Friday Round Up: Oct 7th, 2016

The best thing I saw / listened to all week! Bask in the beauty of Wiki edits is real time. It is like listening to a gentle but persistent rain storm produced by Eno. It also accidently double as a band or song name generator.

Roger Shepherd shares his stories behind the photographs found in his new memoir In Love With These Ties: My Life with Flying Nun Records, everyone's favorite record label from New Zealand.

Meet the women participating in Ragnar Kjartansson's "Women in E", nine of whom will also perform with their bands on October 22nd at an all day festival at the Hirshhorn in Washington, DC.

I've written about my love of the X-Girl clothing line before and it appears Kim Gordon has passed the torch down to her daughter this year. Can we all agree that an Earth Crisis turtleneck is pretty funny?

Pretty darn excited to discover there is a L7 documentary coming this fall. I can't say this clip tells me much about the story of the band but with my nostalgia being what it is for this band, I am sure I will love it regardless.

One of the other great things I saw this week are the photographs of the queens of the metal scene in Botswanas which is fairness is feature from last year but it never gets old to me.

I am not really a halloween person but spiders tune their webs like a guitar at that is as close as I get to getting seasonal. Oh, and music is ruining our opinion of sharks. And then there is this; you can submit spooky music for a pretty cool project here.

A new Mannequin Pussy record is coming! God I love the tension between their angst and melodies.

If you love cassette tapes so much, maybe you should know more about them.

Who are you and what are you doing here? Self sabotaging is the worst and Kat Harding shares her experience in the Nashville music community as she copes with "imposter syndrome".

Backyard report: local Richmond DJ, artist, and musician Sara Gossett created the breathtaking cover art for Tompkins Square release by Harvey Mandel.

Some speaker stains are actually dust patterns made by sound. Here is someone who has made an art show out of it.

Crystal Fairy is a super group featuring member of The Melvins, At The Drive-In, and Le Butcherettes.

Dot from The Shaggs opens up to Rolling Stone. Don't call them outsider Rock, they are more like outsider Mt. Everest according to their rabid fan base.

Patti Boyd has inspired 10 very well known rock and roll songs. Who the heck is the real life Layla anyhow?

The history of library music - for you soundtrack / incidental music fans.

Kathleen Hanna is having a busy year. It appears Le Tigre is reuniting.

Spend forty-five minutes with Francoise Hardy! Who doesn't want that?

The real life feminist bookstore made famous in Portlandia is putting a bird on it and that bird is a middle finger. 

Session Musician Legend: Bobbye Hall

Bobbye Hall is one of the most important female percussionists of the last century. Her many music skills and one of a kind chemistry in a studio recording session has led to four decades of gold and platinum hits.

News and Muse: September 30th, 2016

Today at 11AM Kathleen Hanna (the Julie Ruin /Bikini Kill) will be talking with Meredith Graves (MTV/ Perfect Pussy) live for the Talkhouse Music Podcast.

Oh no! This is how a woman really sounds when she sings? The weirdest thing I have read in ages is the technical evaluation of the new Lady Gaga single that some people find to be nails on a chalkboard. Some listeners can't wrap their head around a singer belting out a melody without the technology to clean it up so it sounds inhumanly in tune and like an unfeeling robot. I am baffled by the unnecessary push back to this very common approach to recording vocals.

In more befuddling reads, there are a lot of people who still buy CDs and Noisy wanted to know WTF. Hint, some people like physical stuff, enjoy the full journey of following a release from start to finish-getting the artist's full story, there is loyalty to the artist, that is how I listen to music in my car, I don't know how to download or I don't trust digital files, and you are probably over the age of 30.

Spotify is in "advanced talks" to buy SoundCloud; so much room for potential or disaster. Either way it threatens Apple music and will allow Bandcamp to remain more of an indie artist favorite when compared against these European superpowers in digital music.

"Girls Own Love" is an all female Andrew W. K. tribute band from Athens, Ga that features Kay Stanton who is currently also playing with Pylon Reenactment Society and Casper & the Cookies.

Amoeba in Berkeley, California goes green meaning they just got license to sell marijuana.

There is a battle brewing over the digital download cards that may or may not be included in that new record you just bought. Love 'em or hate 'em, there are lots of interesting opinions here from various record label owners.

Well that was fast; goodbye G.L.O.S.S., we hardly knew ya.

Sheila B, one of my favorite ladies and an extraordinary DJ (tune in today to WFMU to hear why) recently toured Europe and recapped it for fans here. Cha Cha Charming indeed.

Montreal has a public vinyl archive at the Never Apart Gallery and venue and it tells a story you once had to stay up very late to hear.

Congrats to Kathleen Brennan for receiving an award for writing "Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence"! If only some of the bigger press outlets called you by your name rather than just Tom Waits' wife. We know that a woman is more than who she is married to.

Harlem based producer Veronica Lauren turned bedrest from a botched spinal injury treatment into music.

Dolly is a beacon of strength for women. Oh come on. There is only one Dolly and we all know it.

This remarkable computer program essentially reads data and can turn it into music. Listen to the sound of climate change and learn more about this musical technology that will forever change how our brains can take in information. Woo your elitist music snob friends when you tell them your new favorite genre is "data sonification'.

Vinyl record sales are down 9.1% this year but we all already knew that the bubble has vinyly burst - right? See what I did there?

This interview with the Chicago rapper Noname also features her new album and both are worth your time.

What does The Boss have to do with one feminist's life journey?

There is a 16 year old editor in chief of a hopelessly cool biannual that showcases youth talent. Elise By Olsen started "Recens Paper" at age 13 which should all make us feel like we should probably all be doing more with our lives right about now.

