Rising rock star Amy Klein grew up in Glen Ridge, is a Montclair Kimberley Academy alum (’03) and a long time member of the Essex Youth Theater. She’s the only female in the NJ indie rock band Titus Andronicus. She plays violin and guitar and firmly believes that girls should learn how to make loud noise from an early age — and make no mistake, Titus Andronicus is high volume.
Klein credits growing up in Baristaville with putting her on the road to becoming a rock star. “I was encouraged to express myself creatively, and given lots of support and opportunities,” she told Baristanet in a telephone interview from Alabama (the band is currently touring the country). “The community puts a lot of value on the arts, and there are so many positive settings for young people to play that are alcohol and drug free.”
Klein’s first performance venue was the Serendipity Cafe in Montclair. Growing up, she crossed paths regularly with fellow Glen Ridge musician, Ezra Koenig, going to various music lessons and performance camps (Koenig’s band Vampire Weekend has been globally successful for the past several years). They shared a piano teacher. Klein said that the two have run into each other at music festivals around the country. “I found Ezra eating ice cream in the V.I.P. section of the Coachella festival in California,” she said. “It was just a funny coincidence, but so nice to have that Glen Ridge connection.” She also bumped into him in Denmark. Klein recalls sharing the stage with Koenig and his younger sister Emma as kids. “She made a very cute Lost Boy in Peter Pan, and now she’s a successful actress.”
Currently living in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Klein is enjoying being a rising star, and spreads her love of music and girl power to others through the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls in NYC. She also has several other musical projects. You can read her musings and hear her music at amyklein.bandcamp.com and hillyeye.bandcamp.com.
Today, April 29, Amy and her band members celebrate their roots (the others are from Bergen County) and show the rest of the world the real New Jersey with a new video, shot in various locations around the state. Directed by Tom Scharpling (who lives in Woodbridge), “No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future” includes scenes from Asbury Park, Jersey City and Little Egg Harbor. Check it out and see if you recognize any of the settings.
When asked if Klein had a fan base here in Baristaville, she answered that her parents (still GR residents) were members. We suspect that there are more out there than just the two of them.
At any rate, Titus Andronicus has a growing following amongst the indie rock set, and we expect that Klein and the band will soon become household names. Hail NJ and long live rock and roll.
Ooooohhh…jealous that you got to write this! Titus Andronicus rocks forthrightly, and The Monitor as all sorts of cool NJ name-checks in it.