Susan Stenger: Women Make Music

Born in Buffalo, New York, Susan Stenger has bridged the rock and art music worlds throughout her career. After studying classical flute at the Prague Academy Of Music, she returned to New York to continue her flute work with Samuel Baron and to devote herself to the performance of new and experimental music, especially that of John Cage, Petr Kotik, Phill Niblock, Christian Wolff and Jackson Mac Low. Stenger eventually began composing and performing her own music for flute and electronics and, in 1986, took up the electric guitar as well. She soon began touring with Rhys Chatham’s influential, overtone-drenched guitar army, which had served as boot camp for many a NY art rocker, including members of Sonic Youth and Swans. In 1987, Stenger joined long-time friend and fellow Chatham-ite Robert Poss in forming Band Of Susans, and her role expanded from electric bassist to singer and songwriter as BOS went on to release nine critically acclaimed CDs during the next decade.

In 1996 Stenger moved to London and formed The Brood, a unique gathering of musicians from the fields of rock, electronics and improvisation with a common interest in classic experimental music. Performers have included Finnish electronicists Pan Sonic, Justine Frischmann of Elastica, Bruce Gilbert and Robert Grey of Wire, David Thomas of Pere Ubu, Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), and composer/bassist Gavin Bryars. The Brood has performed in major London festivals at both The South Bank Centre and The Barbican.