KAREN CURIOUS & the New Professionals

"KISMIT" is a word that comes to mind when New Professionals lead vocalist/bassist Karen Curious and guitarist Sarah Michaels explain how they met. An earlier version of New Professionals, with a different lineup, was playing the Continental. After the show, "I ran up to Karen and basically said,"Oh my god, I love your band!" Sarah remembers, "I knew I wanted to join it."

Karen replied, "Well, we have a rehearsal next Tuesday." Together the girls then found drummer Jonathon TeBeest on Craigslist. Both were floored by his skills on the skins and his eerie resemblance to a young Mick Fleetwood. The rest was history............................
by Kat Long

(for more of the featured artist interview, contact the bands people who will then contact your people and so on and so forth...too much typing) - GO NYC Magazine

New Professionals

Come Hell or High Drama



By: Lynda
Sugarbuzz Correspondent; Atlanta, GA

Can I start star reviews on this one? Good.

I give this 5 out of 5 (rock)stars.

New Professionals' lead singer/songwriter Karen Curious has this inexplicable female rock hero movie character quality about her. She's this beautiful front woman with flowing layered hair, gorgeous eyes, slightly masculine clothing style and on-stage stance, and just the right amount of tattoos to accentuate that she is, indeed, a rocker. In listening to her band's CD Come Hell or High Drama, I can almost visualize the band performance breakdowns in the New Professionals' version of the (highly recommend) flick "Prey for Rock & Roll", which stars Gina Gershon as Karen Curious...oops, I mean Jacki. There's a scene in this movie where I can see NYC's New Professionals having a band rehearsal right after Karen's character has just had a fight with her girlfriend. The band breaks into their ballad "I Loved You Baby", and it's nothing but shear emotion enhanced by Karen's amazing songwriting talents. Her Suzi Quatro/Melissa Etheridge singer/songwriter attributes have you swaying your head with your eyes closed so you can just feel the intensity. You don't have to see anything; you just want to experience it. But that's my made-up movie that the New Professionals star in. In reality, they have two songs featured in the film "Girl Play". The rock star movie-jive just seems right up their alley...



If you haven't seen "Prey for Rock & Roll" and don't know what I'm talking about, then all you have to know is that Karen Curious is an amazing singer/songwriter. It's a fact that is said over and over again in various reviews and fans/friends' quotes, but it's an outstanding aspect that could drive anyone's envy car right into an ugly ditch of jealousy-assuming you weren't in this with the intent of support for your fellow musicians. The sound of the New Professionals is that of a southern rock/classic rock facade. The more I listen to the CD, I can also kind of feel this bizarre Bon Jovi comparison-when Bon Jovi started growing up and making "So You Wanna be a Cowboy?"/"I'll Be There for You" type songs.

Come Hell or High Drama, released 2004 on Real Chick Records, is an 8-song escape from the harsh exploitations of angst that the radio sheep seem to feel is the only way to relay such emotions. Personally, this is one of those beloved albums that I love to throw in the car, turn up loud, and sign even louder over-pretending that I'm this rock heroine myself, and I, too, could write such brilliant and catchy songs. Of course, it's far from the truth, but that's why we keep the windows rolled up, isn't it?!

Karen threw in a little note with the CD when she sent it to me, and the line I couldn't help but laugh over is: "Listen to the whole thing, the first song can be deceiving!" "I Just Want it All to Stop" is a kickass rock song. And even though the rest of the album is a little less boot-stomping rock, it does just fine, Ms. Curious.

