Cristina Martinez was the guitarist of Pussy Galore and the singer of Boss Hog.
Pussy Galore was an American garage rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990. They took their name from the character in the James Bond film, Goldfinger, and their sound was inspired by the Velvet Underground and the New York Dolls. The band's earliest incarnation consisted of guitarist and vocalist Jon Spencer, guitarist and occasional vocalist Julia Cafritz and drummer John Hammill, though this line-up would be subject to both change and expansion in later years. Following the self-released 7" Feel Good About Your Body, they added guitarist Neil Hagerty. The new lineup recorded the EP Groovy Hate Fuck. This EP, like all of their early releases, would be self-released on their own Shove Records label. After the band moved to New York City they further expanded the line-up by taking on then 16-year-old Cristina Martinez as a guitarist. Martinez was not a musician and had simply taken the photograph for the 7". The band also replaced Hammill with former Sonic Youth drummer Bob Bert. Then on a dare from Sonic Youth, they released a limited-edition cassette and vinyl cover album of the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street. They followed this up in January 1987 with another self-released mini-set Pussy Gold 5000. Shortly after this Martinez left the band and formed Boss Hog with Spencer a few years later.
Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer (guitar) and Cristina Martinez (vocals) along with Jens Jurgensen (bass), Hollis Queens (drums) and Mickey Finn (keyboard). The band was formed in 1989, as something of an accidental side project, when Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer were told of a last minute vacancy on the bill at the influential New York punk club CBGB's. The pair put together a group of musicians from members of The Honeymoon Killers and Unsane, along with Kurt Wolf from Pussy Galore. The gig is reported to have been an underground sensation in New York, not least because Jon performed the whole show naked.
Spencer, Martinez, Wolf, Charlie Ondras, and Jerry Teel recorded the EP Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' with Steve Albini for the record label Amphetamine Reptile in 1989. The response was through the roof. The record buying-public loved Boss Hog and their fresh new "pigfuck" sound.
The first full-length album Cold Hands was recorded with Peter Arsenault and Ed Bair, and Pete Shore of Unsane on bass. Soon after the album's release in 1990 Shore and Teel left the band. Jens Jurgensen joined on bass and the band toured Europe to promote the record. This lineup recorded the BBC Radio session and additional tracks that were released as the "Action Box" double single. Shortly thereafter Wolf left the band and Marcellus Hall of Railroad Jerk joined on guitar for another European tour, and to record the track "Fire Of Love" for a Sub Pop single compilation called Smells Like Smoked Sausages. Soon after, drummer Charlie Ondras died.
Boss Hog took a break for over two years, whilst Spencer concentrated on The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, prior to re-emerging in 1993 with a lean, stable line-up of Spencer, Martinez, Jurgensen and new drummer Hollis Queens. The new Boss Hog recorded the Girl + EP with Martin Bisi which won many awards and lots of high praise.
Their 1995 major-label debut was simply entitled Boss Hog and was recorded with the help of Steve Fisk at NYC's famous Sear Sound studio. The sleaze-glam-punk sound of abrasive buzzsaw guitar and part-sneering, part-shouted vocals continued largely unabated. The band, with the help of keyboard-player Mark Boyce from the Goats, toured to promote this release in Europe, Japan and Australia as well as the US. The Hog made a brief appearance as themselves in the 1996 movie Joe's Apartment. After this, they took another extended break.
In 2000, Boss Hog re-re-emerged with the Whiteout album and Mark Boyce as part of the permanent lineup. The success of Whiteout was accompanied by a number of singles and gigs and a flurry of publicity, before the band went silent again.
Boss Hog played their first US show in 8 years on December 3, 2008 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey and have since played various dates throughout Europe and the US. Mickey Finn took over the keyboards position in 2009. Tour dates and details of the Brood Star EP and Brood X album were officially announced in May 2016.
Spencer, Martinez, Wolf, Charlie Ondras, and Jerry Teel recorded the EP Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' with Steve Albini for the record label Amphetamine Reptile in 1989. The response was through the roof. The record buying-public loved Boss Hog and their fresh new "pigfuck" sound.
The first full-length album Cold Hands was recorded with Peter Arsenault and Ed Bair, and Pete Shore of Unsane on bass. Soon after the album's release in 1990 Shore and Teel left the band. Jens Jurgensen joined on bass and the band toured Europe to promote the record. This lineup recorded the BBC Radio session and additional tracks that were released as the "Action Box" double single. Shortly thereafter Wolf left the band and Marcellus Hall of Railroad Jerk joined on guitar for another European tour, and to record the track "Fire Of Love" for a Sub Pop single compilation called Smells Like Smoked Sausages. Soon after, drummer Charlie Ondras died.
Boss Hog took a break for over two years, whilst Spencer concentrated on The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, prior to re-emerging in 1993 with a lean, stable line-up of Spencer, Martinez, Jurgensen and new drummer Hollis Queens. The new Boss Hog recorded the Girl + EP with Martin Bisi which won many awards and lots of high praise.
Their 1995 major-label debut was simply entitled Boss Hog and was recorded with the help of Steve Fisk at NYC's famous Sear Sound studio. The sleaze-glam-punk sound of abrasive buzzsaw guitar and part-sneering, part-shouted vocals continued largely unabated. The band, with the help of keyboard-player Mark Boyce from the Goats, toured to promote this release in Europe, Japan and Australia as well as the US. The Hog made a brief appearance as themselves in the 1996 movie Joe's Apartment. After this, they took another extended break.
In 2000, Boss Hog re-re-emerged with the Whiteout album and Mark Boyce as part of the permanent lineup. The success of Whiteout was accompanied by a number of singles and gigs and a flurry of publicity, before the band went silent again.
Boss Hog played their first US show in 8 years on December 3, 2008 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey and have since played various dates throughout Europe and the US. Mickey Finn took over the keyboards position in 2009. Tour dates and details of the Brood Star EP and Brood X album were officially announced in May 2016.
