Episode 151 - Kym Priess

Originally from Austin Texas, Los Angeles-based interdisciplinary artist Kym Priess is a pure pioneerwoman, fierce frontwoman, adventurous musician, writer and actor.  As of late, she has specialized in creating conceptual whimsical performance art mixed with immersive, interactive rock n’ roll experiences under the name STUNTDRIVER. 

The debut concept album “Saga” was released last September on Rock Hand Records and has been described as “Very Peaches / Karen O feel to the vocals, edgy and full of fire,” by blog Analogue Trash.  This project initially debuted as a full immersive production in LA to a sold-out pair of wild, multi-media shows.  Spectacle concerts have started up again as a full band whose members include Kym, John Avila (Oingo Boingo), Anton Söder and Sean Burgess (Boneacre, Nightjacket.) In fact, Kym just returned from a solo tour to Seattle and back and audiences are loving the interactive elements (like crawling through a human tunnel) especially after lacking live entertainment for so long. 

Kym’s work pushes boundaries, forms and comfort levels yet maintains a fun-loving, absurd and curious tone and has been seen in music venues, galleries, theaters, non-traditional locations and federal prisons in New York, LA, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Honolulu and Austin since the 1990s.

Kym’s hybrid creations are highly influenced by the Wizard of Oz, the art of drag and disguise, clown, Cindy Sherman, Grace Jones, Karen Finley, David Bowie, alter-egos, elaborate costuming and makeup, 80s/90s music videos, fairy tales, old superhero stories, and human interaction. 

Recipient of multiple artist residencies including Laura Escude’s Transmute Retreat and The Field, this discipline bender’s career took root in the NYC/NYU experimental theater world prompting many theatrical, comedic and musical works including her first rock opera that was awarded “Best of the Fringe” (SF Fringe Festival 2005).  Kym has fronted and formed multiple bands, written 300 songs (many of which can be heard on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules), shared stages with Exene Cervenka and Fishbone and her voice can be heard on William Shatner’s Spirit in the Sky.

In addition to playing live shows again, Kym recently shot a comedy for Amazon, and is returning to the pen writing new songs and a darkly comedic pilot along with creating a multi-sensory side project named after her late great bronco-riding father, Ryland.

Kym loves tubing down a river more than anything else.

https://www.stuntdrivermusic.com/stuntdrivermusic

Bonus link: BLAZAR opened up for Stuntdriver in Eugene, OR recently - here is a link to the face-melting sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHaJ8lluw5s