Kristen Pfaff

Kristen Marie Pfaff was born on May 26, 1967 on Buffalo, New York, USA. Kristen is the only child of her mother's first marriage, which ended in divorce when Kristen was very young. Her mother Janet later married Norman Pfaff, and Kristen took his stepfather's surname. She had a younger brother, Jason Pfaff. Kristen graduated in 1985 from Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart. She spent a brief time in Europe and returned to USA attend Boston College. She later enrolled in University of Minnesota. Kristen Pfaff played classical piano and cello since she was a child, but it wasn't until she was around 21 years old, living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that Kristen started to play the bass guitar. Kristen formed her first band, "Janitor Joe" in 1992, alongside guitarist/vocalist Joachim Breuer and drummer Matt Entsminger. "Janitor Joe" released their first single the same year, and their debut album, "Big Metal Birds" on 1993. Los Angeles band Hole were looking for a female bassist, after the departure of their previous bass player Jill Emery. Founding members Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson scouted Kristen during a "Janitor Joe" performance in California. Love asked Kristen to join Hole, but she declined, returning to Minnesota. Both musicians insisted on their purpose to have Kristen as their new bass player. Hole had a millionaire contract with multinational record company Geffen Records, so finally Kristen moved to Seattle, Washington, in order to join Hole. In early 1993, Kristen started to rehearsal for Hole 's second album, "Live Through This". Kristen provided bass, piano and backing vocals. In Seattle, Kristen became close friend of bandmate, guitarist 'Eric Erlandson (I)' (later they would have a romantic relationship) and a good friend of 'Nirvana' frontman, Kurt Cobain, then husband of bandmate Courtney Love. Alongside drummer Patty Schemel, the band moved to Los Angeles to record "Live Through This" on October,1993. Unfortunately, Kristen began to use heroin during her time on Seattle (like most of her inner circle). On February, 1994, Kristen moved back to Minnesota in order to enter a heroin detox center. She then took a sabbatical from Hole, and after her detox, Kristen reunited with "Janitor Joe" members and went to tour with them. On April 8th, 1994, Kurt Cobain 's body was found on his Seattle house. This tragedy affected Kristen, and she returned to Seattle after the "Janitor Joe" tour, with the decision to leave Hole and return to Minneapolis. On June 16th, 1994, Kristen Pfaff was found dead in the bathroom of her Seattle apartment by her friend Paul Erickson, who was supposed to drive her back to Minneapolis. She was at her Seattle apartment to retrieve some of her packed belongings. The cause of dead was declared as an accidental heroin overdose.