Kneel Cohn
Encyclopedia
Kneel Cohn in The Bronx
, New York
is the primary songwriter
, lead singer and guitarist
for The Dead Stars On Hollywood
, known for the songs "Prozac Smile" and "Flaunt it Like This". He has performed with, produced songs and done remix
ing and production work with bands including Collide, Contagion, Patti Rothberg
, and members of Crass
, Buzzcocks
, The Dandy Warhols
, Consolidated
, Black 'n Blue
and Sin Corporation.
He appears in the film Blast, starring Liesel Matthews
, Adam LaVorgna
and PJ Soles and a cameo in the upcoming Kind Green Planet documentary Vegucated.
Cohn is vegan and known for his involvement in animal rights issues. In April 2009 he designed and launched Vegetable Slut, a line of animal rights activist pinback buttons and t-shirts.
He is currently producing a benefit compilation CD for the non-profit organization CFEI (Compassionate Farming Education Initiative) featuring songs by Moby
, Yoko Ono
, Chrissie Hynde
, Nellie McKay
, Matisyahu
, Howard Jones
, Princess Superstar
and The Dead Stars On Hollywood
.
of the bands Bikini Kill
(credited for starting the riot girl
movement) and Le Tigre
.
Kneel is credited for the skating name of roller derby all-star "Baby Ruthless" of New York City's Gotham Girls Roller Derby
. A character inspired by her known as "Babe Ruthless" is portrayed by Ellen Page
in the Drew Barrymore
film Whip It
. The original Baby Ruthless, Cohn's ex-girlfriend, is featured in the UK band Towers Of London
's music video for their song "How Rude She Was".
Kneel is the nephew of cartoonist Dave Berg, creator of Mad
magazine's "The Lighter Side".
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
is the primary songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, lead singer and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for The Dead Stars On Hollywood
The Dead Stars On Hollywood
The Dead Stars on Hollywood are an American rock band based in New York City, that incorporates elements of glam, new wave and goth into their alternative rock sound...
, known for the songs "Prozac Smile" and "Flaunt it Like This". He has performed with, produced songs and done remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ing and production work with bands including Collide, Contagion, Patti Rothberg
Patti Rothberg
Patti Rothberg is a New York-based singer, songwriter, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and painter/artist.Born in New York City Rothberg grew up in Scarsdale, NY, playing piano from the age of 3 and writing songs by the age of 15, joining a high school Rod Stewart cover band.Rothberg...
, and members of Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
, Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
, The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band was founded by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström, with keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford later joining. Hedford left in 1998 and was replaced by...
, Consolidated
Consolidated (band)
Consolidated was an American radical activist recording and performing group, formed in 1988 and best known in the early 1990s as an alternative dance/industrial music band. They were distinguished by left-leaning political activism and politically radical lyrics, as well as their innovative sonic...
, Black 'n Blue
Black 'N Blue
Black 'n Blue is a Hard rock band from Portland, Oregon. The current members are singer Jaime St. James, guitarist Shawn Sonnenschein, guitarist Jeff Warner, bassist Patrick Young, and drummer Pete Holmes.-History:...
and Sin Corporation.
He appears in the film Blast, starring Liesel Matthews
Liesel Matthews
Liesel Anne Pritzker , stage name Liesel Matthews, is an American former child actress and heiress to the Hyatt Hotels fortune...
, Adam LaVorgna
Adam LaVorgna
-Early life:LaVorgna was born near New Haven in North Branford, Connecticut. Raised with his three siblings in North Branford, LaVorgna has been appearing on television and film since the early age of three when he first appeared on the daytime series As the World Turns.Other television work...
and PJ Soles and a cameo in the upcoming Kind Green Planet documentary Vegucated.
Cohn is vegan and known for his involvement in animal rights issues. In April 2009 he designed and launched Vegetable Slut, a line of animal rights activist pinback buttons and t-shirts.
He is currently producing a benefit compilation CD for the non-profit organization CFEI (Compassionate Farming Education Initiative) featuring songs by Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
, Nellie McKay
Nellie McKay
Nellie McKay , is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and former stand-up comedienne, noted for her critically acclaimed albums, and for her Broadway debut in The Threepenny Opera , for which she won a Theatre World Award...
, Matisyahu
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
, Howard Jones
Howard Jones
Howard Jones is the name of:*Howard Jones , American football coach*Howard Jones , American metalcore singer*Howard M...
, Princess Superstar
Princess Superstar
Princess Superstar is an American emcee and DJ.Her musical style, as she describes it, is flip-flop — a mixture of 'hip hop, electroclash and electronica'.-Background:...
and The Dead Stars On Hollywood
The Dead Stars On Hollywood
The Dead Stars on Hollywood are an American rock band based in New York City, that incorporates elements of glam, new wave and goth into their alternative rock sound...
.
Personal life
Kneel's former girlfriend Barbara Swan is the cousin of Kathleen HannaKathleen Hanna
Kathleen Hanna is an American musician, feminist activist, and punk zine writer. In the early- to mid-1990s she was the lead singer and songwriter of Bikini Kill, before fronting Le Tigre in the late 1990s and early 2000s...
of the bands Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
(credited for starting the riot girl
Riot Girl
Riot Girl is the debut studio album from J-pop star and seiyuu Aya Hirano. It was released on 16 July 2008. It contains songs from her entire non-character song discography up until her 2008 single, "Unnamed World." It contains 7 all-new songs and the A-side songs from her first 7 singles...
movement) and Le Tigre
Le Tigre
Le Tigre is an American electroclash band, formed by Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman in 1998. It also featured Sadie Benning from 1998 until 2001, and JD Samson for the rest of the group's run...
.
Kneel is credited for the skating name of roller derby all-star "Baby Ruthless" of New York City's Gotham Girls Roller Derby
Gotham Girls Roller Derby
Gotham Girls Roller Derby is a flat track roller derby league based in New York City, New York. Founded in late 2003, Gotham Girls Roller Derby was the first skater-operated flat track roller derby league in the metropolitan New York area...
. A character inspired by her known as "Babe Ruthless" is portrayed by Ellen Page
Ellen Page
Ellen Philpotts-Page , known professionally as Ellen Page, is a Canadian actress. Page received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for her role as the title character in the film Juno...
in the Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
film Whip It
Whip It
"Whip It" is the title of a 1980 single by the American New Wave band Devo. It appears on the album Freedom of Choice. There were two 7" single releases of "Whip It", one backed with a remix of the track "Snowball" and one backed with "Turn Around"...
. The original Baby Ruthless, Cohn's ex-girlfriend, is featured in the UK band Towers Of London
Towers of London
Towers of London are a Punk Rock n Roll band, fromLondon, England, who formed in 2004. Their music mixes elements of rock and heavy metal music with 1977 style British punk...
's music video for their song "How Rude She Was".
Kneel is the nephew of cartoonist Dave Berg, creator of Mad
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
magazine's "The Lighter Side".