Mexican duo Lorelle Meets the Obsolete has a new album out entitled Balance and why aren't more music sites talking about it yet?

Janis Joplin on Paper

You may have noticed a Janis Joplin documentary on Netflix currently called Little Girl Blue that includes Chan Marshall aka Cat Power  narrating.

Here is the trailer to that film:

Janis is best known for her unbridled vocal performances and wild child charisma however she first began expressing herself through drawing and painting in grade school. The film never goes into her interest in making art or her original desire to be a fashion designer so I took to the internet to seek out some of these sketches myself.

I love this snapshot (below) of her drawing the scarecrow from Oz. It is particularly wild to see Janis looking more like a cast member of Leave it to Beaver as a kid.

Her transition into life as an outcast began in grade school when she stood up against segregation in Texas when few in her community would. She was threatened for her belief in equality as well as mercilessly teased for bad skin, frizzy hair, and being slightly overweight all throughout her school years. Her response was to explore art, read beat writers, start dying her hair, and spend weekends hanging out drinking in Blues bars with a small circle of beatnik friends - all the opposite of what accepted ladylike behavior was by the mainstream. The peak of cruelty from others came when she was named "Ugliest Man on Campus" by Texas University frats in college. She left Texas and tried never looking back however the years of being tormenting had already taken their toll. Drinking and taking drugs were one coping mechanism but luckily for music fans, so was overcoming her haters to pursue her passion of making music.

 

"You are what you settle for"

                                   -Janis Joplin

 

 

Janis Joplin never settled. She was the child of a 1940s/1950s reserved family living in an equally conservative state yet she had the courage to push back against the masses no less allowed herself the freedom to reinvent herself. She defied her gender expectations by being among the first women to use screaming to enhance her vocal performances. She looked exactly as she pleased, including a tattoo which was nearly a half century before it was trendy no less acceptable for a women to have. She crossed color barriers by belting out her own raw take of the Blues. She was as a single, bi-sexual woman forging her way in a mostly male dominated music world. She had no mentor cutting the path for her. She led the way alone. The making and eventually breaking of this star had a lot to do with being a victim of bullying (eventually also leading to her body dysmorphia). For nearly a decade she carried a relentless drive to show the world that she was worthy of love and had something special by channeling that pain and self doubt into her art. The tragic irony of her life is the strife that helped fuel her talent would also be the same thing that helped extinguish her flame.

Friend of Joplin's Country Joe McDonald once stated that "Sexism killer her." and this quote haunts me. Janis refused to buy into conventional beauty or what a female front person should behave/sound like and she paid the price for it. She was finally earning the love and respect she craved from fans but for most of her short life, her trusted inner circle never delivered the kind of support system she needed desperately. Joplin also sadly lacked the self love to rise above the criticism. She found it difficult to escape feelings of loneliness and never learned to cope with the lows that followed the high of performing to large and enthusiastic audiences that wasn't in a bottle or drug.  

Joplin's life was over by the unbelievably young age of 27 in 1970. Her official cause of death was a heroin overdose but her heart had also been broken one too many times. We have had the opportunity to hear her bravely express herself unlike anyone who came before her through her voice but I appreciate seeing an added dimension to her character through her pictures.

The bulk of Janis Joplin's artwork below was created before music took over from approximately age 12 to 20.

As a final side note, in my search online I discovered that Joplin's niece Malyn Joplin has created a fashion line inspired by Janis called Made for Pearl.

News and Muse: September 16th, 2016

Before you post something about how the sky is falling because you skimmed a headline and believe Amoeba Records in Hollywood, CA is closing, read this. Read the full article before posting outrage people!

My ears are reminding me that this was the best thing it heard this week: Sampa the Great from Australia.

Aphex Twin and Bjork you say? Christmas comes early this year in Houston, TX.

Ladies, Yoko Ono wants you! Tell her about the trauma you have suffered for no other reason that being a woman. Her son Sean also made the news this week when he shared his unfortunate thoughts on mansplaining.

This is the most talked about music news story of the week; G.L.O.S.S turned down an Epitaph Records contract. To me the bigger story is that they might be the only band I know who talks about pressing 20k of a record out of the gate. Now that is the real story here.

Have you ever wondered why you hated the sound of your own voice? This article explains why. Science! 

England has two female revolutions happening; music (meet The Tuts, the newest in a seemingly endless crop of killer bands) and fashion.

The lesson here is one of determination and no apologies for being who you are. Publicist Michelle Kambasha shares her experiences as a black woman in the independent music world.

The New York Art Book fair is THE place to be this weekend. Somebody go and report back for me - please? You can get a Kim Gordon or Genesis Breyer P-Orridge tattoo! Oh, and in other Kim Gordon news, there is this short film made by Carrie Brownstein for the Kenzo fall/winter campaign. And wait! More KG news! She has a new single out too!

Amy McGrath of Denver, CO has written an essay about why women rock on and off the stage.

What does Marnie Stern have to do with Seth Meyers and his late night television show? Her enormous music talent is being put to good use.

These songwriters are fighting the Justice Department because of their recent music copyright ruling as it relates to digital streaming compensation.

Modular synth fans, don't miss this 25 minute non-tradional documentary on the making of the collaborative LP between Suzanne Ciani and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. Think of this as a visual companion to the music rather than your typical thing where artists talk about their project.

I have produced records with just about every vinyl pressing plant there is since the early '90s but my favorite experience remains with Erika Records. I first heard about them because they were partners with Sub Pop early on but I remain dedicated to them because they are owned by Liz Dunster. Oh the things this woman has put up with over the years because of her gender. I have so much respect for her and her dedication to producing top quality records in a professional manner. Check out this recent article on her and her company.

