In The Blonde
When you lock a vulnerable but hard-headed chanteuse in a room with a stage diving rock frontman you might expect to end up with a court date, a broken heart, or both. Well, yes, those things did more or less happen at one time or another. But from the chaos a musical project was born; one that delivers soaring melodies, fun pop hooks, and a soulfulness which never relinquishes its rockin edge. Ok, so it wasn’t as much a locked room as a messy apartment, where Erika Schiff and Jimmy James merged their musical influences, but you get the idea: In The Blonde is a band the blends diverse performing experiences and creative instincts into a distinct, exciting sound with broad appeal.
Having been both an accomplished live performer and studio vocalist, Erika’s voice has moved audiences everywhere from The Tin Angel to the Disney Channel, from Chris’ Jazz café to Black Landlord’s debut album. Her creative energies reached the tipping point about a year ago, and she began writing songs with long time friend, Jimmy James. Erika first saw Jimmy perform at The Trocadero where his band, The Union Dead was opening up for the New York Dolls. Having already opened for such national acts as Shinedown, The Misfits, and Kings X, Jimmy was in full command of the stage by this time, and Erika took note of the energy and anthemic hooks. When the opportunity arose a few years later to form a project together, they both felt an instant creative chemistry, and songs which blended their rock, pop, and soul influences began pouring out.
The duo brought in A.I.R. records founder, Derek Chafin to produce their debut album. He helped the band shape their collection of raw tunes into a clear artistic statement with rootsy underpinnings yet a distinctly modern feel. Now, having assembled some of Philly’s most talented players to fill out the live show, Erika and Jimmy are set to share In The Blonde with the world.
