Alice Cohen

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Alice Cohen


Img_capt = Alice Cohen in 2007.
Landscape = yes
Background = solo_singer
Origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Genre = Alternative rock, progressive rock
Years_active = 1978–present
Label = Chrysalis Records (1979)
Atlantic Records (1980)
Mercury Records (1984−1986)
Dutch East (1993)
Roadrunner Records (1994)
Lungcast (1994)
Evil Teen Records (1996)
Spare Me Records (2001)
Zilcho (2001)
BMG (2001)
Music for Aardvarks (2007)
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/alicecohen www.myspace.com/alicecohen]

Alice Cohen (former stage name "Alice Desoto") is a New York City based American singer, songwriter and fine artist.

General info

Dubbed "Eastern seaboard alterna-royalty" [ [http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid2=850&fid1=12058&csid1=38 Exclaim! Canada's Music Authority ] ] by Mike Chilton of Canada's Exclaim! Magazine (September 2002) and called "something of a legend" by New York Noise [ [http://punkcast.com/738/ PUNKCAST#738 SPRINGTIME UNAMPLIFIED ACOUSTIC BAR-B-QUE - Prospect Park, Brooklyn - May 9 2005 ] ] , Alice Cohen has formed or been a major contributor to bands both well-known and obscure since 1978. She has toured throughout the US, Canada and Europe, and is a Sarah Lawrence College alum.

The Vels

Cohen is best known for her years as the primary songwriter and lead singer of The Vels, the Philadelphia band she co-created in the early 1980s. They were signed in 1984 to the Mercury label under which they released five albums. They had one minor hit ("Look My Way") and a successful MTV [http://youtube.com/watch?v=hNv6AOcBL7c music video] .

The Vels toured the world in 1985 and 1986, opening for The Psychedelic Furs.

Indie/underground/etc.

In 1980, Alice Cohen wrote Karen Young's Atlantic Records disco track "Deetour". [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/217086 Karen Young - Deetour ] ]

After The Vels dissolved in 1987, Cohen's work changed direction and she became active on the Eastern US indie/underground and touring scene. Cohen's best-known venture in this area is the band "Die Monster Die". A pair of "DMD" albums were released on the Roadrunner Records and Dutch East labels ("Withdrawal Method" and "Chrome Molly").

In 1996, Cohen sang a track (on camera) in the Martin Scorsese-produced movie Grace of My Heart (1996).

As of 2007, Cohen has become known in the New York City alternative music scene, playing regularly with LYDSOD, Long Lost, The Castles, Espadrille [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kbfexq80ldse allmusic ((( Swimmeret > Overview ))) ] ] , and doing studio session work. She frequently headlines solo, as well. She also appears on the successful 2007 "Music for Aardvarks" series of David Weinstone children's albums, contributing vocals and guitar. [ [http://www.jr.com/JRSectionView.process?ArtistPage=t&N=859181 Jr.Com: David Weinstone/Music For Aardvarks & Other Mammals In Music ] ]

Fine arts

Cohen's collages and paintings have appeared in galleries in New York City, San Francisco and elsewhere. She is known for eclectic imagery and iconography, as well as for her acumen with large installations that join music and fine arts.

Discography

=With "The Vels" (Mercury Records)=

* "Velocity" (1984)
* "Private World/Hieroglyphics 12" Dub" (1984)
* "Look My Way/Tell Me Something 12" Dub" (1984)
* "House of Miracles" (1986)
* "Girl Most Likely To 12" Dub" (1986)

With "Die Monster Die" (Dutch East/Roadrunner Records)

* "Chrome Molly" (1993)
* "Withdrawal Method" (1994)

With "Helivator" (Lungcast)

* "Gasoline T-Shirt" (1994)

With "Espadrille" (Spare Me Records)

* "Swimmeret" (2001)

Appearing on

* "Breakout" (Chrysalis Records) (1979)
* "Deetour" (songwriter) (Atlantic Records) (1980)
* "Greetings From Port Authority" Evil Teen Records (1996)
* "The Best of Nilsson" BMG (1998)
* "How Can a Loser Ever Win?" Zilcho (2001)
* "Grumpy: Music For Aardvarks & Other Animals" Music for Aardvarks (2007)
* "Taxi: Music For Aardvarks & Other Animals" Music for Aardvarks (2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=astrochuck11 Video archive] of live "Vels" performances (while on tour with The Psychedelic Furs)