Nothing says objectifying and marginalizing women in a really stupid way quite like this very real recent music group comment. Tell me more about women in your creepy shoegaze fantasy world. Oh wait. Don't. Just don't. It is exhausting (not to mention insulting) to see comments like this about women in bands that treat us more like an accessory than a talented member of the band. We are real people who make art.

This article slipped through the posting cracks a few weeks ago. Why are more women freelancing?

Titwrench is raising the bar for music festivals according to this story.

Shirley Manson has some words for you about fetishizing the '90s, body image, and well, click here to see what else.

Music News and Muse: September 9th, 2016

The best thing I saw all week are these vintage suitcases turned into functional boomboxes.

I had the opportunity to interview Alice Bag for Le Sigh and if you don't know anything about her, this is a great place to start if I don't say so myself. If you want to know more about the birth of NY punk, this interview with three east coast legends is worth your time.

Holy crud - did you see the U+NFest 5 fest happening in Baltimore? ESG is the headliner and the line up of awesomeness explodes outward from there.

Paper wants you to know about 15 rising DJs and producers which also happens to = a whole lot of talented ladies.

What is better that one iconic punk singer? Two powerhouse vocalists! New band Sex Stains on Don Giovanni Records features Allison Wolfe of Bratmobile and Mecca Vazie Andrews.

Laura Marling is so curious about how equal women in music are, she has launched a new Podcast series dedicated to it.

Backyard Report! The Richmond Folk Festival is RVA's flagship annual music event and our friend/neighbor Katie McBride has designed the perfect poster for it this year.

Doe breaks down their new record track by track and I want to crawl inside of it and live there forever. Rawkus power Pop from the U.K. is what anyone with ears needs to hear on a Friday.

The feel good story of the month is this Mary Boyer, a 93 year old Prince fan from Cleveland. Thanks Drew Cary for making me instantly sing Cleveland Rocks.

Miranda Lambert has created a scholarship for female songwriters because she knows women in the industry could use the support. And while we are talking about scholarships. Bitch Media is currently accepting applications for their 2017 writing fellowships.

Learn more about the woman who helped shape the music of Britain's legendary series Doctor Who and has gone on to influence music decade after decade. Stranger Things included.

Wow busts some of the most common myths of being a woman in music.

Do you live in DC and dream of working for NPR? Look at this - they are currently hiring!

Pearl Jam's sound engineer for over two decades is Karrie Keyes and she has a group that supports and mentors women in in professional audio called SoundGirls. I now have a favorite new charity!

In my ears this week is Lithics from Portland, OR - brilliant post-punk. While we are on the subject of Portland, musician Joel Magid posted on Facebook a confession to sexually assaulting a woman in 2010.

Brix Smith-Start of The Fall was a guest on WFMU this week and you can listen to the full show here.

Prom Queen from Seattle nailed a mash up between the Stranger Things theme and Twin Peaks soundtrack song "Laura's Theme".

You might have been wondering what the singer/songwriter Jewel was up to and slaying Ann Coulter at the roast of Rob Lowe leads me to believe that comedy may be in her future.

The Black Girls Talking Bandcamp picks for August are worth your time.

Toxic masculinity is everywhere and I definitely have been literally punched out by it at shows, made the mistake of dating a few people who were fueled by it years ago, and watch the horror unfolding in the news each day and think to myself that there are a lot of angry men out there. There is now a zine about this and they are looking for submissions. And the dumbass of the week award goes to Cute is What We Aim for Singer for denying rape culture is a real thing. Idiot.

Living room tours are all the buzz and I am not just saying that because we recently sponsored one in our home. They are an offering a real way for touring artists to make money and reach fans in a sincerely intimate setting. Small and curated is the new making it. Shannon Curtis will fill you in.

T-Rextasy will make it all better.

And Bomba Estero too.

Music News: August 27th, 2016

The New Yorker reminds us that nostalgia is what really drives the music industry these days.

There is an all lady tribute to Devo called We Are Not Men. Thank you universe.

I spy a lot of old friends in this traveling photography exhibit curated by Mark Beener called Still Screaming. It also reminds me that the world of punk and hardcore through the '90s was a lot of dudes but glad to see Toko from The Van Pelt and Arabella from Jejune among the images.

Apple doesn't no jack. Industry talk says the new iPhone won't support the typical headphone jack. Music fans have yet another reason to be frustrated with a brand that feels less cutting edge and more like a dying cult these days. And if you don't believe me, here is reminder that iTunes turned 13 and "it is still awful".

Two bad ass ladies of color in punk from two different generations talk over tacos.This short film with Michelle from Spitboy and Christine of Try the Pie is tremendous.

Pitchfork schools us on the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

We continue to have a sexual assault problem at music festivals but what exactly are we doing about it?

We can always use a reminder that Pylon is one of the best bands to ever come out of Athens, GA. Don't worry, even R.E.M. and the B-52s agree.

Did you know there is a book that compiles every film that includes punks or new wavers? It exists and it is called Destroy All Movies. The celebration of the 40th anniversary of punk also carries on in London. While we are talking the U.K., hero status, Poly Styrene. Lastly the Amy Winehouse foundation opened up Amy's House, a 16- person home for women recovering from drugs and alcohol.

I know they are cute but you really, really should not buy a Crosley turntable if you care about fidelity or your records. Keep them away from your record collection at all cost!

Turn your favorite ticketstub into a swank doormat.

