Kristen Pfaff

[Ivan May]

 

The bass player from Hole from 1993 to 1994, Kristen Pfaff, a classically trained pianist and cellist from Buffalo, New York, had also played with a Minnesota based indie rock band called Janitor Joe. The group had an impressive following and was a huge hit on college radio. Due to the group’s massive following, Kristen had been contacted by Hole members Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson to join Hole in early 1993, replacing the group’s first bassist, Jill Emery.

Kristen played bass on the most critically acclaimed album in the Hole catalogue, Live Through This, and, according to drummer Patty Schemel, also played piano and a Mellotron on the track Violet (which was allegedly mixed out). Kristen’s bass of choice was a 1978 Fender Precision Bass with a rosewood fret board.

 

However, about a week before the release of Live Through This, Courtney’s husband, Kurt Cobain, died of a self inflicted gunshot wound. It was also around the same time that Kristen left to rejoin Janitor Joe. However, Kristen was found dead in 1994, having died at age 27 from an apparent drug overdose.

 

I do think Kristen was a great female bassist and whilst I am not a Hole fan, I liked her bass playing.