Editing Kira Roessler

{{short description|American musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Kira Roessler
|image = Kira Roessler.jpg
|caption = Roessler before her time with [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]]
|birth_name = 
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|6|12}}
|birth_place =[[New Haven, Connecticut]], U.S.
|death_date = 
|origin = [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]]
|instrument = Bass
|genre = [[Punk rock]], [[hardcore punk]], [[alternative rock]]
|occupation = Musician, [[dialogue editor]]
|years_active = 1977–present
|label = [[SST Records|SST]], [[New Alliance Records|New Alliance]], [[Kill Rock Stars]]
|past_member_of = [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]]
|current_member_of = [[Dos (band)|Dos]]
|website = [http://www.hootpage.com/hoot_dos.html Dos' homepage at Mike Watt's Hoot Page]
}}

'''Kira Roessler''' (born June 12, 1961) is an American musician who was the bass guitarist for the influential [[hardcore punk]] band [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] from 1983 to 1985. Since the mid-1980s, she has been a member of the rock duo [[dos (band)|Dos]] with her now ex-husband [[Mike Watt]].

Roessler also works as a [[dialogue editor]]. She was on the sound editing team for ''[[Mad Max: Fury Road]]'', which won a 2015 [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Oscar]]. She was also on the teams that won Emmy Awards for the ''[[John Adams (miniseries)|John Adams]]'' episode "Don't Tread on Me" and on the series ''[[Game of Thrones]]''.

== Early life ==
Born in [[New Haven, Connecticut]],<ref name="razorcake">{{cite web|last=Leach|first=Ryan|title=Kira Roessler Interview: Originally Ran in Razorcake #26, Now an Ebook with New Introduction By Ryan|url=http://razorcake.org/archive-kira-roessler-interview-originally-ran-in-razorcake-26-now-an-ebook-with-new-introduction/|publisher=[[Razorcake]]|date=May 1, 2014 |access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref><ref name="fubar">{{cite web|title=Interview with Kira Roessler|url=http://thisisfubarproductions.tumblr.com/post/10440764146/interview-012-kira-roessler|publisher=This Is Fubar Productions|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref> Roessler lived there until age eight when her family moved to the [[Caribbean]] until she was eleven<ref name="fubar"/> and thereafter in [[California]], mostly in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="fubar"/> Her brother is [[Paul Roessler]], a keyboardist known for involvement in several Los Angeles–area bands including [[the Screamers]].

== Career ==

===Music===
Roessler began studying piano when she was 6<ref name="razorcake"/> but quit at 11.<ref name="fubar"/> At 14, she picked up the [[bass guitar]] and committed to learning the instrument.<ref name="fubar"/> Her first band was called Waxx and she played her first gig at 16 at [[Whisky a Go Go]].<ref name="razorcake"/> Other early bands were Sexsick, the Visitors, and the Monsters.<ref name="razorcake"/> She then joined with a post-[[Germs (band)|Germs]] [[Pat Smear]] to form Twisted Roots.<ref>{{cite web|last=Felt|first=Hunter|title=Twisted Roots: self-titled |url=https://www.popmatters.com/twistedroots-st-2496088685.html|publisher=[[PopMatters]]|date=May 20, 2004|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref>

Members of Black Flag heard her playing while she was sitting in with L.A. punk group [[DC3 (band)|DC3]]. This led to her being asked to join Black Flag in 1983 to replace founding member [[Chuck Dukowski]].<ref name="prindle">{{cite web|last=Prindle|first=Mark|title=Kira Roessler – 2003|url=http://www.markprindle.com/roessler-i.htm|publisher=markprindle.com|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref><ref name="hartmann">{{cite web|last=Hartmann|first=Graham|title=Former Black Flag Bassist Kira Roessler Wins Academy Award|url=https://loudwire.com/former-black-flag-bassist-kira-roessler-wins-academy-award/|publisher=[[Loudwire]]|date=February 29, 2016|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref> Vocalist [[Henry Rollins]] later reported that [[Greg Ginn]], Black Flag's leader, guitarist and primary songwriter, had grown frustrated with Dukowski's failure to progress as a musician beyond the band's hardcore punk roots and was drawn to Roessler's more nimble and sophisticated playing.<ref name=Rollins>Henry Rollins. Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag. 2.13.61 Publications, {{ISBN|978-1-880985-24-3}}</ref> Roessler was majoring in applied engineering at [[UCLA]], and Black Flag's subsequent tours were scheduled around her classes—a condition of her joining the band. Her bass playing was featured on five of Black Flag's studio albums and two officially released live albums. During her early live performances with the band she was sometimes mistaken as male due to her androgynous appearance, and she subsequently dressed in more feminine garb.<ref name=Rollins/> She remained in the band until completing touring behind their album ''[[In My Head (album)|In My Head]]'' in the autumn of 1985. She graduated from UCLA in 1986.

After Black Flag, she formed the twin-bass duo [[Dos (band)|Dos]] with [[Mike Watt]] (to whom she was married between 1987-1994).<ref>{{cite web|last=Cohen|first=Alex|title=Dos: Veteran Punks With A Low-End Theory|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/07/23/138574263/dos-veteran-punks-with-a-low-end-theory|publisher=[[NPR]]|date=July 22, 2011|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref> Dos' most recent album was released in 2011. She wrote or co-wrote songs for what would be the [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]]'s final album, ''[[3-Way Tie (For Last)|3-Way Tie]]'', and contributed lyrics to Watt's post-Minutemen band [[Firehose (band)|Firehose]]. She later contributed artwork to Watt's first solo album, ''[[Ball-Hog or Tugboat?]]''.