The great news is 29 private sector companies including Apple and Facebook have signed a pledge to commit themselves to helping close the gender pay gap for their employees. The bad news is that this is still an issue at all. Thanks guys?

Backyard report, my friend and favorite local DJ Sara Gossett talks Richmond in giving us the perfect "staycation"  via a wonderful Anna Goldfarb piece on Kitchn.

Our band recently played a benefit in Philly to help end rape culture. In between bands Kevin from Mercury Girls DJ'ed and at no point during the day was I ever disappointed. He has been kind enough to post his entire set (links for every song!) which is seriously a must check out for fans of girl groups spanning the past 60 years from all over the world.  

Inspired by the pages of fashion magazines, self taught artist Helen Rae who now at age 77 is both deaf and non verbal, had her fist solo art show. Not only did all of her detailed colored pencil pieces sell out immediately, she has become an outsider art sensation and with good reason. Up next, a show in Paris.

Hey! You! This is a reminder that you can be a mother and still be a successful artist.

Touring as a musician with a chronic disease is exhausting but it allow you to channel pain and frustration in important ways. Rachel Browne of Field Mouse shares her personal experience.

Folk music's answer to Billie Holiday; get to know Karen Dalton.

Australia's feminist music convention LISTEN returns in October.

UMG doesn't like Apple after another one of their artists (Frank Ocean) has worked out an exclusive deal that limits digital sales and marketing with a larger group of partners, the stuff that big businesses don't appreciate when they have heavily invested in them. UMG has decided to ban the practice of exclusive streaming which seems ironic since they were the ones who love giving major chains like Best Buy or Target exclusives in the physical world of CDs.

Beverly Watkins is a 77 year old Blues guitar player that says slowing down is not an option.

This is a half fast but well meaning collection of NYC venues/clubs that no longer exist in a photo form was a nice trip down memory lane regardless.

Speaking of Frank Ocean, could visual album releases be music's newest format?

Copyright violations are the flesh eating bacteria of the music industry with sites like YouTube (tech companies) acting as the filthy germ spreaders.

Ending with this beautiful Santigold video, a collab with Kara Walker.

Feminist Friday Music News: August 19th, 2016

There are a lot of disturbing yet fascinating perceived notions about women that simply are not true. These "truisms" are all wrong yet they are still setting us back in the world, from art to our careers. And no, Yoko did not break up The Beatles.

There is another brilliant record on Sister Polygon Records. Check out Post Pink from Baltimore.

Carol Kaye is among the most important American bass players. Discogs wrote a little piece on the most sought after records she plays on. And speaking of Discogs, they have a crowdfunding type idea for getting rare records repressed. It seems like a licensing nightmare to me so good luck with that.

Shaun White is best know for his snowboarding and skateboarding skills but he also plays in a band and is facing a lawsuit from an ex member for sexual harassment.

Light in the Attic is doing a series of reissues for the French painter/poet/post punker/painter Lizzy Mercier Descloux and Quietus wrote a really nice overview on all of her diverse and many talents.

Another long time record store closes down, this time Disc Exchange after 20 years of serving the Knoxville music community. What does it take for an indie record store to survive these days anyway? Weird, I would have guessed being independently wealthy was the answer.

Women are kicking ass in the Olympics this year so let's celebrate with a mix of brilliant feminist music from Brazil.

The band Fea is Latina punk at its finest.

I recently worked on an Alice Bag interview and spent a lot of time with her new album that is heavily inspired by '60s Girl Groups so this article about new bands influenced by this style couldn't be timed any better for me. I saw Midnight Snaxxx play a few years ago at Goner Fest and really loved them so while I don't know the other groups in this article, I stand by that band 100%.


So how do we stop sexual assault from happening at music festivals. It starts with education says David Huggins.

The problem with being a record nerd who is given a list like the story of feminist punk in 33 songs is I can't stop thinking about what I would change about it. In fairness though, this list is pretty darn great.

Oh boy! Another music industry race to the bottom. There are some important lessons to be learned in the demise of a sync music company in Chicago.

An old co-worker of mine Glenn Peoples wrote this piece about music marketing and the heart of the point really surprised me. Did you know that an artist's voice + new music = a serious click through rate?

Making music can be one of the most empowering and self confidence building tools in the world. A London engineering and design company is working on creating musical instruments for people with physical disabilities that may have otherwise been excluded from the gift of making music.

And in the name of a flashback Friday, check out Snatch, an obscure female punk duo from the late '70s.

The Rise, The Fall, and the Rise : Brix Smith-Start : A Book and My Heart Rate

WARNING! BOOK PLOT SPOILERS !

Fame. What's the point? It doesn't last. It doesn't guarantee money or respect. For every fan there is a reactionary hater. Being famous to some still means nothing to many others. It takes normal people and turns them into reclusive weirdos whose worlds are built around the machine that is trying to keep their fame alive for as long as possible. Their reality is ironically a false universe of people who mostly want to steal their light or ride their coattails. Strangers offer gifts that are actually disguised marketing schemes so businesses can align themselves with their aura of cool. When the fame bubble bursts (and it almost always does) these poor people are thrown back into the real world only to discover they are damaged goods with few real friends and zero real life skills. There is often no career plan B so next follows a depressing scramble to pay bills and rebuild a "normal" life. Fame. What a fucking terrible idea.

I would have said Brix Smith Start would agree but her story is an American marvel that has spread to other continents. She is a cat with 9 lives. She was born into a world of affluence, her rock and roll limelight timed out within a decade and yet she found her way back into the spotlight again in the most surprising of ways.

