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?

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.

The Other Girl Group: DJs

For all the times I curse social media, I have so many reason to celebrate it. Recently a friend added me to a closed Facebook group for female record collectors and DJs only. I have been working in record stores since the late '80s and there has always felt like a shortage of women who collect records because we are so greatly outnumbered by men. This FB group has connected a number of us from all over the world and in turn not only am I discovering great records but I am learning about all female DJ collectives I didn't know existed. As you can guess, the number of female DJs is much smaller than the number of men so again, it is thrilling to see so many ladies all over the planet banding together not to play instruments but to play records. 

Here is just a tiny number of them I know about:

Meet Fortyfive Degrees, a six lady collective from Germany.

And hooray for The Beat Mermaids from Copenhagen.

Frau DJs from the UK

I have written about Discwoman in NYC before.

There is another private FB group that has Mixcloud site called Sister that celebrates women in underground club music.

Chulita Vinyl Club in Austin

TGAF are from Paris, France

Honey Power in SoCal

In Japan there is the Twee Grrrls Club.

Siren in the UK

Tell me about more of them and I will add to the list!

And while we don't exist anymore, shout out to my ladies who for a few years there did Cherry Bomb with me in Richmond, VA.

Is Music a Masculine Domain?

Elizabeth Newton has written a hell of an interesting piece for The New Inquiry on how women have been excluded in music with a heavy focus on Jazz and recording collecting.

One of my favorite female DJs / collectors is Sheila Burgel and she is quoted in this article. In fact I have so much respect and awe for what she does that I have asked her to spin records along with myself and Sister Golden Haze for my birthday. You are invited to join us. I hope to interview her while she is in town visiting and will post it here in the weeks to come.