dress. At his first performance at B.I.B.T. Theatre, Clipperton, looking very Peg Bundy, unveiled his new band The Kellygirls (which is actually the name of a 1960s temp agency). 'I'm waiting for the lawsuits. The scandal would be international and it would be blown up to global proportions. I'm talking with Madonna's people on how to turn nothing into something', joked Clipperton backstage. The band will be performing the Pride 'half-time shows' in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal this summer. 69, E-3, 60 bucks, hut, hut!
- FAB magazine


"R.Kelly Clipperton knows how to talk dirty"

Clipperton's voice is easily the sexiest baritone in rock music since Peter Murphy's ode to Bela Lugosi 20 years ago. Clipperton, who has been a part of the queer fashion, art and music scene for close to a decade, talks about the new Madonna and Jeanne Beker's hooters.

Xtra: What do you think of the return of hockey hair on the runways of Paris?
Clipperton: Why are mullets back in style? When were they ever in style? Are people so desperate in trying to keep their lives moving forward that they copy what's happening in Northern Ontario? It's not a fashion statement in North Bay; they just don't know how to cut their hair. They can't reach the back of their hair themselves. All they do is cut around their face.
Xtra: How bout Jeanne Beker's new line at Sears?
Clipperton: What is she selling? Staples to keep your mouth shut? If those lips get any bigger, she's going to be tripping on them. Did you know she's got a huge rack? They really downplay that on TV….that she has big tits. Her hooters are massive.
Xtra: Madonna
Clipperton: I think she would be better off if she knew me. I would be able to give her some good ideas. Why is she punk all of a sudden, especially at 42? Fashion is supposed to be about fantasy and escapism and when it taps into something that was a genuine movement, especially something that was a political movement for the most part, it becomes insulting…..also when they try to make it glamorous. Unless it's done very tongue and cheek like designer Alexander McQueen, who is billiant.
Xtra: What is like being the sexy voice of Cruiseline? (Pink Triangle Press' phone sex service)?
Clipperton: For group sex, press one. For erotic stories, press two. It's very exhausting.
- Xtra!


"burn baby burn"

R. Kelly Clipperton is hard to miss. He's sitting on a bar stool wearing a white T-shirt ripped apart at the neckline and held together with a safety pin. Sporting an elegant Clark 'Gablesque' moustache, to complement his black nail polish, body tattoos and shaved head, he stands up when he sees me approach the table. He looks like an angel and a criminal.
Clipperton smiles and you notice instantly that he is beautiful.
Clipperton has a refreshing attitude he carries with him on stage. A York University Theatre graduate, Clipperton orchestrates the most flamboyant and entertaining live shows.
"I like to push the rock and roll envelope stylistically," He says, ". . .it's fun to create characters and dress up . . .[that] doesn't mean it's who you are, you're putting on a show. You're entertaining."
If he's not dressing up, he's probably dressing down. You might catch him stripping down to his underwear ….an uninhibited performer, Clipperton's deep, sexy voice leaves quite a lasting impression.
- On The Wall Magazine


Discography

swing swing (2004)
We love You, but Not as Much as we love Ourselves (2006)
Modernism (2009)
MMX (2011)
Club des Femmes (2012)

http://vimeo.com/kellyandthekellygirls

Photos

Bio

Toronto Renaissance Man R.Kelly Clipperton founded Kelly & The Kellygirls in 2003. In the 8 years since, the 5 to 9 piece band, has released 3 studio albums, 1 live DVD/album, toured Canada 4 times, the UK/France twice and California. The band known for its unique cultural fusion of ska, swing, mariachi, reggae and flamenco always bring a bold, dramatic stage of theatrics when performing live. Kelly has, through his varied career, also penned and produced 6 plays, styled heads from L.A. to Toronto to Berlin and in the past 5 years received global praise for his highly original eye as a photographer.

In 2012 Kelly and the Kellygirls will be releasing their first recording of new material in 3 years on May 18th. The band will then set sights on touring Canadian Summer Festivals from Regina Pride to NxNe in Toronto with dates in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa and many others. Tentatively titled "Club des Femmes" the 5 song mini album will be the band's 5th recording and will push their sound into a danceable '60s acid jazz groove with singable catchy choruses and bold instrumentation.