Cris Bonacci
Encyclopedia
Cristina "Cris" Bonacci is an Australian-born producer, songwriter and musician. She is best known for her stint as lead guitarist in the British heavy metal
band Girlschool
and for her session guitar work.
, Australia
. Bonacci's guitar playing style derives from some formal musical studies taken in Australia, but mainly from listening to classic rock albums and practicing on them. In 1985, she declared that her main influences came from rock guitarists Jimi Hendrix
and Jeff Beck
, along with early Black Sabbath
's albums.
Bonacci played in numerous bands in native Australia, but never staying with one unit for more than a couple of years. Her first long-term professional commitment was with the hard rock
band Sweet Jayne, which she co-founded with basssist Sally Zylstra. This band developed a sizeable local following in Melbourne and recorded several demoes and an EP
between 1977 and 1983.
After her stint in Sweet Jayne, Bonacci went to the United Kingdom to work as session and recording musician after initially being invited to the UK by Mike Oldfield
. In London, Bonacci joined the all-female hard rock outfit She as lead guitarist. She included lead vocalist Jackie "Jacqui" Bodimead and former Rock Goddess
bassist Tracey Lamb, whom Bonacci would later team up with in Girlschool
. In fact, the all-female heavy metal
outfit Girlschool was short of a lead guitarist after Kelly Johnson
's defection and, on hearing Bonacci, they invited both her and keyboard player Bodimead to join the band. Both agreed and, during her time with Girlschool (1984 to 1992), Bonacci recorded the albums Running Wild
, Nightmare at Maple Cross
, Take a Bite
and Girlschool
, touring extensively all over the world.
In a period of inactivity of Girlschool in 1990, she joined up with British rock singer Toyah Willcox
, performing on GMTV
to promote Willcox' album Ophelia's Shadow
. In the years 1991 and 1992, Bonacci and Willcox and Bonacci's band mates in Girlschool Enid Williams and Kim McAuliffe formed the short-lived band She Devils, which made two short tours around Europe. After the She Devils project, Bonacci finally left Girlschool and joined Marc Almond
's touring band. In December 2004, however, Bonacci re-joined Girlschool for a one-off gig at the London Garage alongside original guitarist Kelly Johnson and current guitarist Jackie Chambers. She also played at the tribute gig for Kelly Johnson on 20 August 2007 in London.
After leaving Girlschool, she worked also as a session guitarist and became a member of Jonathan Ross
' house band for the British TV show Saturday Zoo, where she backed international artists such as Suzanne Vega
, k.d. lang
, etc.
Bonacci wrote lyrics, music and produced for a variety of artists. She wrote mostly for the bands she was a member of, but she has also written for and produced other artists, such as All Saints
and Samantha Fox
. In 2003, Bonacci wrote and produced the song "Look Up" which was released on the dance
compilation CD Fashion Lounge: Id Models, published in the USA by Water Music Records
.
She also co-produced and engineered Dawne Adams' album Assume Nothing in 2004. She is currently affiliated with Electracult, a band she formed with Michelle Mullen in January 2005. Electracult released their first full-length release Electracult Me on 15 April 2008, on Renaissance Records. Since 2000, much of her focus has been on software training.
guitars exclusively and Marshall
100 amps.
With Girlschool
With Mark Shreeve
With Marc Almond
With Samantha Fox
With All Saints
With Electracult
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
and for her session guitar work.
Career
Cris Bonacci is a native of MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Bonacci's guitar playing style derives from some formal musical studies taken in Australia, but mainly from listening to classic rock albums and practicing on them. In 1985, she declared that her main influences came from rock guitarists Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, along with early Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's albums.
Bonacci played in numerous bands in native Australia, but never staying with one unit for more than a couple of years. Her first long-term professional commitment was with the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Sweet Jayne, which she co-founded with basssist Sally Zylstra. This band developed a sizeable local following in Melbourne and recorded several demoes and an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
between 1977 and 1983.
After her stint in Sweet Jayne, Bonacci went to the United Kingdom to work as session and recording musician after initially being invited to the UK by Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
. In London, Bonacci joined the all-female hard rock outfit She as lead guitarist. She included lead vocalist Jackie "Jacqui" Bodimead and former Rock Goddess
Rock Goddess
Rock Goddess was an all-female heavy metal band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal era that briefly enjoyed cult status in the early 1980s in Great Britain.-History:...
bassist Tracey Lamb, whom Bonacci would later team up with in Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
. In fact, the all-female heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
outfit Girlschool was short of a lead guitarist after Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson (guitarist)
Bernadette Jean "Kelly" Johnson was an English guitarist, widely known in the UK in the early 1980s as the lead guitarist of the all-female British heavy metal band Girlschool.-Biography:...
's defection and, on hearing Bonacci, they invited both her and keyboard player Bodimead to join the band. Both agreed and, during her time with Girlschool (1984 to 1992), Bonacci recorded the albums Running Wild
Running Wild (album)
Running Wild is the fifth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on Mercury Records in 1985.It is the only studio work released as a five-piece group by Girlschool, after singer and lead guitarist Kelly Johnson had left the band...
, Nightmare at Maple Cross
Nightmare at Maple Cross
Nightmare at Maple Cross is the sixth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on GWR Records in 1986. Under the direction of producer Vic Maile, this album marks the return of the band to the sound of their earlier works and to a four-piece formation. All tracks were composed...
