Chloe Alper

Chloe Alper
Background information
Origin	Reading, Berkshire, U.K.
Genres	Progressive rock Alternative rock New prog
Instruments	Vocals, bass, keyboard
Years active	1997 — present
Associated acts	Pure Reason Revolution Period Pains
Website	http://purereasonrevolution.co.uk/

Chloe Alper (born 13 September 1981) is a British/French musician and artist, best known as a singer and bassist in the British New prog rock group Pure Reason Revolution. Her career began with girl punk band Period Pains, and she later appeared as a guest vocalist on the Hope of the States song The Good Fight. She also works as a designer and artist.

Biography

Period Pains

From the age of 13, Alper fronted girl punk band Period Pains, based in Reading. The band formed in 1995 with Alper on vocals, Felicity Aldridge on guitar, Laura Warwick on bass and Laura Viney on drums. Viney was later replaced by Magdalena (Magda) Przybylski.

Their 1997 anti-Spice Girls single, "Spice Girls (Who Do YOU Think You Are?)", was released on Damaged Goods. The disc received airplay from John Peel, for whom they later recorded a session which was later released as an EP.^[1] The band were covered by publications including The Daily Mail and Just 17 but only played a few live shows, notably opening in the Dr Martens tent for the 1997 Reading Festival, playing to an audience of around 1000.

Pure Reason Revolution

Alper performing with Pure Reason Revolution

Alper then joined Reading-based band The Sunset Sound, which eventually became Pure Reason Revolution, contributing vocals, picking up the bass guitar later after the previous bassist left.^[2] Alper also plays keyboards, including a midi sample-triggering keyboard during live performances. In shows in 2010 and 2011 she also played an Epiphone SG guitar on certain tracks.

The band signed to Alan McGee's Poptones label for a one-off release of "Apprentice of the Universe",^[3] which peaked at number 12 in the indie charts. Signing to SonyBMG in autumn 2004, the following year saw Pure Reason Revolution releasing two singles and one mini-album, followed by the full-length debut The Dark Third in 2006, with producer Paul Northfield.^[4] During this time, PRR supported Mew, Hope of the States, Porcupine Tree, Secret Machines and Oceansize, as well as headlining their own gigs, and recorded sessions for Mark Radcliffe's BBC Radio 2 show and XFM.

The band's second album Amor Vincit Omnia was released in March 2009 on Superball Music, and accompanied by an extensive headline tour of Britain and Europe.^[5] The band were track of the week on Kerrang! Radio and track of the day in Classic Rock Magazine.^[6] The new music was darker and more electronic than previous offerings, qualities that were largely retained for 2010's third studio album, Hammer and Anvil, also released via Superball. Hammer and Anvil opens with a track sung exclusively by Alper, Fight Fire, which received lengthy airtime on XFM and other radio stations.^[7]

Pure Reason Revolution split on good terms in November 2011, with members choosing to pursue other projects. A final series of concerts in the UK will see the Dark Third album played in full for the first time.^[8][9] A final EP entitled Valour was also released as a download-only in conjunction with the break up, with proceeds donated to charity.

Alper in 2010

Artist

Alper is also a designer and artist. She designed the cover-slip for Pure Reason Revolution's single entitled "Victorious Cupid" that was distributed at tours in 2006 and 2007 to accommodate the free Myspace download, which has since become a collector's item. She also designed the cover art for the official "Victorious Cupid" EP release on ORG records in 2008. Recently, she designed the artwork for Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison's 2007 collaboration with 05Ric, Drop. Alper also designed the album artwork for Pure Reason Revolution's 2009 release, Amor Vincit Omnia. The sleeve contained a 16 page booklet which included 12 pieces of her work. Some limited edition numbered prints of these plates were made available on her website in early 2009.

DJ

Alper often performs under the pseudonym 'Chloe Ramone'. She tends to favour 70s and 80s Disco House, Electronica and Techno.

References

1. ^ BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 19 August 1997 Period Pains
2. ^ :: Fender.co.uk ::
3. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/apr/07/popandrock.shopping5
4. ^ http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/pure-reason-revolution/the-dark-third.htm
5. ^ http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/entertainment/music/local_bands/s/2046047_pure_reason_revolution__march_2009_uk_tour
6. ^ http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/track-of-the-day-pure-reason-revolution/
7. ^ http://www.myspace.com/purereasonrevolution/blog/541004073
8. ^ http://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/pure-reason-revolution-break-up.html
9. ^ http://musiccredo.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/pure-reason-revolution-break-up-and-cancelling-tour/

External links

• Alper's Twitter feed
• Alper's personal website for artwork
• Woman Rock interview with Alper, 2005
• Disorder magazine interview, 2006
• BBC Interview with Pure Reason Revolution by Linda Serck 23-03-2009

Persondata
Name	Alper, Chloe
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	13 September 1981
Place of birth
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Place of death