**UNDER COVER** The best punk rock name in history has to be.....

....Sheena

**Merry Christmas From Peaches**

www.peachesofficialblog.com

**Girls of the Decade**

I've neglected doing this post for nearly a month now mainly because I felt my list was pretty predictable to anyone that's seen a post or two on this blog, but who cares I'll put it up anyway and if you think it's predictable you can tell me. I won't cry.

The rules of this list, yes there are rules, are that those featured have to have come to prominence in the last decade and they must have had a lasting effect on the world, or at least enough of an effect that it can be explained in written form.

Now that everything been explained let's get started...

Beyonce

I've loved Beyonce since I was shy little tween, this was before tween was a real word. I'm counting B in this list because she became a super influential star when she went solo.  For all her faults, the separation of Beyonce and Sasha Fierce to name a few, she is probably the greatest pop star of her generation and one that can wiggle her crotch at you without looking too dirty.  To quote the great Kanye West "Beyonce had one of the greatest videos of all time."

M.I.A

I previously discussed my annoyance with how criminally underrated M.I.A is and I'll say it again M.I.A is criminally underrated. 'Kala' was the stand out album of the last few years and saw Maya take over the world with her genre-bending, top tapping, worldtown beats.  She has sung about her feminist beliefs previously and has discussed her feelings to the haters who put her down.  M.I.A is the most aggressively political rapper out there who has not resided to rest on her talented laurels as many others have. She can do no wrong in my eyes.

Karen O

Karen O was my first love. I ignored all the spot ridden boys and focused all my shrinking violet energy onto Karen.  Her semi-violent, colourful outbursts turned my grey mundane life into array of colours.  Not only is she one of the best performers around today but she's also in an ever evolving, charismatic, super band. 

Lady Gaga

I've tried my hardest to figure out this girl.  She is a mass of contradictions. In a way she is an amazing pop star what with the stage costumes, grandiose performances and catchy tunes but she also lets us down sometimes.  Her shaky ideas of feminism and her reliance on sexuality make me slightly wary of her but she has still made an amazing impact on music in 2009 and for that reason deserves to be on this list.

Peaches

Peaches is a true artist of the noughties. She came into our lives in 2000 like a filthy storm and blew us away with the cult hit 'Fuck the Pain Away'. More than just a one hit wonder she has stayed around the whole decade to entertain us with her sex-crazed, fun filled spectacular shows.

Beth Ditto

Beth is probably the woman who sums up this decade. To compensate for our society's sick obsession with thin women we developed a sick obsession with supposed 'real women'. This led to a sick obsession with one larger woman named Beth Ditto. The constant tabloid obsession would have destroyed a lesser woman but not Beth.  She has enough charm, personality and talent to brave the tabloid storm for now and probably another decade as well.

GIG REVIEW: Peaches @ KOKO

Peaches rolls with the crowd @ Koko

Above is the only picture I got from my night with Peaches. Not only because my camera is essentially just a broken metal box with flashing lights but mainly because the crowd were mental that night...well they're probably mental every night when it comes to Peaches.

I'm still a bit of a gig newbie to be honest. I've always been the sitting in my bedroom listening to my favourite band on repeat but not too loud so my parents don't hear kind of girl, so the rules of the gig world are still quite new to me.

Let me say one thing Peaches fans are amazing. I've never seen such a diverse crowd. There were electro kids, hipsters, punk rockers, indie boys, black, white, brown you name it they were there. Another thing to remember about Peaches fans is that they are crazy. They will drag you to the ground and step on your head just to get closer to her. I learnt this fact the hard way.

Peaches was of course amazing and she had at least five costume changes, or more I stopped counting half way through, one of which looked like a giant ball of hair.

The spectacular of her live show was everything I thought it would be including the hairy girls from the 'Talk to Me' video, pussy LED's, extravagant costumes, walking on the crowd and lots and lots of lasers.

The tunes were there too and after four albums Peaches had a lot to choose from and she chose well. The setlist included 'Boys Wanna Be Her', 'Fuck The Pain Away', 'Billionanire' with Shunda K rapping on a projector screen for Peaches to duet with and the rousing 'Set it Off'. I love how this song has evolved over time.

Below is Peaches singing 'Set it Off' in LA, I couldn't find any at KOKO and anyway she's singing with an inflatable motorbike and strap-on cleavage here.