Check out the New Professionals website, and on Myspace as well. - Sugar Buzz magazine by Lynda

Lourdes took to the stage to introduce the next act, NEW PROFESSIONALS, raving over their song "Nothin' Pretty". Frontwoman Karen Curious (Yes! She has a last name!) fronting the band on vocals and bass has long been an essential member of many downtown bands, and started NEW PROFESSIONALS in 2002, releasing the CD "Come Hell or High Drama" in 2003. With a lot of experience and a variety of influences, the band has a confident sound that can head into country one moment (think LUCINDA WILLIAMS) to grinding rockers that reverberate throughout the body. Curious's reputation as one of the best downtown rockers is well-earned. Their website is http://www.new-professionals.com - METAL MAIDENS No. 38 (12/04)

The New Professionals called the shots, starring Karen Curious raspy pipes. Surprisingly pop for such a rock chick, a perfect compliment to the Medusa Fest. The band has 2 tracks on indie movie "Girl Play". Keep an eye on these guys, they're going places. www.new-professionals.com - New York Waste MUSIC (12-04)

The New Professionals has experienced personals trauma in the past year which makes the title of its new album "Come Hell or High Drama" particularly fitting. Vocalist/bassist Karen Curious' brother was murdered during the albums recording sessions, a crime that remains unsolved; the band will donate 25% of the proceeds from sales to continue the investigation. The sad circumstances added a note of pathos to Karen's straight from the gut anthems like "Nothin' Pretty" and "Rockstar". Karen and the other New Professionals, Jonny Napalm (keys/vocals), Scott Black (rhythm guitars), Jonathon TeBeest (drums), and Lizzie Steelheart (backing vocals) are playing Don Hills on August 11 and Arlene Grocery on August 19. - Go Magazine 9/04

GLBT Musicians Get Prime Exposure on SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Sirius Satellite Radio’s SIRIUS OutQ – America’s only 24/7 GLBT radio station –recently presented the SIRIUS OutQ Hot 100. Hosts Charlie Dyer and Jeremy Hovies played back this year’s top-requested songs from GLBT musicians and bands with at least one openly gay member.

An eclectic mix of artists from veterans Elton John and R.E.M. to newer names including Tegan & Sara and The Polyphonic Spree were heard throughout the weekend. Laura Love, whose “You Ain’t Got No Easter Clothes” topped the survey, reflected, “"I was honored and thrilled beyond belief to be chosen #1 by SIRIUS OutQ. I can't tell you how important, how crucial it is to my survival as an out gay musician to have an outlet such as this, to be heard and promoted and thus, to be able to tour around the country.”

Holcombe Waller, who placed at number 50 on the survey, also reflected on the importance of SIRIUS OutQ’s music efforts: “"Having a GLBT-oriented channel like SIRIUS OutQ really helps people in our community discover new music from within. As an independent artist, I know I've really benefited from being featured alongside artists promoted by the major label machines.”

SIRIUS OutQ features regular music programming late nights on “Last Call” from 1A-7A ET. Special weekend programming also includes Charlie Dyer’s GLBeaT; Feel The Spin, featuring former Billboard journalist Larry Flick; Sunset Cruise – love songs and dedications for the GLBT community; the weekly Sirius OutQ Hot 20, and additional dance and variety shows featuring GLBT artists.

