Storm Large

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Storm Large
Background information
Birth nameSusan Storm Large
Born (1969-06-25) June 25, 1969 (age 55)
Southborough, Massachusetts, U.S.
OriginSan Francisco, California, U.S.
GenresRock, metal, jazz
InstrumentVocals
Years active1989–present
Websitewww.stormlarge.com

Storm Large (born Susan Storm Large, June 25, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and author. She attracted national attention as a contestant on the CBS reality television show Rock Star: Supernova. A resident of Portland, Oregon, Large performs nationally with her own band, and tours internationally with the Portland-based band Pink Martini.

Personal life

Storm Large was born and raised in suburban Southborough, Massachusetts. From the age of five, she started singing and writing songs. She graduated in 1987 from St. Mark's School, a private school. Her father Henry Large was a history teacher there, as well as the football team coach before he retired.[2]

After high school, she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.[1]

Large moved to Portland, Oregon in 2002, originally planning to quit music and attend the Western Culinary Institute, but at the urging of friends and in particular Frank Faillace, owner of the Portland rock club Dante's, she began singing again with a band she called "The Balls".[3]

Large is bisexual, though she dislikes the term and instead calls herself "sexually omnivorous."[4]

Career

While in San Francisco Storm formed the bands Flower SF, Storm and Her Dirty Mouth, and Storm, Inc. Storm also performed with Michael Cavaseno as the duo Storm and Michael or Storm and Friends.

Storm, Inc. featured Shaunna Hall of 4 Non Blondes and P-Funk fame as a rhythm guitarist. Hall was featured on The Calm Years LP and toured with the band for a few months after the album's release.

On January 12, 2012, Storm published a memoir titled Crazy Enough.[5] It is an expansion on her cabaret show produced by Portland Center Stage. The book, published by Free Press, is an account of her growing up with a mother with psychological issues, her stint as a competitive rower, and her eventual successes. One of her songs from the aforementioned show, "8 Miles Wide"—a comedic song with minor innuendo,[6] was made into a music video released in 2009.[7]

The Balls

The Balls, also known as Storm and the Balls, were formed in May/June 2002[8] after Large moved to Portland from San Francisco. Storm and the Balls consisted of Davey Loprinzi (aka "Hotrod" Davey Nipples, formerly of Sweaty Nipples) on bass guitar, James Beaton on keyboards, and Brian Parnel on drums. The Balls drew what local media called a "cult-like" following in clubs, primarily during Wednesday night shows at Dante's. They perform "lounge-core, mash-up" renditions of artists such as ABBA, Black Sabbath, Cheap Trick, Billy Idol, Led Zeppelin, Motörhead and Olivia Newton-John as well as their own compositions. Large worked part-time as a bartender at Dante's when not touring with The Balls. The Balls opened for Everclear, Nina Hagen, Hank 3, Pleasure Club, and Nancy Sinatra.[3][9]

Drumattica

During live shows, Storm has filled in for Jen Folker on vocals alongside Rob Wynia (of Floater) with Drumattica out of Portland.[10]

San Francisco

Before moving to Portland, she performed in the San Francisco Bay Area with her former bands Storm Inc., Storm and Her Dirty Mouth, and FlowerSF.[1]

Pink Martini

After Pink Martini vocalist China Forbes underwent vocal cord surgery,[11] Large toured with the band from July 4 through December 16, 2011 as a temporary replacement. She then joined the band on 2013 album Get Happy and as co-lead singer on the follow-up world tour. She continues to perform worldwide with the group.[12]

Theatre

Large played Sally Bowles in a Portland Center Stage (PCS) production of the musical Cabaret.[1] PCS is also the site of the premiere of her autobiographical musical Crazy Enough.[13]

She has finished filming Rid of Me (by James Westby), starring Katie O'Grady, John Keyser, Theresa Russell, and Art Alexakis.

In 2008, Storm Large premiered her autobiographical one woman show, Crazy Enough, at Portland Center Stage. She got rave reviews.[14] The show appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2010[15] and Off-Broadway in the spring of 2011.

She appeared in Randy Newman's Harps and Angels at the Mark Taper Forum from November 10 - December 22, 2010.