Some people don't seek fame, they are born with what I call shiny penny syndrome. People want to pick them up and stash them in their pocket. They glow from within like a jack o'lantern and people are naturally attracted to them. They stand out in a crowded room. People lean in when they speak just to be closer to their breath. They are catalysts to people's imaginations and desires. It is maddening to those who try to seek out that sort of magical existence because they discover it isn't something you can create or buy. Cool is a genetic freak accident only further fueled by money, style, and talent. Brix is one of those people. Like a moth to a flame, fame finds her.

Brix Smith-Start's story is the perfect balance of American dreams and nightmares. Her grandfather entered the country as an immigrant and amassed a fortune in California through hard work and innovation. A sun soaked and decadent life for his family was to follow. Financial privilege afforded her one of a kind opportunities (horses, Friar's club brunches, Beverly Hills shopping, housekeepers) but tied into that cost was also an abusive father eventually cut from her life, feeling like a causality of divorce with parents split between two states, and a revolving door of caregivers. An eating disorder complicated her already tense childhood. Huge things would be on the horizon for Brix but again good came along with the bad. Her teenage years brought drugs, sex, an introduction to the world of fashion, exotic travel, but also there was also brutal sexual assault. An elite college experience included a vampire bite that caused a serious infection (no really!) a bloody concussion, and an unwanted pregnancy. At this point we are only at the halfway through the book now and like a car crash you can't look away from, in walks Mark E Smith, the leader (AKA dictator) of The Fall. Here is a man that has dedicated most of his adult life to being a living, breathing, seething artist. One part drunk, one part poetic wrecking ball.

Each new chapter of The Rise, The Fall, and the Rise encourages me to curse. I have found myself wincing while muttering FUCK! or SHIT! The intensity and wildness of the first portion of the book is matched, no, surpassed by the second half. Her life gets stranger - something that seems nearly impossible. Overnight she goes from a fan of The Fall with minimal band experience to being not only a member of the band but living in England and married to Mark in a whirlwind that keeps swirling for much of the '80s.

Brix's entire story in wholly unbelievable and she articulates it in a manner that is like catnip to the curious. You will find yourself wondering how one person can fall (pun intended) into this many crazy situations. They seem to seek her out unlike the reality stars of today who fake drama and jump start headlines. There are endless run-ins and brushes with fame from fairytale royalty to the hard to pin down je ne sais quoi icons of hip usually associated with the likes of Lou Reed and Nico. From the ashes of a dead-end she rises time and time again. Her story is one of perseverance, survival, spirituality, and surreal luck.

Out of the hundreds of jaw dropping moments recreated in this book, one small paragraph still haunts me. Brix played on and helped write some of the most memorable and popular Fall albums yet she has never seen one cent of royalties from any of those records. When Mark E Smith walked out on her as a cheating husband, he also cheated her of rightful compensation. Yes, plenty of dirt dished in regards to their relationship in and out of the band but I think what is most surprisingly is her ability to forgive him and still see the good when most people in her shoes would have bludgeoned him to death with them.

A weaker individual would have come apart at the seams after the 10th bottoming out but Brix's star shine doesn't fade; she pops back to life like a trick candle whose flame can't be extinguished. She reappears in new bands, builds new career paths, becomes romantically entangled with a series of larger than life characters, and eventually ricochets back stronger than ever on UK television. I didn't know what to expect from this book but once I recovered from the shock of a world class roller coaster ride, I was left with hope and comfort. No life is perfect.We each cope in strange and wonderful ways to get by. It is reminder that around the corner isn't just more disaster or doom but occasionally things of true marvel, joy, and beauty. Just as easily as we can let others own us, we can take back our lives and make the impossible happen.

This books comes highly recommended and I have made you a playlist (18 plus hours!) of all the music she discusses in the book in chapter order.

Feminist Friday for the Week of July 25th, 2016

Jes Skolnik wrote a great guide to pitching publications in the digital/ social media world.

Hey New Zealand friends, here is your opportunity to own 300 boomboxes. Check out this ridiculously awesome slice of music history. The seller won't split up the collection so be prepared to make some room for them all.

Photos of DC's Girls Rock! showcase taken by Farrah Skeiky are heartwarming and inspirational.

Fader recently spotlighted 7 queer bands from the U.K. worthy of your attention. I already knew I LOVED Shopping but that Cruising video!

Say what you will about Kickstarter (haters gonna hate), these numbers tell us that they are making a positive impact on the creative community. With Molly Neuman Hernandez (Bratmobile, The Peechees) at the helm of their music division, I would expect nothing less.

Backyard report: local Richmond, VA record label Grave Mistake has a new Earth Girls (Chicago) release coming August 12th. The Le Sigh debuted a new track this week; prepare for some quality Pop on 11. In other local news, RVA Magazine featured Samantha Brodek, a pen and ink artist whose macabre work has appeared on many an album cover or band shirt.

Meet Sarah Robbins from Alright/Faye/ Self Aware Records. Charlotte, NC is my new favorite and this lady is one of the main reasons why.

I have worked at records stores on and off for more than two decades. You wouldn't believe the things customers say and do within the walls of the shop. Luckily a record store clerk has written them all down and is willing to share. Anyone who has worked retail will appreciate these tales.

Kelley Deal from The Breeders is making scarves. It looks like she already sold out so you better bookmark this page because winter is coming.

Did you know women are winning the symphony chair game? More than 50% of the chairs in the top American 250 orchestras are filled by women.

Imagine putting your heart and soul into making music only to have it hijacked by someone like Donald Trump for the Republican party. These musicians say enough is enough.

Could this be the end of  the vinyl boom? Duh.

Scotland has a music festival called Pandora where women were the primary focus.

