Kira Roessler
Encyclopedia
Kira Roessler is an American
bass guitarist, singer and Emmy award-winning dialogue editor
. She is best known for her membership in the punk rock group Black Flag
.
, members of Black Flag heard her playing, which led to her being asked to join Black Flag to replace founding member Chuck Dukowski
. Roessler was majoring in applied engineering at UCLA, and Black Flag's subsequent tours were worked around her school schedule, which was a condition for her to join the band. Her bass playing was featured on five of Black Flag's studio albums. She remained in the band until completing touring behind their album In My Head in the autumn of 1985, then graduated UCLA in 1986.
After Black Flag, she formed the two-bass duo Dos
with Mike Watt
(to whom she was married between 1987 and 1994), who are still performing today. She wrote or co-wrote songs for what would be the Minutemen's final album, 3-Way Tie (For Last)
, and to Watt's post-Minutemen band Firehose. She later contributed artwork to Watt's first solo album, Ball-Hog or Tugboat?
.
Roessler now works as a dialogue editor
on theatrical films in Los Angeles. She has credits (sometimes under her full name, sometimes simply as kira) on such films as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
(2002), Under the Tuscan Sun
(2003), and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), and has also appeared onscreen in the documentaries We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
and American Hardcore
. She won an Emmy for her work on the John Adams
episode "Don't Tread On Me" and was nominated for her work on another episode of the series. She appeared on the Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three
tribute album in 2003 along with other musical artists, including other Black Flag veterans.
On January 6, 2011, thieves broke into Roessler's home and stole, along with other items, a custom-made 3/4-scale bass made for her by California luthier Mark Garza. Fans and friends launched an online campaign through blogs, Twitter
, and Facebook
to help Kira recover the stolen instrument, which she retrieved ten days later after the thief attempted to sell it at a Guitar Center
.
Her brother is keyboardist Paul Roessler
, founding member of The Screamers
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bass guitarist, singer and Emmy award-winning dialogue editor
Dialogue editor
The dialogue editor assembles, synchronises, and edits all the dialogue in a film or television production. Usually they will use the production tracks: the sound that was recorded on the set. They will smooth it out in terms of volume and equalisation...
. She is best known for her membership in the punk rock group Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
.
Biography
While sitting in with L.A. punk group DC3DC3 (band)
DC3 was an American rock and roll band formed by singer, songwriter and guitarist Dez Cadena in 1983 and active until 1988....
, members of Black Flag heard her playing, which led to her being asked to join Black Flag to replace founding member Chuck Dukowski
Chuck Dukowski
Chuck Dukowski is an American punk rock musician, best known as a founding member and bass player for Black Flag. Dukowski wrote some of Black Flag's most popular songs, including "My War," "What I See," "I've Heard It Before" and "Spray Paint." He left the band before the release of My War, and...
. Roessler was majoring in applied engineering at UCLA, and Black Flag's subsequent tours were worked around her school schedule, which was a condition for her to join the band. Her bass playing was featured on five of Black Flag's studio albums. She remained in the band until completing touring behind their album In My Head in the autumn of 1985, then graduated UCLA in 1986.
After Black Flag, she formed the two-bass duo Dos
Dos (band)
Dos is an American punk group composed of Mike Watt and Kira Roessler, who both sing and play bass guitar. Critic Greg Prato describes their unusual instrumentation as "a haunting yet intriguing and original sound."...
with Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
(to whom she was married between 1987 and 1994), who are still performing today. She wrote or co-wrote songs for what would be the Minutemen's final album, 3-Way Tie (For Last)
3-Way Tie (For Last)
3-Way Tie is the fourth and final full-length album recorded by the American punk band Minutemen. It is particularly notable for featuring several cover songs by bands such as the Urinals, Meat Puppets, Blue Öyster Cult, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Roky Erickson and the Aliens. It was...
, and to Watt's post-Minutemen band Firehose. She later contributed artwork to Watt's first solo album, Ball-Hog or Tugboat?
Ball-Hog or Tugboat?
Ball-Hog or Tugboat? is the debut solo album by former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist, songwriter and vocalist Mike Watt. It was recorded in 1994, and came at a personal and professional career crossroads for Watt...
.
Roessler now works as a dialogue editor
Dialogue editor
The dialogue editor assembles, synchronises, and edits all the dialogue in a film or television production. Usually they will use the production tracks: the sound that was recorded on the set. They will smooth it out in terms of volume and equalisation...
on theatrical films in Los Angeles. She has credits (sometimes under her full name, sometimes simply as kira) on such films as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a 2002 biographical spy film depicting the life of popular game show host and producer Chuck Barris, who claimed to have also been an assassin for the Central Intelligence Agency...
(2002), Under the Tuscan Sun
Under the Tuscan Sun
Under the Tuscan Sun is a 2003 film based on Frances Mayes' 1996 memoir of the same name. The film was directed by Audrey Wells and starred Diane Lane.-Plot:...
(2003), and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), and has also appeared onscreen in the documentaries We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
We Jam Econo
We Jam Econo - The Story of the Minutemen, is a full-length documentary about the influential 1980s punk rock band Minutemen, created by director Tim Irwin and producer Keith Schieron in association with Rocket Fuel Films...
and American Hardcore
American Hardcore (film)
American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...
. She won an Emmy for her work on the John Adams
John Adams (TV miniseries)
John Adams is a 2008 American television miniseries chronicling most of President John Adams's political life and his role in the founding of the United States. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. The miniseries was directed by Tom Hooper. Kirk Ellis wrote the screenplay based on the book John...
episode "Don't Tread On Me" and was nominated for her work on another episode of the series. She appeared on the Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three
Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three
-Band:*Marcus Blake – bass guitar ; backing vocals *Jason Mackenroth – drums ; backing vocals *Jim Wilson – guitar ; backing vocals -Vocalists:...
tribute album in 2003 along with other musical artists, including other Black Flag veterans.
On January 6, 2011, thieves broke into Roessler's home and stole, along with other items, a custom-made 3/4-scale bass made for her by California luthier Mark Garza. Fans and friends launched an online campaign through blogs, Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
to help Kira recover the stolen instrument, which she retrieved ten days later after the thief attempted to sell it at a Guitar Center
Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in the world with 223 locations throughout the United States. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California....
.
Her brother is keyboardist Paul Roessler
Paul Roessler
Paul Roessler was a prominent member of the L.A. punk scene during the late 1970s and '80s. He played keyboards in bands such as The Screamers, Twisted Roots, 45 Grave, Nervous Gender, SAUPG, Geza X and the Mommymen, Mike Watt and the Secondmen, Nina Hagen and The Deadbeats...
, founding member of The Screamers
The Screamers
The Screamers were a punk rock group active in the Los Angeles, California area in the late 1970s. The Screamers were pioneers of a genre now known as "synthpunk," and can also be classified as art punk....
.