Michelene Cherie

Razor Wind (1990)

"Razor Wind" is a rare find from the '90s four-track scene, a well-produced pop song that actually sounds huge and timeless, almost like Neko Case or something.  I got in touch with Michelene Cherie, who now works as a wardrobe and pop stylist in LA, to find out more about the song which I found on the B-side of her only single "Sincerely."

"[The single] was recorded and produced by Dave Peterson who played all the instruments," Cherie wrote me. "His sisters are Debbie and Vicki Peterson from the Bangles. Since I had a good relationship with the Bangles and I also worked for them, I asked them if I could release my single on their label Down Kiddie Records and they agreed to do it.

"We recorded it on four track in our apartment. 'Sincerely,' the original Dwight Twilley song, was recorded on 48 tracks and produced by Twilley. We knew him peripherally through Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson. Both he and Roger Linn (yes, the Linn drum Roger) called us to ask how we did it on only 4 tracks and how we figured out the backwards guitar solo played by Linn. We really tried to do a note-perfect version and according to the original creators and we pulled it off.

"'Razor Wind' was originally recorded by Dave's band The Howling Dogs, from Los Angeles. They were ahead of their time and people didn't really get them, which was a shame, because they had some cool songs. I fell in love with 'Razor Wind' and wanted to cover it.

"I released the single in 1990 and immediately went on tour with L.A's. Redd Kross as a backup singer in support of their Atlantic Records release  Third Eye. We toured the US and Canada supporting Sonic Youth (Goo era) and The Go-Go's first reunion tour. While on this tour, I met the Posies, from Seattle and after leaving Redd Kross I moved to Seattle to hang with my new pals."

After moving to Seattle, Cherie performed as a solo artist and eventually formed Michelene Impossible, who scored some critical notice for their sole release Aquamarine. They disbanded in 1999, but Cherie maintains their myspace page here.