, Take a Bite
Take a Bite
Take a Bite is the seventh studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released by GWR Records in 1988. It is the first album to feature Tracey Lamb on bass, replacing Gil Weston-Jones.-Overview:...
and Girlschool
Girlschool (album)
Girlschool is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on Communiqué Records and Progressive International in 1992. It is the fourth and last studio album recorded with lead guitarist Cris Bonacci and the only one with bassist Jackie Carrera...
, touring extensively all over the world.
In a period of inactivity of Girlschool in 1990, she joined up with British rock singer Toyah Willcox
Toyah Willcox
Toyah Ann Willcox is an English actress and singer. In a career spanning more than thirty years Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, released 22 studio albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films, as well as voicing and presenting numerous television shows...
, performing on GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
to promote Willcox' album Ophelia's Shadow
Ophelia's Shadow
Ophelia's Shadow was the fourth solo album by Toyah Willcox, and showcases a new direction in her work. Moving on from the experimental Prostitute, it showcases a more progressive style of music....
. In the years 1991 and 1992, Bonacci and Willcox and Bonacci's band mates in Girlschool Enid Williams and Kim McAuliffe formed the short-lived band She Devils, which made two short tours around Europe. After the She Devils project, Bonacci finally left Girlschool and joined Marc Almond
Marc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
's touring band. In December 2004, however, Bonacci re-joined Girlschool for a one-off gig at the London Garage alongside original guitarist Kelly Johnson and current guitarist Jackie Chambers. She also played at the tribute gig for Kelly Johnson on 20 August 2007 in London.
After leaving Girlschool, she worked also as a session guitarist and became a member of Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...
' house band for the British TV show Saturday Zoo, where she backed international artists such as Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
, k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
, etc.
Bonacci wrote lyrics, music and produced for a variety of artists. She wrote mostly for the bands she was a member of, but she has also written for and produced other artists, such as All Saints
All Saints (band)
All Saints were a British/Canadian girl group. Founded in 1993 as All Saints 1.9.7.5, the group consisted of founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton...
and Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
. In 2003, Bonacci wrote and produced the song "Look Up" which was released on the dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
compilation CD Fashion Lounge: Id Models, published in the USA by Water Music Records
Water Music Records
Water Music Records is an electronica record label based in Los Angeles, California. Launched in July, 2000, Water Music Records releases, markets and distributes albums in various sub-styles of electronica including Chill Out, Lounge and Down-Tempo music...
.
She also co-produced and engineered Dawne Adams' album Assume Nothing in 2004. She is currently affiliated with Electracult, a band she formed with Michelle Mullen in January 2005. Electracult released their first full-length release Electracult Me on 15 April 2008, on Renaissance Records. Since 2000, much of her focus has been on software training.
Equipment
Her equipment in the 80s consisted of Gibson Les PaulGibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
guitars exclusively and Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
100 amps.
Discography
With Sweet Jayne- Some People (7" self-produced EP; 1979)
- State of Mind (7" self-produced EP; 1979)
- Crushed and Crazy (7" self-produced EP; 1979)
- "Icarus" (7" single; 1981)
With Girlschool
- Running WildRunning Wild (album)Running Wild is the fifth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on Mercury Records in 1985.It is the only studio work released as a five-piece group by Girlschool, after singer and lead guitarist Kelly Johnson had left the band...
(1985) - Nightmare at Maple CrossNightmare at Maple CrossNightmare at Maple Cross is the sixth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on GWR Records in 1986. Under the direction of producer Vic Maile, this album marks the return of the band to the sound of their earlier works and to a four-piece formation. All tracks were composed...
(1986) - Take a BiteTake a BiteTake a Bite is the seventh studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released by GWR Records in 1988. It is the first album to feature Tracey Lamb on bass, replacing Gil Weston-Jones.-Overview:...
(1988) - GirlschoolGirlschool (album)Girlschool is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on Communiqué Records and Progressive International in 1992. It is the fourth and last studio album recorded with lead guitarist Cris Bonacci and the only one with bassist Jackie Carrera...
(1992)
With Mark Shreeve
Mark Shreeve
Mark Shreeve is an electronic music composer. After initially releasing his early work on cassette through the Mirage label he went on to sign for the newly formed Jive Electro in the early eighties and released the albums Assassin, Legion and Crash Head...
- Legion (1985)
With Marc Almond
Marc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
- Twelve Years of Tears (1993)
- "What Makes a Man a Man" (1993)
With Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
- 21st Century Fox21st Century Fox (album)-Watching You, Watching Me:A remixed version of 21st Century Fox was released by Phantom Records as Watching You, Watching Me in 2002....
(1998)
With All Saints
All Saints (band)
All Saints were a British/Canadian girl group. Founded in 1993 as All Saints 1.9.7.5, the group consisted of founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton...
- Saints & Sinners (2000)
With Electracult
- Electracult EP (2005)
- Electracult Me (2008)
As producer
- 21st Century Fox (1998)
- Fashion Lounge: Id Models (2003)
- Assume Nothing (2004)
- Electracult Me (2008)
DVD releases
- Play Dirty LivePlay Dirty LivePlay Dirty Live is the first video album released by the British heavy metal band Girlschool in 1985. The American release of the VHS was done by Polygram, the label that had Girlschool under contract at the time. The release of the video was part of the marketing strategy to launch the studio...
(1984) - Twelve Years of Tears - Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1992 (2007)