The Spoken Word- Dockers MC

I've been in love with Dockers MC, aka Laura Dockrill, for a while now but despite being on The Times's Top Ten Literary talents for 2008 list she is still relatively unknown to most. I think I might have to create some kind of public display and scream at the top of my lungs "DOCKERS MC IS A-MAZ-ING!!!" till everyone gets it.

Her spoken word poetry blurs the boundaries between literature on a page, diy music and theatre so effectively that you don't even realise you are watching a new genre develop before your eyes. If you need a bit more to picture it just think of the love child of Kate Nash and Pam Ayres.

She has released the limited edition book/cd Hold To My Ear and released her first book, Mistakes in the Background, in November.

Take a look at what she's done, it's good I promise.

To find out more about Dockers MC go to: www.myspace.com/dockersmc

*MIXTAPE ALERT* Oh Kathleen you're always the B-side to my heart

You lucky bloggers are in for a treat since i've got a whole bunch of Kathleen Hanna's, of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre fame, B-sides and rareties which were mostly recorded during her time in Bikini Kill.

I'll warn you in advance 'Rockstar' and 'Heartbeat' are a bit weird. The Wondertwins were an experimental project who were Kathleen and Tim Green, from Ulysses I.O.U. It was recorded for the famous Embassy Tapes, which also feature Bratmobile's first recording, in Olympia during riot grrrl in 1991.

Hanna collaborated with Joan Jett for 'Go Home' and also featured on Atari Teenage Riot's 'No Success'. I'm not sure where 'Mr Magazine man' is from or who she is singing with, so if someone could help me that would be great, thanks.

Viva Knieval was one of Kathleen's first bands that she sang with. They released a limited EP, titled 'Boy Poison', toured America for a few months and then broke up.

Hanna was also a guest vocalist for the introduction on Green Day's 'Letterbomb' song for American Idiot. More recently her band Le Tigre, now defunct, collaborated with Yoko Ono for her new album 'Yes, I'm a Witch.'

Kathleen Hanna Mixtape Tracklisting:
Stepping Up To The Mic- Kathleen Hanna
Crazy Doctor- The Wondertwins
Secret Language- The Wondertwins
Go Home (Live)- Joan Jett & K. Hanna
Heartbeat- Kathleen Hanna
I Wish I Was Him- Kathleen Hanna
No Success- Atari Teenage Riot
Rockstar- Kathleen Hanna
Mr. Magazine Man- Kathleen Hanna

Sisters O Sisters ft. Le Tigre- Yoko Ono
Kalvinator- Viva Knievel
I Hate Myself- The Wondertwins
Letterbomb ft. Kathleen Hanna- Green Day


Enjoy x.x.x.

***ONES TO WATCH***

Straight outta Norwich, that phrase sounded a lot cooler when the NWA coined it, Bearsuit are the kind of boy/girl cutie twee indie band that would have Everett True salivating for more.

I'm loving their low key vibe. They are kinda on the same wave-length as Los Campesinos and Huggy Bear. They are the kinda band that make intentional spelling mistakes like spelling 'your' as 'yr' just because it's cool and makes you feel just that little bit younger.

My favourite songs are 'Foxy Boxer' and 'Pushover'. The main reason I like them is that they got ridiculously excited when Kathleen Hanna, or someone running a Kathleen Hanna fan page it's not been confirmed yet, added them as a friend on MySpace. This shows they are a. human and b. have an amazing taste in music not unlike my own I must say.

www.myspace.com/bearsuit
www.bearsuit.co.uk

Such a Drag...

I've been listening to LOADS and LOADS of Giant Drag recently and I don't even know where it came from. I suddenly went from respectfully admiring a band to having a full blown obsession with them.

Giant Drag are an indie band from California composed of singer/ guitarist Annie Hardy and, from 2003-2006, drummer/synth-player Micah Calabrese. I've had their album, Hearts and Unicorns, for a while now but it's only recently that I've realised just how amazing they are, and i can explain that in a 5 step plan titled....

Why Giant Drag are SO much cooler than you!!!
1. Heavy as f**k guitars throughout the record, see 'my dick sux' or 'High Friends In Places.' I really wasn't expecting this when I re-listened to the album again recently but it's full on throughout. It really fulfills my love of shameless nineties rock which leads me to my next reason.

2. They take inspiration from many artists of the alternative scene, including Nirvana, and Annie has been quoted saying that she just 'can't let go' of the nineties.

3. Annie can do the whole unstable, quirky, vixen thing better than PJ Harvey in the good old days.

4. Their cover of Chris Isaak's 'wicked game' is the kind that makes you completely forget the original.

5. They wrote a song called 'You Fuck Like My Dad.' Come on how can you not love them.


Cuz I'm just as awesome as Annie here's a few little tasters of the G.D. sound:

YFLMD

High Friends In Places

My Dick Sux

Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the next Giant Drag album, until then you can listen to new song 'swan song' on their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/giantdrag