Katherine "Karen" Maloney

May 3| 27

Female | The parts dont matter hun.

Independent artist. Performs at underground gigs. Has no permanent day job. Right now part times in Chick-fil-A as a mascot, like the ones who hold out free coupons on the streets. Gotta earn some extra somehow.

Karen, in all aspects of life, is her own woman. That certainly includes her sense of style, which mostly defines her old school riott grrrl persona, clothes ranging from loose graphic shirts, leather cuffs/bead bracelets, flannels and old faded skinny jeans. She is taller than average, about 5'10 and rather athletic, highschool and college softball could have a contribution to that otherwise she claims it's all purely genetic. On her left forearm she has a tattoo of a crow, and a clunky text just below it reading "Nevermore!"

One could describe Karen as dynamic, spontaneous and adventurous, which is defined much from her life decisions. Although she was living life as she pleases, Karen didnt finish college nor has a stable job because she's just all over the place. The allure of money, industry politics and tranquil white picket fence living never appealed to her anyway. She's the type who would find her own style out in the muddley open rather than be given a template to start with. Personally, she likes the challenge no matter how most of it eventually turns to shit at a certain point, it's something that makes life a little more worthwhile than normal. Like adding the flavor to boring old water, if you will.

Karen is at her element the most when on stage. It's one of the major things she misses about an open performance. And she simply does so just for the fun of it. Rules and ethics matter little to her when creativity is being judged. Although on some level Karen is rather reserved, often masking answers to otherwise personal questions with deceptive sarcasm, but when on stage and through her songs, where she is most vulnerable, she expresses herself. More often slipping a bit of herself every now and again in her poetry and body language.

Nothing too big other than to simply write songs, perform, and stir up the world with real quality music.

Katherine Maloney grew up in Boston, the daughter of a middle school teacher and a retired security guard. Growing up, Karen knew her family was having trouble with money as most of the time she would witness her parents fight over it. They rely mostly on her mother's okay-payroll, and her father's pension which was still challenging enough to provide for her and her other three siblings. She went to St Mary's for highschool and there she met the future members of The Honeybeavs, Lolly Grier and Rachel Walsh.

At first the idea of putting up a band together wasnt seriously intended. By that time during middleschool, Karen played the guitar for the school choir. The same time Lolly introduced her to bands such as Delta 5, Bikini Kill and The Kinks. One day while they were waiting for the bus home together, sharing an earphone while indulged in their favorite songs, Karen thought it would be cool to start a band together. Lolly thougt it wasnt a bad idea so they started to discreetly call out auditions within the school, and sooner they met their drummer Rachel, Lolly being the band's bass. After schools they would hang out at Lolly's place to practice, her dad having been in a band as well provided them with equipments. It was all fun and games at first, nothing so serious other than writing random and silly songs. One Christmas they performed the Nativity story through a song for a school program, complete with costumes and a baby Jesus in the style of the sex pistols. The teachers were not impressed and the three of theme were suspended for the next school day.

The casual meetings became a regular thing, this time they were writing more serious songs, one with substance but just as charming as their original style. By junior high they were booking in gigs from a friend of a friend, the lowkey ones at the bars. The first time, they had to be discreet about their age since they were under 18. Not long they became quite popular in the underground scene, they've been invited to several gigs all over the country. And since they were traveling a lot Karen had to drop out of college. They've been on the road, going from one city to another for almost six years or so.

And like with great groups, they come to a downfall at some point. It was a disagreement between the three of them, Lolly wanted to venture beyond the underground scene. Rachel did not. Karen didn't care as long as she still gets to play and write. Even with the tensions they still tried to work it out, but sadly, the band was bound to hit it's downfall. Lolly eventually left the band and pursued a solo career. Rachel got married, and now has a family of her own. Everyone left for a new start except for Karen although the group still contact each other, more or less for catching up. Karen was still performing in small gigs here and there for the last two years. Though it didn't pay as much , at least she was creating her passion and art. Probably to Karen that was enough.

But she missed being a part in a band, but just the band mostly. There was a sisterhood that they shared in her time with The Honeybeavs, it felt great. They wrote songs together, shared thoughts and experiences, and most of all they made music together. During one of her solo gigs, she was offered to get herself labeled, Karen never thought much about it but to her it seems like an intriguing idea. She never left the underground scene due to sentimental reasons, but if it's opening up a new and exciting chapter of her life, then she's up for the adventure. Next thing she knew, she's sitting in some fancy studio somewhere in Philly.

Even before Endeavor, Karen rarely went mainstream except in some requested performances. The Honeybeavs were quite well known, albeit in the alternative music scene. In the writing facet her songs are known to be "bluntly sarcastic, absurd even and uncensored but spiritually satisfying and painfully honest." And as a performer, her image is generally bare and simple. She's not one to put on a ridiculous costume or set up a sparkly stage. Not that she's against it only that it's always been her thing to go natural, in all sense of the word. A guitar in hand, the sweats soaking her hair and her clothes as her harsh singing compliments her epileptic dancing to the brassy rhythm of post punk goodness. That's Karen Maloney.