Jessicka Addams

Jessicka (born Jessica Fodera) is an American singer and artist who is best known for her bands Jack Off Jill and Scarling. Although they may never have topped the charts or headlined Madison Square Garden their contribution to gothic-alt rock as well as the Grrl Band Revolution isn't any less important. Jack Off Jill disbanded at the end of 2000, they left their fans with a masterpiece," Clear Hearts Grey Flowers".

Jessicka Addams Early Life

Jessicka grew up in a small town ironically called Sunrise Florida, though after dropping her surname there was nothing sunny about her. She was raised as an only child by her mother Nancy after her mother divorced her husband, Joseph. Nancy enrolled her daughter in a local Montessori school, where she excelled in art and music. While attending elementary school Jessicka was placed in the school's gifted program, where she excelled in theatre, art, and creative writing. After high school Jessicka had immersed herself in music, Goth-culture, gay iconography, and feminist literature. She often wrote the word "cunt" on her knuckles, and began to drift from the norm; at seventeen she decided that she wanted to start her own band.

Jessicka Addams Jack Off Jill

Jessicka's band got a their jump start when they began opening for fellow Floridian and long time friend Marilyn Manson and his shock rock outfit dubbed Marilyn Manson And The Spooky Kids. The fierce female foursome quickly became one of the most exciting and controversial underground bands during their heyday and it wasn't much of a surprise. With gut-wrenching lyrics, angelica to banshee-like delivery, catchy songs, and shocking on stage antics that included stripping young men on stage while the band and crowd taunted the exposed fans as well as covering the audience with spit and real blood and candy-covered razors. Jessicka even spent a night in jail after her and Manson were arrested after a 1994 concert in Jacksonville Florida after being accused by the town's Christian Coalition for breaking the town's adult entertainment codes. Though she never claimed to be a shock rocker, she was often labeled as one. Jack Off Jill had more in common with riot grrl acts such as Babes In Toyland then they did with Marilyn Manson, who Jack Off Jill would later be constantly compared too. It did not help that Jessicka's long relationship with Twiggy, bass guitarist for the now infamous band, was also in the spotlight. It is said that most of Twiggy's signature grade school ghoulie, little dead girl, kinder goth look was taken from her, making critics' comparisons draw even closer.

Risk Records signed Jack Off Jill in January of '97. The band released their first national 7" Girl Scout/ American Made in March and on September 9th, their full-length Sexless Demons and Scars (produced by Don Fleming- Sonic Youth & Hole) was released to an awaiting mainstream public.

Stronger lyrics and a growing musical maturity were evident in the evolution of the band's new songs. New material was road-tested in March of '99 when they were asked to take the opening slot on the Marilyn Manson/Monster Magnet/Hole tour after Hole departed. In 2000, JOJ released their second full length CD, Clear Hearts Grey Flowers on Risk Records ( Produced by Chris Vrenna)- right as the label was preparing to close it's doors. Due to pressure, poor publicity for CHGF, several line up changes, tension between founding members and management problems; Jack Off Jill called it quits in late 2000.

Jessicka Addams Scarling.

After taking a break and making Los Angeles her permanent residence, Jessicka was invited in 2001 by guitarist Christian Hejnal to perform guest vocals on his solo album. They began recording and rehearsing together and eventually recruited the musicians who would form the first and very short-lived lineup of Scarling. in 2002.

In early 2002 Jessicka was introduced to Long Gone John, owner of Sympathy for the Record Industry, by mutual friend Mark Ryden. On March 19, 2003 Scarling.'s debut single, "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole", was released on John's label. Its cover featured an illustration entitled "Wound 39" by artist Mark Ryden. In April 2004, Scarling released their first album, the seven-song, thirty-three-minute Sweet Heart Dealer, which again utilized the team of Ryden and Vrenna.