This exhibition of Japanese portable record players appeals to me on every level.

Awe yeah! Another interview with the Latina DJ crew Chulita Vinyl Club.

The Indietracks festival is this weekend (Saint Etienne, The Aislers Set, The Spook School, Comet Gain) is also fundraising for Sarcoma UK, a charity Camera Obscura's Carey Lander was involved in before she passed of this cancer last year. If you aren't able to make it to the festival, you can still donate to the cause. 

This Chicago group of women in music are creating their own safe spaces. Los Angeles also has a version of this, meet PLAG (play like a girl). This is a growing trend and I love it.

Angela Owens, Girls Rock, and an Accidental Backyard Report

Boston music photographer Angela Owens has owned my Facebook feed this week; a welcome change from people yelling at each other about politics. Everyone I know is obsessing on this series of photos she took at a recent show (more like a fest) in Boston that reminds me of the old youth crew photos from CBGBs, only this time the bands and crowd are predominantly ladies. This was a benefit for Girls Rock Boston and it wins the award for the best thing I have seen all month.

Before you scroll down any farther, seriously check out her photos first. Get to know the photographer in this interview.

This also doubles as a backyard report because as it turns out, a lot of these bands are from my hometown of Richmond, VA.

There are a ton of videos to check out via the event page. Watch them all here. 

It got me wondering who all these bands in the photos were, so I have compiled all the links here:

LEATHER DADDY (Boston)


FIREWALKER  (Boston)


DAME  (Boston)


RINGER  (Richmond)


KOMMUNION (Richmond)


NOSEBLEED (Richmond)


METER FEEDER (Hadley, MA)


IRON CAGES (DC)


RARE FORM - I can't find much on this band so if anyone has a link, please send it to me.


CROSSFIRE (Boston) 
 

Feminist Friday: A Weekly Round Up for July 15, 2016

Talent and beauty can't coexist according to so many male journalists. Seriously, when will women be written about as artists and not highly sexualized dolls?

And speaking of annoying press habits, how about a story on Juggalos being the new Ravers and the LA Weekly that needs to be proven by showing pictures of scantily clad women. Try harder LA Weekly.

Do all female event lineups actually help or hurt our cause since it stresses our gender over the art we make?

Grace Jones is replacing M.IA. as the Afropunk London headliner.

Public service announcement: There are "professionals" trying to use LinkedIn like Tinder. Check out when a "nice website for nice people" turns into shark infested waters.

As electronic music enters classrooms a a way to teach children about music making, what does this mean for the future of this genre in 10 or so years? I can't wait to find out.

Kenny and I are still mourning the end of our record label this year but I love reading about a couple who run one of my favorite American record labels currently, Trouble In Mind.

It is really hard to be your best at anything (music or otherwise) when our health and female bodies are grossly stigmatized and unserved. Girls also tend to be more anxiety prone, why is that?

Michelle Obama and Missy Elliott rocking out in a car with James Corden is the BEST THING I HAVE SEEN OR HEARD ALL WEEK.

Backyard report, get to know one of my favorite local musicians (that velvet voice!) and a fabulous feminist to boot Julie Karr. Also Sisterhood of Hip Hop season 3 includes an artist we booked at Richmond's Fall Line Fest, Audra the Rapper (from DC/ Virginia Beach)

And in things that have made my friend's week, I think The Julie Ruin covering Courtney Barnett is the best thing they have heard or seen all week.

In other riot grrrl news, you can wear a piece of its history - via an Ebay auction right now.

One more piece of grrrl news, you can help fund a film on this very subject, all 25 years of it.

My fluff piece of the week, play a record in a whole new way - like a guitar.

Gillian McCain talks Please Kill Me twenty years later.

Her story (IE women in music) is an important party of punk's HIStory. Viv Albertine to the rescue!

Goth at 40 is a nice reminder that age is a stupid thing and music we love is forever.

A Friday Flashback to Containe, a band that included Fontaine Toups from Versus and at one point Georgia from YLT on drums.

What could be more important to music fans than a scientific discovery that could reverse hearing loss?

Sharon Jones discusses the fight of her life (fuck cancer!) and isn't willing to give up hope via the Soul Sisters podcast.

Don't know anything about the Fluxus art movement? I have a remedy for that. Spoiler, it involves women doing amazing things in art, including graphic design, performance pieces, and sound.

On the Stereo: Astrobal, Terry, Angry Angles, Foxtales Brigade, Minor Victories, As Ondas

Astrobal – Australasie - Plug Research

French producer/drummer Emmanuel Mario’s debut solo project includes special guests, most notably, Laetitia Sadier. RIYL: Stereolab completists, Francophiles, early 2000s indietronica, Morr Records, Moon Safaris, New Age Kama Sutra, rom-prog Favorite Track: Ma Recontre 

Terry – Terry HQ - Upset the Rhythm! 

