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After her highly
acclaimed debut release Moon Hut on DreamWorks records,
Kim Fox returns with her latest album Return To Planet
Earth (Franklin Castle Recordings) to be released
in the early 2003. Produced by artist/songwriter/producer
Linus of Hollywood (Puff Daddy, OPM, Size 14), Return
To Planet Earth retains the orchestral pop whimsy
of Moon Hut while exhibiting a more mature emotional
and nostalgic introspection. Songs such as "Baby,
I Want You Back", "Ive Got Music"
and "Love X 10" exhibit a self-mocking loneliness
produced with driving dance beats and electronic lushness.
Songs such as "Feel Like Crying", "Tread
This World So Lightly" and "Lazy" harken
back to the classic melodies of Burt Bacharach and Hank
Williams.
With so much time in between her releases, Kim had plenty
of time to hone her songwriting craft and live quite
an exciting life. She spent many months traveling through
India, Nepal and Turkey and became a professional photographer.
All these experiences have given Return To Planet
Earth a worldly perspective.
Kim Fox was born on the Isle of Manhattan, NY. She was
surrounded by arts and music at a very young age. Her
father, Norman Fox, was the lead singer of the 50s
doo-wop group Norman Fox and the Rob Roys who had the
hit "Tell Me Why" in 1959. Though they were
a one hit wonder, Norman Fox and the Rob Roys were the
first interracial recorded rock group in the history
of rock and roll. Kims mom is an art historian
and Kim spent many teenage summers in Italy and France
going to museums, eating chocolate croissants and bathing
topless on the Riviera.
Growing up in NYC (home of Broadway) Kims first
intense love was of musical theater. From Grease to
Annie to Jesus Christ Superstar, musical theater is
still apparent in her pop sound. Then came all that
other fabulous 70s music: Elton John, Fleetwood
Mac, Burt Bacharach, Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor.
Kim was in her early teens when MTV made its debut
and attended concerts including the the Violent Femmes,
Duran Duran, Howard Jones and the Clash (often times
jumping on stage to try and kiss the bandmembers).
Kim began writing music in high school after her piano
teacher gave her a copy of Laura Nyros New
York Tendaberry - "The most beautiful record
I have ever heard to this day" she says. Her first
demo tape got her a production deal with the Power Station
recording studio in NYC and she played in underage clubs
all around town. After a failed attempt at shopping
her demos, Kim went off to Vassar College where she
developed a love of classical music and opera. For a
short time, Kim thought that she would pursue a career
as an opera singer but when she graduated and was back
in NYC going to dance clubs and indie-rock concerts,
she realized that her heart lie with pop music. (Her
brother has since become a classical conductor).
It was while living in a small apartment in Little Italy
that Kim discovered the world of independent music.
Frequenting clubs such as Brownies, Under Acme and the
Sidewalk Café, Kim was inspired by artists including
Mary Lou Lord, Suddenly Tammy, Papas Fritas, Cardinal,
Lambchop and Helium. In 1993, with the encouragement
of many friends, Kim went and bought a $100 keyboard.
On that keyboard she wrote many songs that eventually
landed her a publishing deal with BMG Music (and they
bought her a $2,000 keyboard thank you corporate
America). About a year after that, she met producer
Paul Mahern (John Mellencamp, Lisa Germano, Blake Babies)
and moved from NYC to Bloomington, Indiana where the
duo made lots of recordings together. A year later,
Clyde Lieberman from BMG Music played her demos for
someone at DreamWorks Records and she got signed in
the spring of 1996. Moon Hut was released the following
year, and Kim toured around the country playing shows
and festivals including Lilith Fair. Feeling energized,
Kim moved to Los Angeles in 1998 to get back to the
hustle and bustle of a big city.
In the summer of 1999, Kim played a show at a local
club called Goldfingers, sharing a bill with Linus
of Hollywood. They both were blown away by each others
sets that night and soon became fast friends, collaborating
on the songs "Ive Got Music" and "When
Love Was The Only Thing". Linus eventually offered
to produce Kims record and invited her to be a
Franklin Castle artist, alongside local pop heroes Margo
Guryan and the Mello Cads. Return To Planet Earth
features guest appearances by Ben Eshbach (Sugarplastic),
Roger Manning (Jellyfish/Beck), Probyn Gregory (Wondermints/Brian
Wilson) and many more.
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