Radio Killed The Video Star

A couple of weeks ago I started to get bored of my iTunes playlist. I needed something different to listen to but i didn't want to add anymore tracks to my ever increasing library. I still have songs from a couple of months ago that I haven't listened to properly yet.

Then I found, through Grrrl Sounds, the two Glaswegian boys of SPILL Radio who only play the best music that has been graced with the feminine touch.

I was really inspired by this and it made me realise how little mainstream radio plays female music. There are rarely two within half an hour and never back to back.

This led me to seek out other radio stations or podcasts that feed my, and many others, need for girl noise. Here are a list of the best radio shows serving the grrrl community.

SPILL Radio

Run by two guys from Glasgow, any requests for music by men gets immediately chucked out and a Le Tigre record goes on immediately to make up for the idea that boys would get played on their show. Their Chick Rap show inspired my Lady Rap Mixtape. There is always a theme to each broadcast along with a few games too.

Venus Radio

Our search for lady-loving radio shows takes us to the Montreal-based Venus radio show. Hosted by the lovely Anna and Catherine Venus takes us through the best indie girl music. Anna and Catherine are my kind of girls stating that they want to meet 'ladies, girls, grrrls, bitches, dames, broads, chicks, les filles, sisters, women, wimmin, wymyn, hos, hollaback girls, sistas, lesbros, mujares, and those from the planet Venus'. The show is broadcast on CKUT 90.3 FM but you can stream it online here.

Suck My Left One

There are so many Riot Grrrl related groups that use the infamous Bikini Kill song as their title that its a bit hard to distinguish one from the other except for the subcity radio show that is. Suck My Left One play records from the sixities girl groups to noughties electroclash artists. Taking the Riot Grrl movement as a starting off point Suck My Left One seeks to 'unearth new music from queers, grrrls, zinesters, punks, freaks and electro-geeks carrying the torch of Revolution Girl Style Now!'

Sisters of Revolution

Sisters of Revolution is a California based radio show hosted by an English Riot Grrrl. The show is described as being about 'frenzied female noises, sonic melodies, thrashing beats - celebration and feminist fury'. It seems that Sisters of revolution have taken a break from broadcasting but fear not you can still download past broadcasts online from here.

Courtney Love + Kurt Cobain = Lyrical Equals

Over at my new favourite online mag The Quietus, there is a great post about how Courtney Love's lyrics stood up to her late husband's Kurt Cobain.

I was one of the many who never took much interest in Courtney Love but had still managed to come to the conclusion that she was an awful musician.

That all changed when I heard Live Through This. As soon as I heard the opening chords of Violet I was convinced that Courtney Love was indeed an amazing lyricist.

Trailer: The Runaways Movie

It looks like the much talked about Runaways movie is getting that little bit closer to release.

A trailer has been released, a very short one, for the movie and it looks like it's going to be a good one.

I for one can't wait.

MIA Makes Indie Lads Turn Into Misogynistic Trolls

Despite making the album of the decade, in my opinion, conquering America and introducing otherwise apathetic music lovers to world politics the idea of MIA being the artist of the decade is inconprehensible to some.

As part of the Notes on the Noughties series in The Guardian, Simon Reynolds questioned whether MIA could in fact be the artist that best represented the noughties. Note that I wrote QUESTIONED because that is all the article did. MIA does not feature highly on any of the millions of countdown lists that have sprung up recently.

Despite this fact the comments are filled with trolls disgusted at the idea a woman could be an influential force on the music scene today.

Instead they repeated well known myths used against every woman in rock. She's just a pretty girl, she doesn't write her own songs, she's all about the image, she wouldn't be anything without him... blah blah blah.

Let's bust some of those misogynistic myths today shall we:

She doesn't write her own songs

MIA has, does and always will write her own songs. She sings from a female perspective a lot of the time and I can always tell whether songs like that were written by men. Hers were not.

She owes her success to Diplo

Diplo produced a couple of tracks and was involved in the Piracy Funds Terrorism mixtape but that was it really. How could a guy from Philly invoke the third-world, party, political mashup that MIA has. She has done it because she lives it.

She's just a hipster who's only known for wearing funny clothes

MIA started with no particular style when she first came onto the scene. She would perform in a t-shirt and jeans skirt and still be cool. Now she has transformed that cool into day glow catsuits and multi-coloured sunglasses and she's no better or worse for it.