Melbourne, Australia’s band family tree is more of a skyward beanstalk situation between Total Control, Dicker Diver, and UV Race to name just a few. RIYL: Thunder  from down under, indie RnR royalty, percussive vocals that shadow guitar lines, monotone melodies, controlled angst, those who know the “C” word carries a different meaning outside of the United States, saxophones that don’t wear out their welcome, and Television Personalities – now with more estrogen! Favorite Track: Moscow on the Thames




Angry Angles – S/T - Goner Records

In the early 2000s Alix Brown was Jay Reatard’s better half in and out of the band during a period of time most fans consider Jay’s musical golden age (Lost Sounds – Blood Visions). This 17-song collection of singles and rarities is a melancholy reminder that what once was will never be again but damn it was great while they lasted. RIYL: Couples who rock(ed), Southern gothic Devo, miniature guitar solos,  one of the best screams in the business, a lot of fucking attitude, proactive Oblivions fans, a Memphis barbequed Georgia peach, Dixie Pink Flag.  Favorite Track:  You Fell In



Foxtails Brigade – S/T - OIM Records

Orchestrated Grimm’s fairy tales steer us clear of the California beaches proving there is fun without sun. RIYL: Wars Without Frontiers, dreams of Kate Bush, bloodlines crossed with comedy and horror, strings on tippy toe, Lashes with bats, sunglasses at night, and Newsom understudies Favorite Track: No Fate

Minor Victories – S/T - Fat Possum

This isn’t your Mom’s shoegaze! Oh wait, yes it is. If you tell me you love the music made by the “super-group” featuring Mogwai, Slowdive, and Editors, I will assume you have a heart condition that does not allow you to enjoy anything too wild or overstimulating. The creative community also needs to build a support group for musicians who are interested in collaborating with Mark Kozelek in an effort to talk them off that ledge. DON’T DO IT! RIYL: Long naps under warm blankets, tamed animals, mild cheeses, the shallow end of the pool, speed limits, bare feet on plush carpets, 120 Minutes, David Lynch mediations, new releases with an old fashioned big budget recording budget, those later period Jesus and Mary Chain records you have been meaning to revisit, the 50 fans who still look forward to the musings of Mark Kozelek, and compression socks. Favorite Song: Cogs

As Ondas – Marés –Tuff Enough

Melancholy pop made by members of Shopping, Dog Legs, and Wachi Wachi that maybe have just perfected the art of slacker post-punk. RIYL:  Slow jog tempos, minimalism, español, those who follow the repetition is the key philosophy, twee temperaments, Teen Beat Records adjacent, and a Factory Records 45 played on 33. Favorite Track: Natural 

Feminist Friday : A Weekly Round Up for July 8, 2016

St. Vincent covered The Golden Girls theme. Sure, I will take this ethereal distraction from my otherwise mostly depressing social media feed.

Is it that there are fewer women in music than men currently or do we blame the people of power in the industry for excluding us from venues, publications, festivals, offices, and label rosters? Meaning we are here, get used to it, and hire us damn it. The Guardian has some answers. Harvard Business Review also offers some related insight to confidence of women in the workplace. Apparently unless we also radiate competence and warmth, we will continue to be looked over. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Pittsburgh has a three day music festival that celebrates women in music called Ladyfest that kicks off today.

Music fan's interest in the long player continue to wane as singles and EPs cycle back to meet our ever diminishing attention span. I don't care about trends. As a musician who loves the creative process of creating a whole album; building a story that has a beginning, middle, and end, I will ignore this data and carry on as I please.

Did you know Jean Smith from Mecca Normal is also a stunning painter? I am obsessed with her very affordable portraits.

Indie record store owners are reminded that the major labels really don't give a crap about them. This week WEA will stop selling music to accounts who purchase less than 10k a year from them. Perhaps someone can tell me, does this mean ADA who is a part of that umbrella also cutting off these smaller record stores? For those of you who aren't familiar, ADA is a music distro that is one stop shopping tha represent some of the biggest and best indie music labels in the business and the very stores who have helped to make those record labels household names will no longer be able to purchase their catalog. Yikes. The music industry desperately needs more DIY distributors. Record stores need product to sell and it is impossible to go direct with every label or band they like. They rely on distributors to help keep their stores stocked.

The transgender community deserves a better voice says Genesis P-Orridge and Laura Jane Grace. I couldn't agree more.

Backyard Report! * Once upon a time Richmond, VA had a legendary large brick building called Garbers filled with band practice spaces spread over many floors. Our local creative community suffered a serious blow recently when it was announced the building was sold and was going to become condos. All bands renting a space there have been asked to vacate the premises. Our city lacks affordable practice spaces so more than 30 (I bet closer to 50 band) have lost their rehearsal spaces this month and now there is a small army of talent now looking for new places to call home. Local musician and filmmaker Allison Apperson (of the band Hot Lava) is working on a short documentary on this important piece of Richmond's music history. My band Positive No called this space home for the first three years of our existence and nearly all of the music we have released to date was written and worked out in a room there. * I can't get enough of GIRLS ROCK! RVA.

Nylon has selected 5 female fronted bands they think you should know about.

Enjoy visiting this LEGO record store created by the legendary artist Coop.

My favorite on the planet Sheila B is taking her act on the road. Europe, you have no idea how lucky you are.

LA Weekly has published a story on women smashing misogyny in the music industry. Behind the scenes there is a growing network of us coming banding together in person and on social media in private groups to help bring about change and support each other when sexism strikes which as you can imagine is a daily event. No more secret keeping. We are naming names and calling situations out in an effort to protect each other from those who abuse or oppress us.

Erykah Badu is donating concert funds to Detroit's rape kit process.

There is a Classical music tribute entitled Sing Her Name that commemorates women black women impacted by racial justice. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

I could look at Rock and Roll fashion portraits from the past all day long. Punks! Goths! Disco Queens!

Want to feel insecure about who you were as a 17 year old? Lindsey Jordan from Snail Mail is the kind of talented young musician that is decades ahead of her peers and she has only just begun. And I thought I was accomplished as a teen for learning how to drive stick shift.

Why can't electronic music festivals give us some love? Owning just  3% of a talent roster is not acceptable.

