This week I have pulling records to DJ at a Girls Rock! RVA charity event with a bunch of my favorite people / record collector types. I will be spinning an all female artist set spanning records from the late '50s through the early '70s.
This is one of my favorite charities as this volunteer group offers young girls the annual opportunity to play around on a bunch of different instruments in a city summer camp type setting for one week. At the end of the week the girls form bands, write songs, and are given the opportunity to perform them in a local music venue for friends and family. I am a proud supporter of Girls Rock! RVA and really look forward to this Friday's fundraiser. Hope to see you there!
Here is a favorite 7" single I am bringing with me this Friday night. It is Black Velvet's "An Earthquakes Coming" from 1972. Mindblowing funk from a trio of teenage girls!
Arghhh! You can't catch it all. I missed Gwenno (ex-Pipettes) 2015 political concept album Y Dyadd Olaf presented in her two two languages, Welsh and the nearly obscure Cornish. The album title is based on an obscure 1976 sci-fi novel written by Welsh author Owain Owain about robots turning humans into clones. Applied to modern times, big themes like political brainwashing, media propaganda, and bullying of minorities permeate her retro/modern synth-pop record.
Standard Issue Magazine has a cool list of female trailblazers behind landmarks in music.
Here is a look and listen to the women among this list.
Electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire with the Doctor Who theme.
The CEO of Sugar Hill Records Sylvia Johnson, also a singer, songwriter, record producer, and the list goes on and on.
Managing Ozzy can't be easy no less being married to the man but he did write this song about Sharon Osbourne so there is that.
All hail the artists like photographers Annie Leibovitz and Pennie Smith who gave us iconic images in music (including record covers for The Boss and The Clash).
What didn't Carol King write?
And speaking of Wonder Woman, did you know about this comic's mindblowing history that includes a love triangle marriage and feminist icons?
Congrats to Kira Roessler and the Mad Max : Fury Road sound editing team for winning an oscar last night. How much more feminist and cool is this movie now that you know legendary Black Flag / DC3 / DOS bass player worked on this film too?
This also isn't her first major award as she has already won several Emmy's for her sound work and her IMDB page tells us that she has over 50 credits in the film and television industry. So for those wondering what ever happened to Kira, there ya go - kicking ass for over 30 years.
Let's now enjoy her bass playing in Black Flag circa 1984.
Oakland, CA 5 piece Naked Lights has a brand new record out via Castle Face Records (WARNING: there is a flashing graphic on this label site that is not friendly to those of us with seizure tendencies). The band's genetic pool is embedded with post-punk rhythms, avant garde no wavery, and vocal jabs ALA Bow Wow Wow, Suburban Lawns, Pylon, and Bush Tetras. On Nature delivers a level of quality songwriting that will place it among the top tier of this genre; think: The Fall, Gang of Four, and This Heat's best album Deceit.
Among the groups two guitar players, one of them occasionally takes on a frantic early '90s post-hardcore bursts that could be taken from Rye Coalition's earliest recordings (Kitty cat, where's the money at?) but then its thrown into a blender with something much closer to the organized chaos of Pere Ubu and DNA or maybe a swarm of bees. Lyrical themes of the record include Werner Herzog rants, carnivore / omnivore ecosystems, and sexual tensions - all of which makes for a smart, artful, and interesting listening from start to finish.
This is the first release to make my 2016 best of list.
The music industry may not be selling as many records but the music fan has not gone away. In fact there are more ways than ever people who love music can discover new artists (previously left to bands who were on big record labels, were played on the radio, or toured a often) Thanks to the world wide web, there are thousands of ways and platforms for people to find new music or learn more about a band. The marketing oportunities for an artist in the modern world are bountiful. We have more avenues than ever to get our music heard, gain exposure, and to reach / interact with fans.
This brings me to the soulful yet childlike voice of Roarke.
A few days ago I had never heard of her but a quick internet search not only revealed the artist behind a voice in a television commercial but it also showed me just how many people where like me, also looking to find out who this musician was. People are listening and care enough to try and find more music by this artist.
A new advertising campaign kicked off for the University of Phoenix on February 12th. It features a remake of "If I Only Had a Brain" from the Wizard of Oz. For one minute, the listener hears a woman's voice singing along to a piano. The lyrics from this song (written by Arlen/ Harburg) first heard in 1939 have been updated but it is her fragile voice that draws you in. We the viewer and listener know this is just an advertisement but the attack of the song (meaning the voice singing the jingle) sells the idea of an already hard working individual trying to better his or her self. We see and hear a struggle for a better life - not just for themselves but for their family. The premise is that increasing your education can bring positive change in your life. Through education new jobs, more money, and a better life awaits. This is a big message to try and push in 60 seconds. This is a lot of pressure to put on an advertising agency who is hired to deliver this sales pitch. The sales angle is key but the power of song to knock this message out of the park is more evident than ever.
From the looks of the response on social media (and yes, loads of insulting Youtube comment too), people are curious about the woman behind this voice.
For those who want to hear more from the NYC musician, here is her Soundcloud page where you can hear some original material and lots of covers versions of everything from Nirvana to The Pixies and Karen O.