Television And Film

Rock Star

Large is also known for her appearances as a contestant on Rock Star: Supernova. She was eliminated on September 6, 2006 (in the last show before the season finale). Several contestants on the show, especially Dilana, gave her the nickname “Tara,” which even the judges picked up on and began using. After elimination, host Dave Navarro recorded a guitar track for her single "Ladylike" and she was slated to open for the band Rock Star Supernova on tour in January 2007, though she and fellow contestant Magni Ásgeirsson were dropped from the billing for financial reasons.[16]

Other appearances

In addition to being a contestant on Rock Star: Supernova, Large appeared as a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 11, 2006.[17]

On September 26, 2006, Large sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" on the second-season finale of ESPN reality television show The Contender. She performed the national anthem again on November 4, 2006, at the Portland Trail Blazers' opening home game of their 2006-2007 NBA season. The broadcast appeared on Fox Sports Northwest, the Seattle and Portland affiliate of Fox Sports Net.

Large appeared on America's Got Talent on June 14, 2021, performing a cover of "I've Got You Under My Skin," which received an enthusiastic response, allowing her to move on to the Judge's Cut round.[18] None of the judges seemed to know who she was, prompting a reporter at Willamette Week to quip, "In show business, you're nobody until you impress Howie Mandel."[19]

Storm has a small role as a TV Host in the feature film Admissions (2004) directed by Melissa Painter and starring Lauren Ambrose, Amy Madigan and Christopher Lloyd. She has a cameo appearance as a German milkmaid in the feature film Bucksville (2011) directed by Chel White and starring Thomas Stroppel.

Storm plays one of the main characters in a 20 minute short titled The Punishing Business (2014) directed by Heather Harlow.

Storm Large has the role of "She" in the 15 minute short Mad/woman (2022).

Discography

Studio albums

Album Name Release Storm's Alias
Big Daddy Large 1995 FlowerSF
Storm and Her Dirty Mouth 1998 Storm and Her Dirty Mouth
The Calm Years 2000 Storm Inc.
Hanging With The Balls 2003 The Balls
Vasectomy 2005 The Balls
Ladylike Side One 2007 Storm Large
Crazy Enough 2009 Storm Large
Le Bonheur 2014 Storm Large

Singles

Single title Note Release Date
"Ladylike" Storm and The Balls 2006
"Ladylike" Featuring Dave Navarro 2006

Other album appearances

  • "Little Drummer Boy" (as FlowerSF) on Christmas Time in San Francisco by Various Artists 1995
  • "Ego" (as FlowerSF) on She's a Rebel! by Various Artists 1997
  • "About You," "Let Go" on Infinite Syndrome by Bugs 1997
  • "I'm Not Alright", "Lust", "Superman", "Ima Yora", "Geraldine", "Crazy Love" on Storm & Her Dirty Mouth by Storm & Her Dirty Mouth 1998
  • "You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore (Ruff Mix)" on You Are Here by Insecto 1999
  • "Not Alright" (as Storm And Her Dirty Mouth, credited as "Storm") on Unscrubbed - Live From The Laundromat III by Various Artists 1999
  • "Rape Me" (as Storm Inc.) on Nearvana: San Francisco by Various Artists 2002
  • "Down," "Lovetractors 4 Sale" on Planet of the Fish by Alien Lovestock 2004
  • "Valentine's Day," "Closer Closer," "Ruin Everything" on Sessions at East by Auditory Sculpture 2006
  • "Asylum Road" on Dearly Departed by Various Artists 2008
  • "Voices" on Shakers' Sessions by Various Artist 2011
  • "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás", "Omide Zendegani", "Până Când Nu Te Iubeam", and "Sway" on Get Happy by Pink Martini 2013
  • "Hushabye Mountain" on Dream a Little Dream by Pink Martini and The Von Trapps 2014
  • "A Woman's Heart" and "It's Alright With Me" on All In by the Louisville Orchestra and Teddy Abrams conducting 2017
  • "Summertime" on The Gershwin Moment by Kirill Gerstein and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson 2018

Ladylike, Side One (EP)

Ladylike, Side One
Studio album by
Storm Large
ReleasedOctober 23, 2007
RecordedLe Garage, Portland, OR

Pulse SStudios, Los Angeles, CA Sea View Studios, Los Angeles, CA The Greene Room, Los Angeles, CA

Zoe Rose Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Genre
  • Pop
  • rock
Length25:40
LabelBig Daddy Large
Storm Large chronology
Ladylike, Side One
(2007) 		Crazy Enough
(2009)

Ladylike, Side One is an EP by American singer-songwriter Storm Large. The track LadyLike was recorded with Dave Navarro on guitar after her elimination from Rock Star Supernova.[20] Because it did not chart, it does not have a separate article.

