Like most kids in mid-70’s New York, I loved Kiss, Queen, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Who and The Stones. When I went to Sweden with my mother and sister at age 13, the punk / new wave movement was quickly eclipsing all these classic rock superstars. The music of the youth went back to being about small sweaty clubs instead of stadiums.
It was about making some noise for yourself, not just being a consumer of the stuff. Although we were geographically and culturally closer to London, the people I hung out with were just crazy about the CBGB’s New York rock scene…and Television in particular.
After 6 years in Sweden I got home to New York, at age19, found a 1964 Fender Mustang electric guitar and fooled around with it. I liked Tom Verlaine alright, but was utterly fascinated with the other Television guitarist, Richard Lloyd. Went to every single gig and even took a few lessons with him in 1983.
RECORDINGS:
Fifteen years later, he produced my first CD “Firepop” and played transcendent, fierce, exquisite guitar all over it. Then he came with me to Sweden to play a series of gigs with my band, including a big festival. When we came home, Richard Lloyd asked me to play guitar in his band, which I did for about 5 years, and enjoyed the time of my life.
In 2004 I recorded another CD, also released independently called “Second Kiss” playing all the guitar myself. This was a bit more melodic, whimsical and polished pop/rock, and like Firepop featured master bassist Peter Stuart and miracle drummer Ira Elliot from Nada Surf. It was produced by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Son Volt, Dinosaur Jr., Dar Williams, Breeders, Bob Dylan).
In 2011 I released 8 songs as digital downloads produced by Steve Bill, an exceptionally accomplished arranger, musical director and guitarist in the world of pop music. This collection represents a completely different side of my work: The vocals and classic appeal of the pop melodies are given top priority. Listen to them here.
MUSIC LICENSING:
To date, my songs from those two releases have been used in over 300 instances in TV shows, (cable, network and PBS) as well as online (A&E promo for The Sopranos), videos and DVDs (Scrubs: Season Two, “Popular” (Disney) and commercials; including a national spot for Kodak. Here is that list I am so proud of, my TV and commercial placements to date.
My music is upbeat, driving and rich in hooks and melodies. My influences range from ‘60s and ‘70s pop, to harder edged indie rock, to American roots traditions.
PLAYING LIVE:
I perform some solo shows here and there on acoustic guitar and love playing as a side woman. I play keyboards in The Pretty Babies, an all female Blondie cover band. (www.theprettybabies.com)
UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES:
While studying audio engineering in college, a most interesting internship presented itself: I worked for 6 weeks at RPM Studio in New York, when the Rolling Stones were recording Dirty Work! Got to hang out with those fellows every night! See the story here.
When I graduated college, I did what any person with a degree in The Arts does: I got a waitressing job. Wanting to at least hear great music during my shifts, I worked at the Knickerbocker Bar and Grill, where Harry Connick Jr. played 2 nights a week as a pianist—before he even started singing, at age 20. My recollections and SPIN interview with young Harry are here.
It was during this time I immersed myself in American roots music and fell in love with New Orleans. Fast forward to 2004: 5 weeks after Hurricane Katrina, I was there gutting a church with other volunteers. I shot photos and wrote about the experience here.
ADDITIONAL CREATIVE WORK:
Aside from music, another pursuit near and dear to my heart is NextWorldTV.com, an online video gallery that I started in 2011. It hosts hundreds of compelling videos on sustainable solutions for our planet. Going deeper than simply “green”, it challenges our consumer lifestyle at its core now that the system is crumbling faster than ever. How we spend our time, our money, what systems we support and do not, the re-localization of our food system and economy are all issues turning a major corner right now.
NextWorldTV.com spotlights the most constructive and inspiring initiatives taking us in this direction. I have over 8,000 subscribers following my daily posts and I absolutely love learning more about all of this.
I also occasionally still work an extremely absurd side gig as an entertainer: I am a professional stilt walker! I can sometimes be found towering above all kinds of high profile and quite surreal environments, such as The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I’ve opened for Cirque Du Soleil, sung and played guitar with bands performing on stilts, and entertained at literally hundreds of festivals, parades, corporate events, civic affairs, promotional events and private parties.
It’s MORE rock and roll than rock and roll – this crazy day job. I have to take the glitter, the heavy make up, crazy clothes and wigs OFF to go play music at night after a stilt job.
When I am not on stilts, playing music or blogging about sustainability, I am helping my rabbit Sandra The Free Range Super Bunny get her memoirs written! She was an abandoned domestic little rabbit that I took in after seeing her struggle to survive under my neighbor’s porch for a few weeks. I wanted to save her. She ended up saving me. Meet her here: www.sandrathefreerangesuperbunny.com.
I am proud to be the daughter of the legendary national radio talk show host Barry Farber, and the sister of investigative journalist Celia Farber, known for her award winning work exposing myths surrounding AIDS. I have lived in NYC most of my life, and now divide my time between the city and the Hudson Valley.
In 2011 I was invited to perform one of my songs ,“Billion Things”, by one of my favorite film makers, Gregory Greene, director of The End Of Suburbia at a sustainability event in New York City. The roster also featured James Howard Kunstler, author of The Long Emergency, which the song is based on.
It is a lyric about all the things we are going to have to make ourselves when abundant oil and thereby cheap manufacturing is over.
Not exactly a conventional subject for pop music, but Billion Things is emerging as the most heralded song of the new collection, because it is captivating, thought provoking, unique- and full of hooks!
Hope you have a listen to my songs, and do stop by www.NextWorldTV.com and www.sandrathefreerangesuperbunny.com.
Anything else you want to know? Drop me a line at bibifarber@earthlink.net. Don’t forget to sign the mailing list and get a free song!
To Be Continued,
Bibi Farber
Education: BS Music Technology at NYU.
Two semesters Harmony & Analysis at The Julliard School.
Volunteer work: Bibi has played regularly for the last 10 years in hospitals through the organization Musicians on Call.
Awards: Bibi won the Dusty Springfield Look Alike contest at The Losers Lounge tribute to the singer, and walked away with the 3-CD box set including many rarities from Dusty’s career.
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