I Live Inside : Memoirs of a Babe in Toyland

In feminist music circles bands like Bikini Kill get all the attention when it comes to women in music during the '90s. This drives me crazy. There were so many women playing music then who just by existing, putting out records, and touring, were advancing women in music without wrapping themselves into any sort of political agenda. Bands like L7, Velocity Girl, Babes In Toyland, Lunachicks, Superchunk, Hole, Jawbox, Breeders, PJ Harvey, Fire Party, Tsunami, and Babes in Toyland were inspiring to women like me who were not drawn in by the Riot Grrrl movement. I wanted to be like them. I screamed / sang along to their records and I watched them take to the stage with a confidence that at the time, I didn't know was possible. They twisted the idea of what a women could look or sound like. They were not men but they were unlike any women I knew in my life. They played instruments I had never had the opportunity to strum or hit. They were loud, fearless, and this was intoxicating to me coming out of high school. My peers talk about Riot Grrrl bands in the same exact way, but honestly both music scenes helped pave the way and inspire others. I wish the books and film documenting this underground world credited these women in a more balanced way. This is why an entire book written by a musician who didn't have a spotlight on her continuously really intrigued me. I knew very little about Michelle Leon's life up until this point. Babes in Toyland while having a brief rise to popularity never held mainstream interest the way Hole did (thanks Nirvana) and her two bandmates often stole the attention because the focus always falls unfairly on the singer (Kat Bjelland) or the outgoing member (Lori Barbero)

What moves me most Babes In Toyland bass player Michelle Leon's book I Live Inside is how brutally honest it is. As an outsider who looked at their world in awe and wonder, she pulls the curtain back to reveal a very imperfect and emotionally complicated band chemistry. A band projects this illusion of a better, out of this world environment that is easy for fans to want to escape to and get lost in. They are so far removed from the mundane 9 to 5 world of school, desk jobs, and dull responsibilities. From the audience perspective Babes in Toyland was bold, raw, and shared a bond that couldn't possibly be anything less than sacred sisterhood. The truth is that like any family, it was dysfunctional and often chaotic and maddening. It is hard to fathom the real life happening behind the scenes of these songs that are as familiar to me as any photo in my family albums, but the transparency of her words found in this memoir are as as pure as the music she once made. A band's life is a private and I Live Inside reveals many of their secrets.

It was and continues to be a brave thing to join a band and put yourself out into the world for all to hear, see, and judge. You live in three worlds at the same time: the private world that is you outside of the band in the real world, the one that is a member of a band family who spend most of the time off stage in a bubble, and then the band chemistry as musicians who write music and perform it together and this is the facade given to strangers. These world's all affect each other and become a tangled, complicated knot. Michelle Leon moves back and forth between childhood and her time in the band to reveal how these different worlds connect, influence each other, and often clash. Leon moves between the past and present like a masterful storyteller.   

All people carry insecurities yet playing music is one of the few times and places one can feel untethered and free. The weight of the world slips away behind an instrument or microphone. Music offers the unique experience of being able to lose and find yourself all at once. We become the essence of ourselves through music and creating this non tangible version of self becomes addicting. It can feel like a safe place but it is also an easy place to drift off course in. Musicians often end up floating helplessly between between the real world and band world. This is where the story often gets messy. To pin this invisible energy to the page isn't an easy task but I Live Inside rebuilds this journey in a one of a kind way. We travel with Michelle back in forth in time, strapped into the passenger seat unsure of where we might arrive ncxt. Just like music, her book is the safest vehicle to to experience a terrifyingly wild ride without collecting any of the bumps and bruises along the way.

If you are not familiar with the band, here is a top 10 from their catalog to get you started.


<

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

"I've worked in the music industry for 30 years. In that time, my boobs have gotten me into serious trouble. Stacie Huckeba shares her experiences via Huffington Post.

Oklahoma City is getting a music festival this August that is a celebration of women artists and musicians called AMP.

Francesca Allen photographed a few up and coming ladies in music for Noisy.

The Le Sigh site is my kindred spirit.

Loving this episode on The Future of What about the daunting world of trying to book shows - including the difference between booking agents and talent buyers. Interviews include Josh Brinkman (booking agent), Velena Vego (talent booker at Athen's, GA 40 Watt venue and hopefully we will have our own interview with her here soon), and Eric Gerber (Doug Fir Lounge portland venue). Booking shows is maybe my least favorite aspect of being a musician so I truly appreciate this 101 on booking.

Dozens of sexual assaults were reported at Swedish music festivals.

Music is bringing new life to female prisoners.

Vancouver has a new all-female chamber orchestra because Canada is the coolest.

Global Goals are making people rethink the Spice Girls' message and what we really, really want. Equality, safe spaces. an end to violence, equal pay, and you know, that sort of thing.

There are two documentaries highlighting the musical genius of Delia Derbyshire, pioneer of electronic music.

The Blake Babies' music has been a huge inspiration to me over the year. I am super excited to own this new Earwig demo collection (out today!) and wish I lived closer to Boston or Chicago to catch one of their reunion shows. Member John Strohm has also written a smart piece about making peace with moving making music from a career to a pleasurable hobby.

I can't even handle it. We lost another historical landmark in the world of American records stores. Good-bye Aquarius.

Cult legend Laura Nyro deserves your attention and you probably don't even realize all of the reasons why.

Singer Kelis has turned up in a London kitchen.

On a personal note, I am placing my record label on hold for now. My full explanation can be found here.

The highlight of the week goes to Neil Becton, owner of Som Records in DC bought some photos of Betty Davis live performing back in the day at a flea market of all places. Stunning stuff! Plus Light in the Attic also happened to have recently released The Columbia Years collection (produced by then husband Miles Davis) so thanks Neil for celebrating this awesome score with friends.