Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts

Saturday, August 27, 2016

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.






Friday, July 1, 2016

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.