Her 'pseudo-political schtick' is just to look cool

This was an actual comment on the article. My only response to that is you think that living her childhood in a country going through a civil war, experiencing life in Britain as an immigrant first hand and having a father that's part of the rebel Tamil Tigers means she's only doing it for the shock value.

Americans only bought her political message because she's 'asian'

Another actual comment on the article that manages to be both racist and xenophobic at the same time.

Her songs just aren't good

Errrr... They are. They just are. Sometimes I think people just put their fingers in their ears when a female artist comes on the scene. It's the only explanation for this because everyone knows MIA is the future.

*MIXTAPE ALERT* It's That Time of Year Again

I'm going to be honest I'm not as proud of this mix as I have been of others, I think I peaked with lady rap.

It's hard to find good christmas songs, especially when you lose a whole gender's work to select from. This is probably the only time I'll complain about wanting to her more guy music. I promise this would be the only time.

Anyway here is my short, but sweet mix for the special day that comes but once a year.

If this does not meet your christmas mixtapes needs then I would suggest you head over to Everett True's Christmas song list on his blog. It's a lot longer for one thing.

Tracklisting:

1. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)- Darlene Love

2. All I Want For Christmas- Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3. Just For Now- Imogen Heap

4. Christmas Is Cancelled- The Long Blondes

5. Christmas Medley- Destiny's Child

6. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year- Martha Wainwright

7. Christmas- Beat Happening

8. All I Want For Christmas Is You- Mariah Carey

The Cribs Are Very Lovely Blokes

The Cribs have showed time and time again that they are lovers of the ladies.

The Wakefield boys were on the verge of cancelling their gig at the Donchester Dome after their support act, the inspirational Slits, started to get abuse from the crowd.

A few beered up lads at the front decided to put on, as the Cribs described it, a "disgustingly chauvinistic display of small-mindedness."

The band stated: "The thing that bothered us most is that this reception can't possibly have been anything to do with the music," they said. "Also, just to make it clear, these people [crowd members throwing items] didn't bother or upset The Slits in any way. They played on, and the show of unity from the rest of the bands on the bill, as well as the way The Slits carried themselves, was not only a moral victory but also pretty moving."

What did the Slits do during all this drama. They kept playing like the pros they are and branded the perpatrators as "dickheads with the loudest mouths".

I love these girls.

Click here to read more.

**UNDER COVER** I'm Just About To Lose My Mind

GIG REVIEW: Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Brixton Academy 30/11/09

YYYs at T in the Park BBC

It’s fair to say that Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of my favourite bands of all time. I’ve wanted to see them live since I was a wee girl in Wolverhampton and now I’m a wee woman who has put all her hopes and dreams into the band standing before her.

Basically YYYs had a lot to live up to when I went to see them for the first time. A decade long build up is a hard thing to live up to but they did obviously. It’s the Yeah Yeah Yeahs what else would they do.

Everything was there, ready, in place for this girl to go crazy. Brian was keeping the beat going with his hard hitting drumming style frantically battling against a drum machine, Nick was stalking the corner of the stage looking cool and Karen was yelping and throwing herself around the stage like the old days.

Either the guys knew a lot of their older fans would be attendance or they just loved playing their rare songs ‘cause both the 10x10 and the even rarer Shake It made it onto the setlist.

The band had spared no expense on special effects so glitter fell from the ceiling and giant eyeballs careered through the crowd. It was great at first but got a little distracting after a while. The band has come to a place in their career where they shouldn’t have to rely on cheap effects to get the crowd going.

The highlight of the night had to be Karen’s ritual dedication of Maps to the audience. The band eased their way into a slowed down, sparse version of the well known classic that caused couples throughout the crowd, including one right in front of me, to lock lips for no reason. Well, no reason except for love that is.

PROMO: Next Ladyfest Meeting

Goldsmiths Ladyfest poster

The next Ladyfest Ten meeting will be next Monday at 7:30 at the feminist library near Waterloo Station.

Anyone can get involved just pop along and meet other people with similar interests.