In the autumn of 2004, Jessicka was featured on the cover of ROCKRGRL magazine's vocalist issue. Scarling. was invited to join the lineup of the Robert Smith-curated Curiosa Festival, performing on select West Coast dates alongside Jessicka's long-time favorite, The Cure. Smith described the band's music as "dark, desperate, chaotic, gorgeous pop music, the sound of the end of the world" and nominated "Sweet Heart Dealer" for the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize. After a series of 7" singles on Sympathy, Scarling. announced in early 2005 that their second album, So Long, Scarecrow, would appear later that year; it was preceded by the single "We are the Music Makers" and was released on August 23, 2005. So Long, Scarecrow was co-produced by Rob Campanella and received much critical praise. Alternative Press gave the album a 5 out of 5 rating and described Jessicka as "the cuddliest sociopath ever to hold a microphone", while The Independent described Jessicka's vocal style as being "between Kate Bush sweetness and Siouxsie Sioux stridency".

In 2006 Jessicka continued to tour in the US and Europe with Scarling, touring with such bands as UK shoegaze outfit Amusement Parks on Fire and opening for The Wedding Present and Depeche Mode. Scarling. are expected to begin working on their third full length album in 2008

Jessicka Addams Between bands

Post-Jack Off Jill Jessicka worked with Kevin Haskins (a founding member of Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and Love and Rockets), producer Chris Vrenna on American McGee's Alice soundtrack, drummer Samantha Maloney, and horror comic and magician Roman Dirge. Jessicka also appeared in a cameo appearance in the film Ellie Parker starring Naomi Watts. It is speculated that she appeared in the film due to the involvement of her best friend, actress Jennifer Syme, who died on April 2, 2001, in a tragic automobile accident. Jessicka attended long-time friend Manson's wedding to burlesque performer Dita Von Teese on December 3, 2005, in a non-denominational ceremony at Gottfried Helnwein's castle in County Tipperary, Ireland. In 2008 Jessicka was one of the contributors to Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's book Cherry Bomb along with Dita Von Teese, Tori Amos, Cherie Currie of the Runaways, Terri Nunn, Lisa Loeb, Katy Perry, Samantha Maloney, Betsey Johnson, Anna Sui, and Louise Post. She gave tips on how to start a band. In 2009, Jessicka contributed quotes to the books I Love Geeks: The Official Handbook by author Carrie Tucker and Girls Against Girls by author Bonnie Burton. Burton's book includes quotes and inspirational stories from other famous role models who have had first hand experience with girl meanness, such as Jane Wiedlin, founding member of the Go-Go's; Jenny Conlee, bandmember of The Decemberists; and Tegan, bandmember of Tegan and Sara.

Jessicka Addams Personal life

Jessicka is bisexual and has been open about her sexual experiences with both men and women. She has been romantically linked to musicians such as Jeordie White, guitarist Clint Walsh (Gnarls Barkley), Interpol bassist Carlos D., and Scarling guitarist Christian Hejnal. On February 14, 2006, (Valentine's Day) while on a break from touring, she and guitarist Christian Hejnal were engaged. Their wedding took place on October 13, 2007 at the Oviatt Penthouse in Los Angeles. Keanu Reeves, Jeff Buhler, Roman Dirge, Kevin Haskins, Dita Von Teese, Mark Ryden, Jared Gold, Elizabeth Mcgrath, Tim Biskup, Lisa Leveridge, and Samantha Maloney were amongst the guests that attended. The couple changed their surname to Addams. Ryden's wedding gift was a miniature portrait of the couple, a faithful adaptation of Jan Van Eyck's "Arnolfini Portrait," that was reproduced on the invitations.

Jessicka Addams Artwork

On April 25, 2008 Jessicka unveiled her artwork to the public at the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery in Los Angeles, California. The multi-artist show called "depARTed" was curated by actor Daniel Franzese and featured art inspired by stars that died before their time. All art submitted was inspired by famous personalities like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Anna Nicole Smith, to notable figures like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., to artists like Keith Haring and Isabella Blow. The event was sponsored by Flaunt magazine. On February 7, 2009 Jessicka attended artist Mark Ryden's exhibition "The Snow Yak Show" at the Tomio Koyama Gallery in Tokyo along with well known American artists Tim Biskup, Junko Mizuno, Gary Baseman, Chris Berens, and Marion Peck. This show marked a bit of a departure for the artist, whose previously brightly colored palette and rich back rounds were replaced by a more austere, minimal look and staying to a serene palette of white and grey tones. Jessicka was listed as one of Ryden's muses for the show.