Vicki Peterson: Hail The Ultravixen of Rock and Roll!
(Above Photo right courtesy Risty/ Above Photo Left Anna Wiel. Other photos copywrite Mike Koller)
Birthplace: San Fernando Valley- Northridge
Education: Attended UCLA as an English major.
Born: January 1959
Instruments: Guitar: Acoustic &
Electric
,Mandolin, Bass, Vocals
Other Bands: Christa Galli, The Muze, Those Girls, The Fans, The Bangs, The Bangles, Psycho Sisters, Giant Sand, Double Date, Continental Drifters, (Go-Go's, Cowsills)
The breakup of the Bangles in 1989 was painful for Vicki, as the band had been her liveblood and first born - effectively since she was 15 years old! One of the reasons that Vicki is so admired by many, is her unflagging drive and ambition to soldier on. And soldier on she did! After returning to school, traveling and learning sign language, she jumped back into music.
She found a songwriting soulmate in Susan Cowsill, the kid sister from the famous singing family The Cowsills who had a huge hit with "Hair" in the 1970s. The two had already started writing songs together. The partnership was natural, and soon Vicki and Susan were belting these songs out in clubs.....dressed in their nightgowns as "The Psycho Sisters." The duo, at times augmented by a drummer and bassist, were a popular attraction in the early 1990s club scene. In true do-it-yourself style, the band issued a 45" single "Timberline" on SOL Records and were gearing up to record a debut album in 1992.
They were writing up a storm, gearing up to record an album when fate
chose that particular moment to intercede...
One of the clubs that the Psycho Sisters frequented was Raji's in Hollywood. Coincidentally, it was also the hangout of what was once a loose confederation of musicians and former "rock stars" soured on the industry and looking to make music for the sake of making music - The Continental Drifters. (Est 1991)
At first, Vicki and Susan were special guest. In fact, the sat in on the musical fun on a regular basis, even recording with the band when the groups original lineup recorded what was to of been their debut album in late 1992. The album never surfaced due to a radical shift in lineup what resulted in Vicki and Susan graduating from sometime Drifterettes to full fledged members. (This untitled album would remain unreleased until the year 2003, when the Drifters would finally release the album. See the discography page.)
This last massive shift in the band's ever changing and chaotic lineup resulted in a change of philosophy, as it were. No longer an anti-band and loose confederation, the Drifters became a tight six piece band featuring Mark Walton on bass, Carlo Nuccio on drums, Vicki and Susan on vocals and guitar, Robert Mache on guitar, and Peter Holsapple on vocals and 15 different instruments. (No kidding!) They released Continental Drifters" in Sept of 1994 on New Orleans indie label Monkey Hill Records to great acclaim by the national press. Relentless touring in the states and in Germany built up a significant following. They became one of New Orleans most treasured roots rock and pop acts.
After a tour in 1996, Carlo Nuccio left the band and was later replaced
with Russ Brousard. After nearly two more years of trying to get arrested
by a larger record label, the Drifters were signed to Blue Rose Records in
Germany in 1998, paving the way for the release of "Vermillion"
that
year.
The album drew rave reviews and became a bestseller and hit record in
Germany... and the Drifters soon found themselves a formal US record
label, the indie label Razor & Tie, who released "Vermillion" in
the
US in 1999.
The Continental Drifters have often been described as roots rock meets Fleetwood Mac, and the comparisons are certainly apt. Vicki Peterson, Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple were certainly the dominant vocal force of the band. And while the musical styles between the two bands were different, the emotional rock and roll soap opera proved to be somewhat similar. Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple divorced, and the personal relationships of other band members fell apart. Those divisions were chronicled at least in part by the Drifters follow-up record, the pulsing and powerful "Better Day", released in the summer of 2001. The album gained many postive reviews and the bands nationwide tour in support of the band drew enthusiastic fans from all over.... all wanting a taste of that special Drifters blend of music. Later that same year, "Listen, Listen." an acoustic EP of the band's favorite songs by Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny was released by the bands European label, Blue Rose Records. The EP tapped into the special spirit of the Drifters.
By 2003, the internal tension became too much and Susan Cowsill and Russ Broussard left the band. However, the Drifters soldiered on, with returning original member Ray Grauncheau and the addition of drummer Jay Malone. Currently, the Continental Drifters are on extended haitus while individual members work on other projects and attend to familiar concerns. Have no fear, as this great band has no plans to..well..disband!
I should also add that during this time period, Vicki continued/continues to work on outside projects. She still works with Susan Cowill as the Psycho Sisters on occasion. The duo have a long-planned-and-fan-wished-for CD in the works. In recent vintage, Vicki has been busy with the reactivated Bangles and has also done a ton of session work for artists such as Jolene, Belinda Carlisle, Giant Sand and many more... Vicki has even told fans in a chat that she is considering releasing a solo record as well! WOOHOO!!! One thing is for sure, Vicki will keep rocking for many years to come!
The
Continental Drifters 2002 - Vicki Peterson, Peter Holsapple, Ray
Granucheau. Jay Malone, Mark Walton, Robert Mache)
Psycho Sisters - The one and only Psycho Sisters webpage on the net! I try and update this page as much as I can, but there isn't much news on the Psycho Sisters these days!
The Official Continental Drifters Website!! - Want information on this supergroup? There is no place better than the Continental Drifters own website. It is packed with tour dates, photos, detailed band history, discographies, you name it. This is Vicki's other primary band... and an awesome one too. If you ever get a chance to see the Drifters live... DO IT!!!! Words cannot describe how good this band is!
The Go-Go's One 1980's all-female band isn't enough for Vicki. Check out Doug Quints Vicki Peterson interview in 1995 when she subbed for Charlotte Caffey on the 1994-1995 Go-Go's reunion tour!
The Great Vicki Peterson Discography - Recently updated but by no means complete yet. Get all the details of all the albums Vicki appears on!
And Scroll below:
A little more....
Okay....
June 9, 2001 was a milestone for me in two areas: It was my first ever Continental Drifters show, and it was the first time I was able to meet and talk with each Continental Drifter - including Vicki!!! Many of the photos you see here came from that concert and some overdue thanks are in order:
1. Robert Mache - For answering my constant questions related to the Continental Drifters and Psycho Sisters. And for letting me stay to get everyone's autograph! (And for helping me and Mark fight off the bouncers at Slim's!)
2. Peter Holsapple - For taking time from packing up your keyboards to sign my Better Day CD sleeve!
3. Mark Walton - Thanks for the information, the autograph.. and for helping me fight off the bouncers at Slim's... at least for a short while! :)
4. Susan Cowsill & Russ Broussard - Thanks for the autographs and pics!
5. Vicki Peterson - Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me... however briefly.. at Slim's and at the Kona Cafe at Madalay Bay, Las Vegas! Thanks for the autograph as well... it means so much!