The complete Sirius OutQ Hot 100 survey is as follows:
Position Artist Song Album
1 Laura Love You Ain’t Got No Easter Clothes You Ain’t Got No Easter Clothes
2 Jill Sobule Cinnamon Park Underdog Victorious
3 Joi Cardwell Be Yourself Keep Hope Alive
4 Le Tigre After Dark This Island
5 Erasure All This Time Still Falling Out of Love Nightbird
6 Tegan and Sara I Know I Know I Know So Jealous
7 Elton John Too Many Tears Peachtree Road
8 Anastacia Left Outside Alone Anastacia
9 Will Young Hey Ya Friday’s Child (single)
10 Alcazar Physical Dancefloor Deluxe
11 Phixx Hold on Me Hold on Me (single)
12 The Hidden Cameras Fear is On Mississauga Goddam
13 Jess Klein Darkroom Strawberry Lover
14 Barton Tonight Tonight (single)
15 Jess Klein Sink My Teeth In Strawberry Lover
16 The Polyphonic Spree Section 12 (Hold Me Now) Together We’re Heavy
17 Sarah Bettens Go Go
18 The Anubian Lights Ultraviolet Phantascope
19 Richard Barone Yet Another Midnight “Not Yet Released”
20 Sugarland Something More Twice the Speed of Life
21 Rufus Wainwright Waiting for a Dream Want Two
22 Chumbawamba Just Deserts Un
23 Elton John Porch Swing in Tupelo Peachtree Road
24 Rufus Wainwright Peach Trees Want Two
25 The Hidden Cameras I Believe in the Good of Life Mississauga Goddam
26 Jim Verraros You’re Going Crazy Rollercoaster
27 The Polyphonic Spree Section 14 (Two Thousand Places) Together We’re Heavy
28 Le Tigre This Island This Island
29 Kendall The Booty Song Plain White Rapper
30 Colton Ford & Pepper Mashay Signed, Sealed, Delivered Naked Fame Soundtrack
31 R.E.M. Leaving New York Around the Sun
32 Alcazar This is the World We Live In Dancefloor Deluxe
33 Bodies Without Organs Sixteen Tons of Hardware Prototype
34 Chumbawamba We Don’t Want to Sing Along Un
35 R.E.M. Aftermath Around the Sun
36 Mary Gauthier It Ain’t the Wind, It’s the Rain Mercy Now
37 Jeffrey Altergott Kiss Me Runt
38 Kinnie Starr Super Clever Sun Again
39 Keyth Lawrence & The Purple Circle Lead Balloons Figures
40 RuPaul Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous RedHot!
41 Tegan and Sara So Jealous So Jealous
42 Lady Bunny Let’s Get Jumpin’ “Not Yet Released”
43 The Bobbleheads #37 Bus Automatic Fun
44 Garrin Benfield Don’t Panic Where Joy Kills Sorrow
45 Sacha Sackett At a Time Shadows
46 Erasure Breathe Nightbird
47 Morel Waiting on You Lucky Strike
48 Ron Morris Have to Do Speak True
49 The Cliks Different Girl The Cliks
50 Holcombe Waller No Enemy Troubled Times
51 Mary Gauthier Empty Spaces Mercy Now
52 Sub-Urban Addiction - SIRIUS Satellite OutQ Top 100 playlist

ummm... I think The New Professionals are my new favorite band. By the way, that bearded fellow out yonder on the skins in none other than Jonathan from Rasputina.  After seeing and hearing just how bombastic his drumming style was over the course of Rasputina's recent recording sessions, I was admittedly expecting a somewhat raucous rollicking kinda band - which would've been a good thing - but about six chords in, I realized that I'd stumbled upon something even better - driving melodic rock songs imbued by great harmonies and tinged with a bittersweet poignancy. Seriously, there were moments during their set - punctuated by Sarah's wickedy licks and Karen's staredowns with the abyss that were simply staggering in their beauty - like an un-air-conditioned subway car - but in a good way.  One band that kept flashing forward from the past into my mind was almost big in the 90's Fuzzy - who maybe me and like eight other indie geeks had heard of.  Hopefully the same fate won't become of The New Professionals.  Going out to "La" this week to record their first record - if it's half as good as their live set, I don't foresee that being a problem.



- jenyk.dot.com by jasper coolidge

Lovely… THE NEW PROFESSIONALS send me “Come Hell or High Drama” – Brilliant, moving words coming from the heart over powerful tunes and kick ass grooves... feel the pain... feel the wonderment... hear the calling... What more could you ask for. Run to your local disc dealer and get yours.

