Feminist Friday : A Weekly Round Up for July 1, 2016

Gonerfest, one of my favorite American music festivals ever has announced this year's line up. It includes Fred & Toodey (Dead Moon fans take note), Nots (new album coming this fall), Counter Intuits, Midnight Snaxxx, Spray Paint, Useless Eaters, Reigning Sound (original line up, and the usual influx of ridiculously great bands from Australia / NZ, and lots of other stuff too. Full list is here.

My favorite read of the week is all about how women in independent music shaped indie rock because of their lyrics.

Missed CBGBs and NYC in its prime ('70s)? There is a new photo book called History is Made at Night that will help you relive it through images. This scene hosted many legendary women like Blondie, Lydia Lunch, Blondie, and Patti Smith to name just a few.

Nightwave fights back after critical attacks of her DJ set that have more to with her gender than her actual talent.

Check out this great read on the history of The Bangles.

Is YouTube a friend or foe to music? It is one of the first places people go to stream music (not really) but musicians are always seeing any money from these plays.

We are working ourselves to death ladies. Here is what you need to know about putting in long hours each week.

Apple has developed a new technology that will prevent music fans from being able to film and photograph live music performances.

Backyard report: NPR has written about Miramar who are updating the traditional sounds of Puerto Rica. Our local Girls Rock! founders were also interviewed on WTVR.

I know many of you here are Julie Ruin fans. You can stream their new album here plus the band is touring and probably coming to a city near you.

What's wrong with Top 40? There is a lot if you include how terribly stagnant and rehashed most of the songwriting is BUT there is a less surprising and no less annoying reality, men rule the charts. You might be thinking how could this be when women like Taylor Swift and Beyonce are always in the press but while we are pounded with the gossip of the men they sleep with or what they are wearing, it is distracting people away from the fact that most of music's charting artists are still men.

Jenn Wasner is tired of being a novelty. Women can play guitars and we are often pretty damn great at it. Can we dropped being surprised by this already?

Negative Gemini has a song dedicated to catcaller - Don't Worry Bout the Fuck I'm Doing"

Chris Brown continues to be human garbage and his publicist smarty refuses to accept his name calling.

And to end on a lighter note.

The chain of events went like this. The kick ass compilation Typical Girls includes a cover of the very strange but contagious '50s hit "Dumb Head originally by Ginny Arnell. I broke out the original single from my record collection and have been playing it a bit this week. This led to YouTube search of the song which uncovered this gem. WARNING, this song is an earworm so expect to be singing it for the rest of the day. Sorry/not sorry.

Here is the band Primetime covering the song in their own special, primal way.

This Joe Meek version rules! 

And the original. 

Feminist Friday: A Weekly Round Up

We recently said goodbye to Nadine and the music industry lost one dynamic lady.

This is the most inspiring thing I saw all week.  In an effort to protect themselves from mutilation, abuse, and potentially death by their husband's hands, these Kenyan women have broken off and created their own safe places, all female villages. This short film shows what is possible when we work together and make our lives what we think we deserve. Empowerment, respect, education, control, and enlightenment, these women are remarkable. Warning to those in the work place, there is some tribal nudity.

Grimes says music is a hostile environment for women and discussed male producers in her past that have tried to hold her songs hostage in exchange for sex. 

Thao on Song Exploder explains that even in personal song writing, we still can use a little help from our friends.

You love St. Vincent behind a guitar, how about behind a movie camera of this all female directed and female lead horror film series?

The Julie Ruin is back

Oh man. Remember how excited we were to learn that Furnace Record Pressing had purchased 10 record presses from Mexico, in theory to help get the record pressing industry caught up with the spike in clients trying to press records (around Record Store Day specifically)? Well shit didn't go as planned. Foiled again!

Erykah Badu, what exactly are you trying to say here about young women?

Goodbye Uber, hello Chariot for Women. Meet a new company who will make those late night rides (so common in music) a whole lot safer.

The equal pay gap debate continues.

Afropunk, the movie - you need to watch this documentary.

I recently visited the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore (highly recommended and don't miss the best gift shop on the planet) It inspired me to learn more about female outsider artists.

Hip Hop stylist Ian Conner has been accused of rape.

Is critical writing worth death threats? 

Women in music talk about female leadership for CNN with Taylor Brode, Molly Neuman, and Maggie Vail.

And a gift for your ears this weekend - a new PJ Harvey album!