Listen: Girls’ front man Christopher Owens

Girls' Chris Owens sits does a High Five with The Hash.
Girls’ Chris Owens sits does a High Five with The Hash.

Former San Francisco quartet Girls frontman and solo singer/songwriter Christopher Owens has become one of the most distinct and riveting voices in contemporary rock and roll.

He grew up in a cult, dabbled in addiction, released three Girls albums and has modeled for Saint Laurent Paris (formerly Yves Saint Laurent) and H&M. His solo act “Curls” announced their debut EP Vante for November 7 via Urban Scandal Records. Curls with Cody Rhodes on drums and percussion and Luke Baće on bass start touring Oct. 1 in San Francisco.

Owens recently met up with Max Savage Levenson — producer for GreenState’s podcast The Hash — to share some of his favorite cannabis-associated songs. It’s part of The Hash’s ongoing series, High Five.

Ranging from the spooky ambience of the Twin Peaks soundtrack to the witty and theatrical MC Madvillain (who he describes as akin to the iconic art-rock weirdo Ariel Pink) Owens’ picks embrace a wide and inventive swath of music, and along with some delightfully weird stories about life on the road.

Songs heard in this episode:

  • Pink Floyd – “Great Gig in the Sky”
  • Angelo Badalamenti – “Twin Peaks Theme Song”
  • Fugees – “The Beast”
  • Madvillain – “All Caps”
  • Spiritualized – “Medication”

ProTip: Subscribe to The Hash on iTunes!

Here’s a new cut from Vante.