www.new-professionals.com


Karen Curious and New Professionals
by Alan Rand

The Lower East Side has, perhaps, the heaviest concentration of talented musicians, singers and songwriters in the world. Even in this crowd, Karen Curious stands out as a vital performer. Karen’s band, New Professionals, was started in the summer of 2002 after asking friends to portray her band in a video of her song “Nothin’ Pretty”.
Karen was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Her father was a salesman and they moved from there to Arkansas and Mississippi. At age three, Karen’s parents divorced and her mother moved the family to California where Karen grew up. I asked Karen when she started being interested in music. She started at two! She played a little guitar to Johnny
Cash on television. At ten, Karen got a real guitar and knew she would someday be on radio. Her brother Patrick would say “No, you’re not” and she would argue back “Yes, I will be on radio”. She also has a half brother Seth and Derek was her step brother. She was very close to all of them. At age twelve, she was in a band, Spectre. Karen played “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” at her audition for them. With her brother Derek, she formed a band, DEZYRE that literally played in their garage. They didn’t know how to break into nearby Hollywood. She started playing in other bands including playing with Kathy Valentine, bass player of the Go Go’s. Kathy gave Karen her first bass guitar. Karen also got a bass from Daisy Rock that she played in L.A.. She asked and Tish Ciravolo of Daisy Rock gave her one. You can find Karen on Daisy Rock Guitars’ site. Karen Curious got her name playing in a three piece band Curious Yellow. The other members were Scott Gilman and either Brock Avery(who played with MC5’s Wayne Kramer) or Mark Schulman (who’s played with Cher and Stevie Nicks) on drums. Brock and Mark alternated depending who was touring.
Karen came to New York in 2000 with another band. Things didn’t work out but she decided to stay. One of her first bands in New York was Fire Gods with Allegra (Grounded), Pete Asari (Bantam) and Sean Pierce (Toilet Boys). They have an agreement to play together again. That will be a show to see! Other bands Karen played with included Slunt with Abby Genet. However, it was time to fulfill her need to do her own music. She helped Dirty Mary’s Jenny Gunns learn Slunt’s material and take over on bass. She feels Abby and Jenny been wonderful together and is excited about the success Slunt is having.
In the summer of 2002, Karen started her own band, New Professionals. Prior to naming the band, Karen was walking down the street with her band and thinking they were professionals. Drummer Steve Dalton said Professionals had been used before (including a post Sex Pistols band Paul Cook and Steve Jones had founded) so Karen thought they could be New Professionals. Karen said “They all laughed and agreed”. Meanwhile, former band mate Scott Gilman’s career had been growing. He played with Chaka Khan and Foreigner and scored music for several television shows. For Karen, he was the one to make the band’s record. Sarah Michaels on guitar (and vocals in addition to Karen) and Jonathon TeBeest on drums were in the band for this album, “Come Hell Or High Drama”. This CD is extremely highly recommended by this writer!
A fan donated $1000 and the band was off to California, where Scott Gilman was, to record. On August 31, 2003, New Professionals performed in Silver Lake, California to fifty five friends including brother Derek. Karen was on top of the world! Derek was an artist as well as a musician. He was having his first art exhibit at the time and his first painting was to be sold on September 3rd. Derek was also supposed to call Karen that day about a show they were to see. She didn’t get the call. Horribly, Derek was murdered in his apartment. A self portrait by Derek is the cover of New Professionals’ CD “Come Hell Or High Drama”. It is beautiful as well as haunting and disturbing. It is incredible knowing what happened. Karen stayed in L.A. while the rest of the band went back to New York. She performed a memorial show setting up an altar with Derek’s bass guitar and a mask he wore in a band called The Aliens. Devastated, Karen came back to New York. She got a job at Arlene’s Grocery and proceeded to get her life back together. Derek continues to be a driving force in her life. She told me she “wasn’t going to let her brother die believing in a nobody”. The murderer has never been caught by the police and Karen is committed to having the crime solved. 25% of the record sales go to a reward fund and Karen has done benefits to ra - NY Waste Starr Tucker/CD Review - NY Waste Alan Rand Article

1/27/2006 4:46 PM

New Professionals
23 Jan. 06; Lenny's Bar; Atlanta, GA

all photo's by Lynda. Click here to view more photo's.