Date: Monday 30th November 2009
Time: 7:30pm- don’t worry if you’re late
Venue: The Feminist Library- 5 Westminster Bridge Road SE1 7XW
To view a map of the area click here.
Email: ladyfestten@googlemail.com

For more information click here.
www.myspace.com/LadyfestTen
www.twitter.com/LadyfestTen

*MIXTAPE ALERT* Lady Rap

A recent article in the Guardian took the good part of 2000 words trying to convince the reader that hip hop was dead. While intelligently written and well thought through I believe the simple explanation for 50 Cent, Akon and the rest is that they have become lazy. Using old beats, relying on cliches and working only for the money has made the formerly political and aggressive form of art become just another pop song.

Hip hop, like indie, is on its last legs and could die if it doesn't diversify and look to others for new ways of creating intelligent music. There are only so many songs about bitches, hos and grills the public can take.

Hip hop should not, and will not, die but it should start from scratch and begin to look at music in a completely different way. I suggest that we look to the fringes for inspiration.

Those who have been on the fringes since the beginning have been women which is why I believe, scratch that, KNOW they are the future of hip hop.

Female rappers have had completely different issues that they want to rap about, whether it's sexism, sexuality, or world issues.

I hope you enjoy this mixtape, it's got some of my favourites on. It may be questionable to call some of the artists on this mixtape rappers but they're on this because I think they have added a lot to the genre.

Tracklisting:
Bamboo Banga- M.I.A
Boom (I Got Your Boyfriend)- MC Luscious
Salute Yr Nurse- Jenna Riot
Don't Need No- Pink Dollaz
U.N.I.T.Y- Queen Latifah
Rapture- Blondie
Get Your Freak On- Missy Elliott
Club Action- Yo Majesty
Bang- Rye Rye and M.I.A
Push It- Salt-N-Pepa
We Like The Cars That Go Boom- L'Trimm
Lost Ones- Lauryn Hill
Ship- Micachu
Make It Take It- Amanda Blank
Topknot- M.I.A
Billionaire- Peaches
Creator- Santigold

**SONG OF THE MONTH**

This month's 'song of the month' is a bit late. I've been pretty busy with work and stuff but I'm going to try and get all of the posts thay should have been up last week online over the weekend.

I've been listening to this song non-stop in the last couple of weeks. This girl is friends with M.I.A, had her record produced by Blaqstarr and she's only a teenager. I'm talking about Rye Rye and the track Shake It To The Ground.

The Blaqstarr produced track has a sparse, simple but catchy beat and along with Rye Rye's lyrics the song is light years ahead of some of the caveman-esque tracks released by more famous male rappers.

I'm really getting into my female rappers at the moment and Rye Rye, along with a number of other girls who I'll tell you more about in another post, is one of the best. Her songs give the listener an insight into where she is from, Baltimore, and what she loves doing, dancing apparently, without ever sounding like part of a scene.

I'm calling it now, Rye Rye is the future of Hip Hop. Jump on my bandwagon now before it's too late.

FREE BLOOD RED SHOES GIG TOMORROW!!!

If you're in the soho area of London tomorrow night head down to Cro bar where the amazing Blood Red Shoes play a one off intimate gig. If you signed up to the BRS newsletter like I did then you've probably already got this note from the band but oh well.

hey folks

we're playing the cro bar in london (it's in soho) this wednesday - 25th november - it's free entry. i think you can fit 70 people in there if we all breathe in real hard. get there at 8 and get in, or get there late and listen from the street. we will be playing on the floor right in your faces blowing your eardrums out and drenching you in sweat. feel the love.

brs x

For more information:
www.bloodredshoes.co.uk
www.myspace.com/bloodredshoes
www.twitter.com/bloodredshoes
www.facebook.com/bloodredshoes

Mondays Getting You Down....

.......don't frown here's The Vaselines.

**UNDER COVER** Happiness....

......is a warm gun in your hand.

Bang.
Bang.
Shoot.
Shoot.

We're Almost Famous...

Don't Dance Her Down Boys has received it's first bit of press.

Check out my interview with Sarah Barnes at Uplift magazine, she gives me a very lovely intro.


Click here to read more.

All Girl Band Night For Charity

This event sounds really cool and I'm really annoyed that I can't go. It's an all girl band night benefit for the charity Positive Action. More info below (ps. I stole the Press Release below from here).

