Powder were a Los Angeles rock band formed in the early 2000s by vocalist Ninette Terhart and guitarist Phil X, the professional name of Canadian musician Phil Xenidis. Their music combined hard-edged alternative rock, pop hooks, theatrical presentation, and a deliberately exaggerated sense of show business. Although the group never became a major commercial act, it developed a strong identity through its energetic performances and Terhart's flamboyant stage presence.
Terhart, originally from Toronto, had received classical vocal training before moving toward pop and rock music. Xenidis had already built a reputation as a guitarist through work with Canadian rock band Triumph and through session appearances with artists including Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and Tommy Lee. Their musical partnership became the foundation of Powder. The band's early lineup also included bassist Allan Hearn and drummer Jeremy "J-Bo" Spencer, with later personnel changes leaving Terhart and Phil X as its central figures.
Before Powder released its own records, the musicians became connected with the production of the 2001 film Josie and the Pussycats. The band served as a performance coach for Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, and Rosario Dawson, helping the actors learn their instruments, rehearse the songs, and develop the physical energy required for the film's concert scenes. Powder's high-impact approach made them a natural fit for a movie that satirized the manufactured nature of the music industry.
The group issued its debut album, Sonic Machine, in 2002 through its own Powder Records label. The record presented a polished but aggressive sound, built from distorted guitars, catchy choruses, and Terhart's playful, forceful vocals. Its theatrical quality connected Powder with earlier stage-oriented rock acts such as the Tubes, Kiss, Alice Cooper, and the Plasmatics, while the production and songwriting reflected post-1990s alternative rock. Rather than relying solely on spectacle, the band also demonstrated a clear interest in melody and compact pop-rock arrangements.
Powder later released the album Powder in 2004. Around the same period, the band issued the single "Up Here," whose video received additional attention through appearances by Jason Mewes and Ahmet Zappa. The group was known for increasingly elaborate live shows that incorporated colorful costumes, choreographed movement, acrobatics, and pole-dance elements. Terhart's visual presentation became an important part of the band's identity, though the music retained a consistent emphasis on guitar-driven hooks.
A third album, Nothing, followed in 2008 under the Goldielocks & Xman banner. It continued the band's mixture of alternative rock force and pop accessibility, but did not produce a significant breakthrough. Powder's activity declined after this period, and the band was effectively finished by around 2010.
Following Powder's end, Phil X formed Phil X and the Drills, a project that allowed him to take a more direct role as singer, songwriter, and bandleader. His profile rose considerably after he began performing with Bon Jovi, eventually becoming the band's permanent guitarist. Terhart later pursued work as part of the acrobatic duo Silk Sisters and developed a career connected to vocal instruction. Powder's recorded output remains relatively small, but its combination of turbocharged rock, pop sensibility, and theatrical performance gives the band a distinctive place in the Los Angeles alternative scene of the early 2000s.