By: Lynda
Sugarbuzz Correspondent; Atlanta, GA

At last minute, it was revealed that NYC's New Professionals would be playing at 8 PM. My major problem with that was that I was supposed to work until 9:30. I was determined to not miss this rare and golden opportunity to see NP live-after all, I do love their "Hell or High Drama" CD (see 'Uncensored' archives for the review I did on the disk). Not only that, but I really wanted to actually meet Karen Curious. My correspondence with her via MySpace over the last year has endeared her to my heart. So, I made some phone calls and did some begging and was fortunate enough to get someone to cover for me.
I left work and speedily drove the near hour-long journey into Atlanta downtown. All the while, my heart was in my throat 'cos I was afraid I wouldn't make it in time.
When I got there, a petite, attractive tom-boy who radiated natural rock & roll presence was on-stage setting up. As an absolutely adorable doggie came up to greet me, the woman looked up and called out: "Hey! What's up? How are ya? I'm Karen. Are you Lynda?" And then she came over and gave me one of those hugs that instantly sets you at ease. It was like "long time no see", not "nice to meet you". She then introduced me to a tall, rail-thin, dark-haired beauty who was sitting by the merch table. Amalia is her name and Greek Goddess is her game. Amalia and I had spoken briefly on the phone earlier that day, and her in-life persona undeniably matched her sweet and friendly on-phone charisma. The dog, who belongs to Karen, is named Willow and is a well-behaved sweetheart of a best friend.
Of course, as it would figure, the band's set was moved, and then moved again. I think they actually went on at about 10:15ish. So, while we waited, we just hung out. When Amalia wasn't glued to her cell phone, she and I had some lovely little chats. We especially liked using our chat time as a front for ignoring the overly drunk, increasingly creepy drunk hick that sat undressing us with his eyes down to what felt like my soul! Eventually, the way cute, friendly, and hilarious drummer boy came over and introduced himself as Texas.
As it so happened, that night was an open-mic event. Two acts preceded the New Professionals, and Texas had fun filling in on drums with the second act. (Improv is always so fascinating and impressive to me). Everyone was enjoying their self.
By the time New Professionals hit the stage, everyone was riled up and ready to rock...of course, the hours of drinking and pre-show boredom helped kick in the anxiousness. But then again, you could also get excited by merely looking at this band. You can just feel that something phenomenal was gonna come from them...and it did.
As expected, based on the CD I have, I knew that Karen and co. were going to deliver a magnificent set. I got what I was hoping for-full force. This was a raw passion-filled kick ass rock + southern rock + blues + soul event. I always love when my breath is taken away in a heightened moment during a set, and it happened more than once that night. Amazingly (and regrettably), the set was only about 25-minutes long. (Everyone liked them so much, they let them have a little bit extra performance time).
Although it was publicly unbeknownst at the time, there were three major factors at stake here. First off, the band was trying out new material. They are, after all, on their way to Los Angeles to record a new album. Secondly, New Professionals is actually a four-piece band. However, their guitarist is currently unable to tour. This, in turn, has lead Karen and Amalia to take up the "slack", and they did so fluidly. The third thing is factored in at this point because of #2-Karen is playing a double neck bass+guitar at times during the set. The thing's as big as she is, but she handles is like a pro. So, you get Karen on vocals, and bass, guitar, or bass and guitar. Texas sits behind his Ringo-esque drum set, supplies the backbeat, and constantly looks thankful for doing what he's doing. And then Amalia brings in an interesting twist: keyboards and viola (plus great harmonizing backing vocals).




Their three-piece efforts are both impressive and appreciated, and bring a unique feel and sound to their already not-like-everything-else out there essence. New Professionals is just one of those rare finds that becomes an ultimate treasure-both musically and as people.



New Professionals MySpace http://www.myspace.com/newprofessionals
New Professionals website
http://www.new-professionals.com


source:
http://sugarbuzzmagazine.com/Uncensored/newpro.html
- Lynda - Sugarbuzz Magazine