BOUDOIR is a project formed by two founding members of San Francisco's SMITTEN,
Ala Sharon and Damon Fries. Influenced by groups like SLOWDIVE, DEAD CAN DANCE, COCTEAU
TWINS, and MY BLOODY VALENTINE, BOUDOIR could be considered an electronic, darker
version of SMITTEN, with samplers and synthesizers texturing the moody songs
beneath Ala's soaring, echoed vocals and Damon's dreamy, swirling and heavy
guitars. The songs revolve around themes of lust, sorrow and alienation, the
music always sad and longing, but beautiful.
Before BOUDOIR and SMITTEN, Ala had performed as vocalist and keyboardist
with groups THE CATHERINES in Kansas City, whilst Damon had played in punk-pop
groups PARASITES and THE PLAGIARISTS in California, as well as being an indie
radio DJ for several years. SMITTEN formed in San Francisco in 1994, influenced
by the dreampop/ethereal sounds of bands on 4AD and Creation Records. They released
an EP and an album ("Stellar"), which charted well in the US college radio charts,
even reaching number one in some cities. They toured the US in 1996, but constant
lineup changes and creative differences slowed the progress of the band, and
they peacefully disbanded while recording a follow-up album, "Fear Of A Happy
Planet".
Damon and Ala started the new project, BOUDOIR in 1998, and have found much
more attention after moving to Europe. They relocated to Amsterdam in mid-1998,
where, after adjusting to the appropriate culture shocks, they have released
their debut album as BOUDOIR, "Currency of the Soul", on Pandaimonium
Records via Ronny Moorings from Clan
Of Xymox. Pandaimonium already released the first official BOUDOIR track,
"SPACEJAM", on the sampler "Songs
of Pain" in 2002.
BOUDOIR made its premiere live European performance at the illustrious Gotham Festival at the Paradiso in Amsterdam on September 21, 2002. Joing Ala and Damon on stage was Shaby Malanczuk (DJ Polyester & vocals for Hybrids) on backing vocals and keyboards. The group received a highly enthusiastic and warm response from the crowd despite being relatively unknown. After the album release, BOUDOIR hopes to play more European shows.
In addition to BOUDOIR, Damon is busy with his very-different electro-industrial project, Jesus Complex, which is already making waves in the European EBM/Darkwave scene, and was in the DAC Deutsches Alternative Charts for several weeks in May, 2003.