Track listing[21]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Beautiful"
  • Storm Large * Kevin Carnes * Shaunna Hall
4:45
2."LadyLike"
  • Storm Large * James Beaton * Jeff Trott
3:08
3."Fat Chick's Revenge"
  • Storm Large
  • Jeff Trott
3:34
4."You & You & Me"
  • Storm Large * Kevin Carnes
2:23
5."Twisted Jimmy"Storm Large3:00
6."Under You"Storm Large4:47
7."Where Is My Mind" 4:07
Total length:25:40

Personnel

  • Storm Large - vocals
  • Dave Navarro - guitar (track 2)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Storm Large: The bare facts". The Oregonian. April 2, 2009. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
  2. ^ "Storm Large Biography - Read the Official Rockstar Bio and View Photos". Stormlargefans.com. July 25, 1969. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Storm Large and (finally) The Balls, back at Dante's « Oregon Music News". Oregonmusicnews.com. April 17, 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  4. ^ Portland Center Stage. "Crazy Enough (6/12/2009)". Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  5. ^ "CRAZY ENOUGH: A Memoir by Storm Large – Intro Excerpt – Storm Large". Stormlarge.com. November 10, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  6. ^ Large, Storm (July 26, 2009). "Storm Large - 8 MILES WIDE music video". Facebook. Retrieved March 24, 2024 – via YouTube. Music video for Storm Large's song "8 MILES WIDE", from her hit one-woman show Crazy Enough. A SOCKEYE Production // Directed and Edited by James Westby // Producer: Katie O'Grady // Cinematographer: Tom Grissom // Executive Producer: Andy Fraser // Creative Director: Peter Metz // Associate Producer: Laura Hardin // Colorist: Brad Reeb // Featuring: Storm Large, James Beaton, Davey Loprinzi, Marc Acito, Rick Emerson.
  7. ^ Sockeye (July 21, 2009). Storm Large '8 MILES WIDE' music video (Music Video). Retrieved March 24, 2024 – via YouTube. (Lyrics) 'My vagina is eight miles wide / Absolutely everyone can come inside…'
  8. ^ "Storm Large & the Balls: Information from". Answers.com. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  9. ^ "AllMusic:Storm Large and the Balls". AllMusic. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  10. ^ "Drumattica w/ Storm Large "Remedy"". YouTube. June 24, 2006. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  11. ^ "China Forbes to Take Year-Long Leave of Absence from Pink Martini". Wweek.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  12. ^ "A Conversation with Storm Large, Starring in a Cape May Stage Virtual Concert". July 4, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  13. ^ Marty Hughley (April 3, 2009). "Storm Large bares it all in her autobiographical musical, 'Crazy Enough'". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 5, 2005.
  14. ^ "Theater review: Storm Large's story is poignant, painful". April 6, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  15. ^ Suzanne Black (August 9, 2010). "Storm Large Crazy Enough". Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  16. ^ "More Problems for Rockstar Supernova". TMZ.com. October 11, 2006.
  17. ^ "Storm Large on Ellen". YouTube. September 11, 2006. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  18. ^ Jenny Desborough, "'America's Got Talent': Where You've Seen AGT Auditionee Storm Large Before", Newsweek online edition (last accessed 16 June 2021)
  19. ^ Matthew Singer, "Watch Portland's Storm Large Stun on 'America's Got Talent'", Willamette Week website, last updated June 15 at 10:34 pm (Last accessed 16 June 2021)
  20. ^ Storm Large – Ladylike, retrieved January 9, 2022
  21. ^ Ladylike, Side One - Storm Large | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved December 7, 2021
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