Kiss Kill
Portland, Oregon, United States | SELF
Music
Press
It is with great pleasure that I present the post-wedding images of Michelle Blau and Dusti Ohland rockers from the Portland band Kiss Kill who were wed in Hahei, New Zealand. Two amazing chics who inspire... - Fleur Hamill
Made up of Michelle Leigh, Dusti Outlaw, Jeff Leopard and Bam Bam Purkapile, Kiss Kill is a queer fronted pop punk quartet that been filling the Portland air with intense, honest rock tunes since they first joined forced in 2007.
Self deprecating in their attitude to their music, Kiss Kill describe their sound as coming “straight from the indignant, abused heart of rock n’ roll itself” , something that is hard to disagree with when you first hear the raw, but at the same time intriguing smooth sound of Dusti’s bass playing, Jeff’s guitar solos, Bam Bam’s magic on the drums and of course Michelle’s vocals and electric violin talent.
But if you think this is a band made up of a group of wannabe musicans who’ve got lost in the pursuit of fame you’d be wrong. This is a band made up of some very impressive people with Michelle spending her time away from the band supporting and mentoring adolescent girls via local organization Rock in Roll Camp for Girls, where, as a guest artist, she will soon be leading song writing workshops to the young female rockers, as well as travelling to various out of state treatment centers and high schools to speak out against the media’s role in creating the epidemic of eating disorders and self-harm teens, struggles that she herself has had to fight against.
And Dusti is a woman just as committed to givigin something back. A social worker for adults with developmental disabilities, Dusti is committed to putting the needs of others first and when not doing it during her day job she’s organizing and promoting drug/alcohol free benefit concerts in an attempt to make performing music a platform and a clean and safe environment, where everyone can express themselves in a positive/healthy manner.
And it doesn’t just stop with their independent endeavours, Kiss Kill are also committed as a band to giving back and have in recent months take part in a number of projects including:
* Fundraising for Mercy Corps’ Haiti relief project: raising almost $1000
* Hosting a SMYRC (a LGBTQ youth center)
* Fundraiser Performing at various Queer Festivals
You can find out more about Kiss Kill and their upcoming shows at the Kiss Kill website. - Queeried
Michelle and Dusti use their music to reach and rescue others... - Bound Magazine
Discography
Keychain Pistols- Backline Records- 2011
Vs. The World Compilation- Quickstar Productions- 2010
Kiss Kill- Self Produced- 2008
Photos
Bio
Members of the queer-fronted pop-punk quartet, Kiss Kill, joined forces in 2007 with the common goal of creating intense, honest rock tunes.
Operating out of Portland, OR the group has spent the past year gigging and building a fan base across the Northwest. With their new album "Keychain Pistols" now complete, the four show no signs of stopping. Though glimmers of "training" and "talent" may slip through from time to time (purely by accident of course), Kiss Kill has a sound that comes straight from the indignant, abused heart of rock n' roll itself.
Michelle Leigh (vox and electric violin) and Dusti Outlaw (bass) write and perform with an intimacy found only between lovers - and yet the music absolutely refuses to sacrifice all of the raw tension that makes your filthy heart race. The group's on-stage presence is complete with Jeff's shrieking, self-indulgent guitar solos and with Troy, the band's most recent addition, providing his thunderous rhythm on the skins.
At times reminiscent of everything from classic Veruca Salt right up to the current Paramore sensation, the group has forged its own sound cherry-picking aspects of punk, 80s hair metal, and melodic pop rock. The results can be as sweet and delicate as a gentle kiss or as dark and grim as the reaper himself. For fear or love, grab onto someone and fall into the abysmal romance of Kiss Kill.
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