POSITIVE ACTION present A BENEFIT for U-TURN

Start Time: Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 7:30pm
Location: The Victoria, Mile End

The U-Turn project is a Bethnal Green based charity that is both under exposed and under funded. Its main aim is to help and work with “vulnerable and hard to reach women of all ages who have been trapped in the cycle of prostitution, drug addiction, physical abuse and homelessness from a young age”. U-Turn offers them “an opportunity to self-determine their future in their own communities”. Their main mission is to “support women who have suffered cruelty and abuse and encourage them to make sustainable changes in their lives.” U-Turn helps to try and change these forgotten women’s lives around.

www.uturnproject.co.uk

Performing on the night will be a seminal mixture of bands and POETS:

VILE VILE CREATURES
All the way from Manchester www.myspace.com/vilevilecreatures

BITCHES
London via Oxford www.myspace.com/peaceandbitches

FRANCES KRUK
(her blog) www.darkmucus.blogspot.com/2008/12/from-naturalised-state-of-emergency.html
(co-run press) www.ytcommunication.blogspot.com

TRASH KIT
London www.myspace.com/trashkit

FRANCESCA LISETTE
(a poem) www.signalsmagazine.co.uk/5/lisette.htm
(her Brighton based reading series) www.chlorine-readings.blogspot.com

LA LA VASQUEZ
Brighton www.myspace.com/lalavasquezband

www.positiveactionuk@gmail.com
www.positiveactionuk.blogspot.com
www.tinyurl.com/positiveaction

PROMO: Calling Out of Context Festival @ ICA

I've been getting loads of emails from the PR people at ICA recently. They have mistaken me for someone with power. This has already started but oh well to get it out of the way here's a plug for the festival. I have become a pawn in the vast media industry.

Uplift on Beyonce & Lady GG's Gun Happy New Video

Arrrgh two posts about L to the G in one day, I'm going to need a lie down soon.

Just a quick one to link to Uplift Magazine's post on Beyonce and Lady Gaga's weird new video. It's basically just them in bikini's with guns.

I bet the NRA loved it.

To read more about Uplift's take on the video click here.

Girls Are Followers Not Leaders

I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be posting about Lady Gaga but here I am. I appreciate that she is doing well, she does make good pop songs (I can't get Bad Romance out my head) and she is certainly different but at lot of her sucess is built on sexuality, porn star sexuality at that.

To get get back to my original point the Guardian recently wrote a piece somehow linking a few girl popstars, some new some not, to Lady Gaga. The girls featured in the article are Nikki Jane, Eva Simons and Janelle Monae. There isn't much of a basis for the article and it kinda just feels like the Editor told them "Shove Lady Gaga somewher in that story will you, we need a tedious celebrity link".

I doubt it was meant in the way that I perceive but it can't be denied that every new female artist has to be linked to a previous one to validate them as such. This happened to Lady Gaga when she first popped onto the scene. The next time you see a woman who plays guitar in a music magazine I bet you they'll be compared to PJ Harvey. It's lazy journalism and it should not be accepted. Women have more influences than the last flavour of the month.

To read more click here.

Albums of the Decade (through a male gaze)

At least K to the O and crew got a look in

It's not a surprise that The Strokes topped NME's top 100 albums of the decade poll, neither is it a surprise that both the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The White Stripes have two albums in the poll. It is a complete surprise though how poorly represented female musicians are in this poll.

Bands with female members make up for under 10% of the poll. I'm aware of how poorly magazines represent women but I concluded this was because of all the business crap that gets in the way of creativity and that most music writers appreciate female musicians away from the office.

There are so many bands and artists that have been missed out that I don't really know where to start. I'll just list those whose place in the list is questionable.

For starters anything with Pete Doherty in, including every Libertines record. He encouraged a whole generation of pretentious, vapid, stoned, self-serving boys to pick up guitars and make millions from yelping on about nothing.

Arcade Fire are just boring. I don't care how many critics love them I tried to get into them before and I fell asleep.

The Klaxons are a great band and all. Nice to dance too, but album of the year. No. How they won a Mercury is still one of the biggest unanswerable questions of the known universe. What the Klaxons essentially did was serve up nostalgia music for 90s babies to flail around to. It should not be award winning, just nice.

I think I'll stop now. I've gone to a dark place.

To read the NME's Top 100 Albums of the Decade click here.

