Marissa Paternoster (born August 1, 1986) is an American artist, singer and guitarist active in New Jersey's New Brunswick music scene. She is the former lead singer and guitarist[1] of the band Screaming Females,[2] and continues to perform in the solo project Noun.[3][4]
Early life
Paternoster's parents met while both teachers for the Elizabeth Public Schools. Her mother, Leslie Okun, who Paternoster has described as "culturally Jewish",[1] was an art teacher who now resides in Florida. Her father, Angelo Paternoster, gave her her first guitar lessons before she taught herself to play as a teen.[5][6] Paternoster grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey[7] and attended Roselle Catholic High School[8] and later Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, where she became interested in music and formed Screaming Females.[9] An only child and an introvert, she grew up with a passion for comics, drawing, and, before long, guitar.[10]
Music
Sleater-Kinney influenced her to start a band[10] with bassist Mike Abbate and drummer Jarrett Dougherty in 2005.[11] She was named the 77th greatest guitarist of all time by Spin magazine in 2012,[12] and the 150th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.[13]
Artwork and writing
Marissa's art is included on album covers, posters, skateboard graphics, murals,[14] and advertisements. Marissa's art has been shown in galleries including Space 1026[15] and Commonweal Gallery.[16] She has published collections of her artwork through Don Giovanni Records.