She appeared as a backing vocalist on the tribute album ''[[Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three]]'' in 2003, along with other musical artists, including other Black Flag veterans.<ref>{{cite web|title=HENRY ROLLINS Says He Was 'In A State Of Shock' After Learning Of West Memphis Three's Release |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/henry-rollins-says-he-was-in-a-state-of-shock-after-learning-of-west-memphis-three-s-release/|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=September 1, 2011|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref>

In December 2018, Roessler joined with [[Devra Hoff]] to form the twin-bass band AwkWard and released their first album ''In Progress''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cohan|first=Brad|title=Bass Wars: A spiel with Devin Hoff and Kira from AwkWard|url=https://rockandrollglobe.com/jazz/bass-warsa-spiel-with-devin-hoff-and-kira-from-awkward/|publisher=Rock & Roll Globe|date=February 14, 2019|access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref>

On August 13, 2021, on the Protonic Reversal podcast,<ref>{{cite web |title=Protonic Reversal Ep262:Kira Roessler |url=https://www.protonicreversal.com/ep262-kira-roessler-black-flag-dos-solo-2/ |website=Protonic Reversal |date=August 13, 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021}}</ref> Kira revealed that an album of solo material would be released on October 19 on Kitten Robot records.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sacher|first=Andrew|title=KIRA (ex-Black Flag) releasing debut solo album (watch the video for "The Ghosts")|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/kira-ex-black-flag-releasing-debut-solo-album-watch-the-video-for-the-ghosts/|work=[[Brooklyn Vegan]]|date=September 27, 2021|access-date=September 27, 2021}}</ref><ref name=bandcamp>{{cite web|title= KIRA - Kira - Kitten Robot Records|url=https://kittenrobotrecords.bandcamp.com/album/kira|work=[[Bandcamp]]|date=November 19, 2021|access-date=December 10, 2024}}</ref>

===Film work===
Roessler works as a [[dialogue editor]] on theatrical films in Los Angeles, sometimes credited under her full name, sometimes simply as ''kira''. She has worked on productions including ''[[Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (film)|Confessions of a Dangerous Mind]]'' (2002), ''[[Under the Tuscan Sun (film)|Under the Tuscan Sun]]'' (2003), and ''[[The Twilight Saga: New Moon]]'' (2009), and has also appeared onscreen in the documentaries ''[[We Jam Econo|We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen]]'', ''[[American Hardcore (film)|American Hardcore]]'' and ''What Drives Us'' . She won [[Emmy Award]]s for her work on the ''[[John Adams (TV miniseries)|John Adams]]'' episode "Don't Tread on Me" and on the series ''[[Game of Thrones]]''.<ref name="hartmann"/>

Roessler was on the sound editing team for ''[[Mad Max: Fury Road]]'', which won an Oscar in 2016.<ref name="hartmann"/><ref name="Oscar">{{cite web|title=Former Black Flag Bassist Thanked For Mad Max: Fury Road's Oscar|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1862449/former-black-flag-bassist-wins-an-oscar-for-mad-max-fury-road/news/|date=February 29, 2016|publisher=[[Stereogum]]}}</ref><ref name="Former Black Flag Bassist Kira Roessler Won an Oscar Last Night">{{cite web |title=Former Black Flag Bassist Kira Roessler Won an Oscar Last Night |url=https://www.spin.com/2016/02/black-flag-oscar-kira-roessler-academy-award-bassist-mad-max-fury-road/ |website=spin.com |date=February 29, 2016 |access-date=23 August 2021}}</ref>

==Discography==
*''KIRA''<ref name=bandcamp /> (2021)
;Twisted Roots (with [[Pat Smear]])
*''Pretentiawhat'' (1981)

;[[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]]
*''[[Family Man (Black Flag album)|Family Man]]'' (1984)
*''[[Slip It In]]'' (1984)
*''[[Live '84]]'' [Live] (1984)
*''[[Loose Nut]]'' (1985)
*''[[The Process of Weeding Out]]'' [EP] (1985)
*''[[In My Head (album)|In My Head]]'' (1985)
*''[[Who's Got the 10½?]]'' [Live] (1986)

;[[dos (band)|dos]] (with [[Mike Watt]])
*''[[Dos (Dos album)|dos]]'' (1986)
*''numero dos'' [EP] (1989)
*''uno con dos'' (1989)
** CD compiling the first two Dos releases
*''[[justamente tres]]'' (1996)
*''[[dos y dos]]'' (2011)

;AwkWard (with [[Devra Hoff]])
*''In Progress'' (2018)

;Other
*''[[Minuteflag]]'' (1985)
*''[[Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three]]'' (2002)
*''[[Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie: Reinterpreting Black Flag]]'' (2010)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0456074}}
*[https://alicebag.com/women-in-la-punk/2015/8/31/kira-roessler Kira Roessler interview] by [[Alice Bag]]

{{Black Flag}}
{{Dos}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roessler, Kira}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from New Haven, Connecticut]]
[[Category:American punk rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:Hardcore punk musicians]]
[[Category:Black Flag (band) members]]
[[Category:Dos (band) members]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:SST Records artists]]
[[Category:New Alliance Records artists]]
[[Category:Kill Rock Stars artists]]
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:American women bass guitarists]]
[[Category:Alternative rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Connecticut]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American women musicians]]
[[Category:American women in film]]
[[Category:American sound editors]]
[[Category:Women sound editors]]
[[Category:20th-century American women guitarists]]
[[Category:DC3 (band) members]]