BOOK REVIEW: Riot Grrrl & I by Jade French

Hi I've been meaning to post this review for a while but I've just got so distracted with everything that I've just delayed it and delayed it and now I definitely have to post it.

The Nottingham Trent Photography student, Jade French has gone beyond the usual expectations of a girl writing about riot grrrl. A simple thrown together zine would have sufficed but not for this girl. Jade decided to make a book documenting her and other girls experiences with riot grrrl and how the movement has developed.

First of all I have to say I love the idea for the book. Lately there has been many books, magazine features, column inches and zines dedicated to the memory of riot grrrl. While those interested in riot grrrl want to learn about it's history it is also important to document what we are doing now for ourselves and girls in the future.

The book does not deviate too far from the riot grrrl diy ethic and is presented in a scrapbook/ diary format. It includes sections on Ladyfest London, Ladyfest Manchester, an interview with feminist Red Chidgey, pictures of those who call themselves riot grrrls and an interview with Jade herself which must have been either quite hard or ridiculously easy to do.

I loved the riot grrrl portraits. There are so many pictures of riot grrrls of all genders, ethnicity's and looks, none of which fit into the stereotype of what a feminist or riot grrrl look like. It's really quite inspiring to see all those faces. It reminds you that even when you feel like your alone in your thoughts and beliefs there are thousands of people who are just like you.

The only negative about the book is that it is far too short. I finished it in one sitting. This is probably down to lack of funding and resources to be able to document everything that's going on in the movement today.

If we all pull together we make a even bigger document of our history for everyone to enjoy.

To purchase Riot Grrrl & I click here.
For more information about Jade French: jadefrenchphotography.com

GIG REVIEW: Peggy Sue @ ICA 6/11/09

Peggy Sue + Sons of Noel and Adrian + Mechanical Bride + Lulu & The Lampshades

My evening started out with me in a distressed and panicked state lost in central London, yes that’s right I am so dense that I can get lost in central London, right next to Trafalgar square.

Anyway let’s skip to me actually at the ICA. The venue as a whole is pretty impressive and caters to every type of alternative music. I’m actually signed up to their, well I don’t know what it is but they send me press releases of their upcoming events hoping that I will promote them on my site or go and review them. They have confused me with a blog that can actually influence people.

Anyway I digress. The Peggy Sue gig was held in the theatre space which is basically a medium sized room with no character whatsoever. I was late and missed Lulu & the Lampshades which is a shame because I really wanted to see what they are like live.

Before I start my review properly I have to confess that I do not really like the acoustic, folk, “I’m bringing back the ukulele ‘cause it was always so cool” thing that’s going on right now. I am sorry. I never have liked it. I’m used to the more guttural, angsty sounds of the guitar, anything less just sounds pathetic.

But I am willing to change and both L&TL and Peggy Sue could be the bands to have me drooling over a ukulele or even a violin.

The first band on were Mechanical Bride. Their songs mainly comprised of ghostly harmonies, slow moving bass lines and haunting accordions. I enjoyed what I heard and the lead singer has a beautiful voice but it’s something I need to look into before I make my mind up about them. The best place for music like this is not necessarily a gig. They would probably be more at home as the soundtrack to a seance.

The next band on were Sons of Neil who were a ten string gang made up of numerous guitarists’ violinists and drummers of all shapes and sizes. They had a little bit of stamping along with the bass drum while playing. This got annoying after the lead singer did it for three songs in a row. I didn't like this band. I didn’t like the numbers, the folky tones, the beards nothing.

But it doesn’t matter because here comes Peggy Sue, formerly known as Peggy Sue and the Pirates I never found out why they changed their name. Rosa and Katy both seem shocked that the gig is packed out and repeatedly thank the audience for coming. They were joined by newish recruit Olly on the drums who helped pound in the Peggy Sue rhythms into our skulls.

It is easy to get carried away by a band like Peggy Sue. With their soulful voices, pounding drum beats and simple riffs it's no wonder they have a hoarde of guys and girls eating up their every riff.

I loved the new song 'Yo Mama' which includes the "My mama she gave me these lungs/ my papa he gave me this tongue". 'The Sea The Sea' was a big hit with the crowd and had everyone bopping up and down to the girls’ soulful rhythms.

