Feminist Friday : A Weekly Round Up for June 24th, 2016

Phew! Lost power last week for a bunch of days thanks to a terrible storm that rolled through Richmond, VA so I am happy to be back at it again.

The best thing about this week was learning about Portia Sabin's (Kill Rock Stars President) music industry podcast. This is my new everything.

In a quick backyard report, local lady and massive talent Lucy Dacus has just been picked up by Matador Records. Our whole community is so darn happy for her and I wrote about her several months ago noting ironically a similarity to a classic Matador artist, Bettie Serveert. Weird, right?

Alice Bag is headlining Philadelphia's Treat Y'Self Fest, a benefit for the annual March to End Rape Culture. Pretty darn excited to be a part of this as well; happening this August once again at the PhilaMOCA .

Flying Lotus needs to a dictionary because his use of rape is wrong all wrong.

Tavana wrote an insulting piece of trash  about sex appeal in music for the LA Weekly that has every feminist I know steaming. But it isn't all band, Hawking wrote a response piece that gets it right.

How do touring bands deal with tragic news? This story shares an example of how musicians cope.

Laura Mvula talks us through the many "ists" found in the music industry. Hint: Racist and sexist are in the mix.

Sexism in the music industry is happening in every corner of the world. This story highlights what is going on in France. Don't worry, it is written in English.

All it took was one brave woman to out Ian Conner as her rapist and 5 more women have since also stepped forward to say they were his victims too, rapper/songer Theophilus London has something to say about it.

Social media means musicians are more accessible than ever to their fans and equally, dangerous people who are on the cyber attack. The NYT weighed in on this.

ANd last but not least, what is the state of women in music today. This article helps present some of those issues.

Have something you think I should share ? Send me a note via tracy at littleblackcloud records . com

Feminist Friday : A Weekly Round Up for June 10th, 2016

A manel is yet another music panel where it is a wall of dudes that sit around and talk about stuff. Once again, the industry is lightyears behind the artists themselves. There are women in this industry so how about asking us to sit on more panels?

What happens when a band member defends a rapist? They get what they deserve, to be popped like the pimple on society that they are.

Athena is a powerful pendant necklace that doubles as an emergency alert system to help protect women against assault. By holding down the button on it will not only sound an alarm but send loved ones text messages alerting them to your location and alert 911. This way, you are truly never alone.

Glastonbury Festival has created a an intersectional, queer, trans, and disability-inclusive safe space that will be staffed by people who identify as female, including security and performers. This new area will also feature DJs, workshops on diversity / inclusion, daily dance classes, and DIY class on power tools.

Wax Idols dropped off the Pentagram tour because sexual harrasment isn't worth the exposure a tour of this size can bring. 

This has nothing to do with music but math is certainly an important skill to have and the Fields Medal mathematics prize was won by a woman this year for the first time in its history! 

Congratulations Baltimore, you have a new record store! If you are like me and love record shopping and coffee, this could be worth a road trip for you. 

From the world of DIY punk feminism (Riot Grrrl in the '90s) to an oscar winning film producer, Audrey Marrs deserves a standing ovation. 

CASH Music is a nonprofit organization here to help educate and empower artists and the their fans to foster a viable and sustainable future for music. WE NEED THIS. 

Cool, a Nashville mural celebrating musicians that happens to exclude women completely. Really? Has no woman ever played Exit / In? 

Feminist Friday : A Weekly Round Up

Snowboarder Shaun White is also apparently very good at sexually harassing a band member. Real talk. I didn't even know he played in a band.

This spotlight on one of my favorite bass players on the planet, Kim Coletta (Jawbox), reminds that I really need to do an interview with her for the site this summer.

There is no such thing as a "typical girl" (The Slits shout out) which is the very point of this outstanding collection of 16 female fronted indie bands - out now!

Listen to a track from it here.




The New York City '70s No Wave music and film community included a large number of fascinating women. Marc Master's will fill you in.

This op-ed on breaking the wheel of silence is worth your time. We don't have to accept that parts of the music industry still treat women like shit.

I can't stress this enough. If you think sexism sucks, wait until agism gets added into the mix. Radio personality Lisa G agrees.

Netflix has this feminist documentary streaming right now and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

There is a right way to promote a new album and there is a wrong way. Yacht blew it this week. Faking a sex video exploit ignores the fact that when this happens for real, it is actually a disgusting crime.

And this story just snuck out there quietly. A longtime member of the Brian Wilson's backing band has been convicted of rape.

Did you know the first airline founded by a black women started up last year? It is called Fly Blue Crane and their story should inspire all of us to crash glass ceilings.

Speaking of inspiration, meet the mothers of Motown.

Anyone else excited about the Twin Peaks reboot? I am! And this playlist of what we can expect from the soundtrack is intriguing to say the least. We all know the music is as important as the show itself!

This really does feel like a celebrity death in my world. Legendary NYC record store Other Music will be closing.

A look at punks then and now rates high among my favorite things my eyes set eyes on this week.

Bethany from Best Coast talked about the plight of women in music on The Daily show.

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!