When all was said and done I can honestly say I still don't like acoustic folk music. I like good, moving emotional music. Sometimes it will crossover and include some music that may contain an acoustic guitar, such as Peggy Sue and L&TL, but very rarely.

If you are intrigued by this post Peggy Sue head up north at the end of November.

For more information: www.myspace.com/peggywho

PS. If you can't see the slideshow it's because Photobucket is crap. I will be using Flickr from now on. To see my pics click on the view all images button.

She's A Punk Rocker Documentary

This has been out for a while but I've just got round to posting about it. There is a "new" documentary about women in punk, made by a woman in punk Zillah Minx lead singer of the band Rubella Ballet.

I've only seen the trailer but it seems to come at a different angle with a female director at its helm. It even covers different, unknown bands and talks about what other punk girls were doing at the time.


She's a Punk Rocker U.K (5 min Official Trailer)

Shes a Punk Rocker U.K. MySpace Video

http://www.myspace.com/shesapunkrockeruk

The Next Ladyfest Meeting Announced

MEET AT 6.15 at the Nelson Mandela Statue outside the entrance to the Royal Festival Hall if you wanna go to the meeting together!

Date: Monday, 16 November 2009
Time: 18:30 - 21:30
Location: Southbank Centre, London
Street: Royal Festival Hall, Level 2 Foyer, Blue Side (by the lift)

For more information click here.
www.myspace.com/LadyfestTen
www.twitter.com/LadyfestTen

Raincoats Interview in the Guardian

There's an interesting interview with The Raincoats' Gina Birch and Ana Da Silva. Apparently Birch and Da Silva didn't really get along in the seventies which resulted in their break up in 1984.

"We broke up after every record," says Da Silva. "We broke up after every gig," says Birch.

To read more about their breakups and how Kurt Cobain apparently saved the day click here.

Happy Belated Halloween

This post is a few hours late to be relevant but oh well. I was too ill yesterday to do anything much. I stayed in bed all day with a head cold, sore throat thing.

When my friend called and told me to come out to the house party down the road I decided I could show my face for a couple of hours, it would do me good. It didn't really, I still feel ill, but it got me into the halloween spirit.

This post was going to include a mixtape of halloween/spooky songs but it's quite a hard genre to search for especially as girls only.

So far I have PJ Harvey's 'Meet Ze Monsta', Heavens To Betsy's 'Monsters' and any Be Your Own Pet song about zombies, they wrote a lot of them.

Since I'm ill, lazy and tired I'll leave you with Vice Magazine's charity song 'Do They Know It's Halloween' featuring the lovely Karen O, Arcade Fire, Jenny Lewis and Sonic Youth.

Ladyfest is Ten!!!

The Best Cake Ever!!!

Ladyfest is a big girl now, ten years old since the first festival was held in Olympia, WA.

To celebrate the group Ladyfest Ten want to hold an anniversary party but need help organising it. They want you to get involved, and share your ideas for the greatest party ever.

"We want to celebrate Ten years of this global DIY movement by running an event which brings together activists from all corners of the world."

The group are holding their first meeting on Monday 2nd. I'm not sure what exactly will happen but it sounds cool.

"Ladyfest is run by volunteers and we Ladyfest is Ten need YOU to get involved
in the anniversary party! If you are into art, music, activism, crafts, poltics,
making friends, learning new skills, and making things better – this is for
you."

My biggest regret, well not biggest but it's in the top five at least, is that I didn't go to Ladyfest London in 2008 so I will definitely be popping down.


Date: Monday 2nd November 2009
Time: 6:30pm- don’t worry if you’re late
Venue: The Feminist Library- 5 Westminster Bridge Road SE1 7XW

For more information click here.

p.s. I had the best time just searching through google images looking at pictures of cakes whilst eating green & blacks chocolate, you gotta try it.

Who Are The Best Female Lyricists?

NME journalist, Emily Mackay started a blog questioning who were the greatest female lyricists of all time. She came to a justified decision and picked out Bjork, M.I.A, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush and Patti Smith.

I can't really disagree with her, I love every single one of them, but I have a few more I would add to the list:

Corin Tucker- Lead singer/howler of the inspirational band Sleater-Kinney, Corin generally wrote most of the lyrics and we're glad she did. Corin remained stridently political throughout her career and voiced her opinions in an intelligent and clear way.

Listen: Combat Rock


Kim Deal- The famous bassist of the legendary Pixies, did anyone see them this October if so I'm jealous, is one of my favourite lyricists. She wrote one of the band's greatest songs, Gigantic, which was previously song of the month here. Kim's lyrics tend to not follow the rules and instead wander through the dark forests and magical landscapes of her mind.

Listen: Cannonball

Poly Styrene- This teenage punk was way ahead of her time when she started her band in the midst of the punk era. Avoiding the cliches that many fell into Poly sung about environmental issues, consumerism and the loss of identity.

Listen: Identity

Enough of me going on, which girls do you love?

To read more of Mackay's blog click here.

Garfunkel & Oates

So I was reading my new digital issue of Bust magazine the other day, which you should definitely get if you don't live in the US. It's cheap and you don't have wait for-eve-er to get your copy. But any who, I was reading it the other day and I found out about this cute LA based comedy band Garfunkel & Oates.

Garfunkel, aka Riki Lindhorne, and Oates, aka Kate Micucci, make jokey songs mostly about dating and their sex lives. When they're not singing about that they also have some pretty funny things to say about Ducks and pregnant women, check it out!






Enjoy these tasters!
Sex with Ducks
Worst Song Medley

For more information: www.garfunkelandoates.com

JD Samson Interview over at Grrrl Sounds

JD Samson of feminist electro poppers Le Tigre and DJ outfit MEN was interviewed by Grrrl Sounds recently.

I say interview but it was more of 'I say one thing, what does it remind you of' kinda thing.

Fans of Le Tigre will be happy to know that the according to Samson the band will "never stop."

To read more click here.

Five Girl Bands You Need To See This Winter

Spring is over, Summer is gone and now we only have to cold reality of Winter to look forward too or so we think. There are a host of bands that are touring just to make you feel better, and maybe to make some money, but it's basically all for you so why don't you go. Here are just a few bands that will liven up your life.

The Gossip

Beth and the other two, I kid the other two are very talented, will be hitting a few more UK venues at the end of their UK tour. I saw them just as they were getting big at the Astoria and they were amazing. Nathan paced the stage in a ferocious, manic way, Hannah is a strong drummer and kept the beat going so you couldn't stop dancing and Beth, well you can guess what Beth was like. Even though she had a sore throat she sounded and looked amazing. You need to see this band.

The Gossip will be performing at the HMV Forum on 28th November next as part of the NME CALLING tour. For more information click here.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

This is a band that I have always wanted to see but for one reason or another I have just never got the chance to see them. I really want to be there when Karen O dedicates 'Maps' to the audience. She does it at nearly every show but it's good bit so why would she get rid of it. Like The Gossip, YYYs like to put on a show so don't worry about leaving there disappointed. Expect to be blinded by a shower of colours, glitter and the greatness that is Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs will start their Winter tour of the UK in Leeds on 29th November. Most of the tour is sold out now but their are a few tickets left in Newcastle and Sheffield. For more information click here.

Stealing Sheep
Stealing Sheep are a collective of ladies, and by collective I mean three, from Norway, Canada and England who want to share their love of contemporary folk ditties with the world. This band are new on my radar; I found them while I was researching upcoming events for my work. In a way their sporadic violin playing and harmonies are reminiscent of The Raincoats. Tomorrow they are starting a 'Batteries Not Included' tour of Manchester which will see them biking from venue to venue to play unplugged melodies. I'm definitely going to try and see them when they come down south.

Stealing Sheep will be playing at the Fuel Cafe in Manchester tomorrow. For more Information click here.




Peaches
Queen of shock-rock Peaches plays a one-off date in the UK at Camden's Koko. If you have seen the videos from peaches.tv you'll know that Peaches is putting on a show and half for this tour. The show involves multiple costume changes, Peaches standing on top of the crowd and a 'pussy light'. I have decided I will be there no matter what get in touch if you will be too I want to see how many fans Peaches has.


For more information click here and here.

Emily & The Faves
This band is also very new on my radar but I'm dedicated to finding out more about them. Emily & The Faves are a Liverpool based band that make lo-fi, home made sounding tunes. Their guitar riffs are always spot on, bouncy and vibrant like Sleater-Kinney circa 1999.

Emily & The Faves will be performing at An Outlet on the 27th October. For more information click here.