How Much of the Artist is the Art?

Michael Jackson. R.Kelly. Roman Polanski. All male artists who have histories of child abuse, or accused child abuse. All artists who have been successful. How much do their crimes influence their art? And how much should their success influence how we view their crimes, or accused crimes?

When Michael Jackson died, there was practically a national stand still. He was revered for his talent and his art, and the years of accusations seemed to fly out the window. An argument can be made that because he was acquitted that he committed no indiscretions, but a gut instinct (ok, my gut instinct) says that at least of those children were telling the truth as I have a tendency to trust survivors. So we, as a nation, forgot his strange past and celebrated him because he could make us dance and sing. It makes me wonder if it would have been possible to remember the songs and the dancing without celebrating the man. Can they be separated?

Roman Polanski is, in my opinion, a much more serious situation. He admitted to sexually assaulting a 13 year old girl in the 1970s and then fled to Europe before being sentenced. He has remained in Europe so as to avoid going to jail in the United States, and is now fighting extradition from Switzerland and asking high powered friends to petition the United States to drop the charges. He has a team of creative powerhouses standing behind him, dubbing his rape of a child a "little mistake" and touting the fact that he has been a successful director and his "genius" as a reason for both forgiveness and dropping the criminal charges for a crime he admitted to committing.

Polanski isn't my kind of director, but I understand that some people really enjoy his films. Is his art a redeeming power? I say it isn't. I don't think art should ever be enough to redeem someone from sexually assaulting a child. This is not only an issue of idiocy, but also one of class. What if the man who gave a 13 year old girl drugs and champagne had been a man in a trailer park or in a van - the picture we think of when we think of child abusers? I doubt folks would be rallying around him, saying that because he makes movies, his crime that he never served time for should be absolved. Then again, someone who wasn't already wealthy and privileged wouldn't have had the means to escape to Europe, purchase several homes and life a comfortable life.

Video Friday & Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Needs Your Help

As has been widely reported today, friends of our blog and all around good peeps Scotland Yard Gospel Choir were in a serious van accident yesterday while on tour involving multiple rollovers and head injuries. We've spoken with friends of their family and hear that they are all doing well, despite their serious injuries, and Ethan, Jay and Alison have already been released from the hospital. Mary and Elia remain hospitalized as of this writing, and Mark is in the most serious condition at this point, but all three are expected to recover and continue to improve. However, the band's van and equipment were destroyed in the crash, and they are likely to face mounting medical bills. SYGC is always one of the first bands to volunteer to support great Chicago charities like Rock For Kids, CHIRP and 826Chi - now it's our turn to give back to them. Bloodshot Records has set up a donation page for the band - throw a few bucks in the virtual donation bucket, if you can.

Help Kick Start the Chicago Independent Radio Project!

After many months of hard work, the Chicago Independent Radio Project is just about ready to launch an online radio station! The goal is to have a truly independent community radio station focused on independent and local music, arts and culture on the air by the end of the fall... sounds pretty great, right? We think so! In fact, we're all involved with CHIRP and hope to be some of those voices coming across your computer speakers later on this year!

But, we can't do it without your help. CHIRP is a 100% volunteer organization and receives no government or corporate funding - donations from individuals and a few small grants help to keep CHIRP's books in the black. Launching online means that CHIRP needs to pay for studio space rent, electricity, office materials, heating, telephones, and the streaming costs of putting a radio station online. Thus, the CHIRP Kickstarter.com campaign - chip in and you'll help CHIRP raise the $4800 needed for the first year of streaming costs for the radio station! Plus, you'll get to choose one of several fabulous prizes. (Including an exclusive mix tape featuring the best women in music from me!) Click on the widget above and donate today!

Mary Travers Now In Honah Lee

How many times in the last few months have I turned on CNN in the morning, looked at the little bar scrolling across the bottom, and thought "Awww, shoot" as another icon has died? Too many times, I think - maybe it's a sign of my own getting older. The latest instance of me shaking my head sadly is the death this week of Mary Travers, best known as Mary from Peter, Paul and Mary. After successfully battling cancer since 2005, she died from complications from chemotherapy this week at the age of 72.

Mary Travers' importance to folk music and women musicians cannot be overstated. In the trio, she was the focal point, the pretty girl with the beautiful voice that captured more mainstream attention for the Greenwich Village subculture of the 1960s. Through her humanity and talent, she put a face on the folk music movement which had been largely ignored or ridiculed prior to that time. When the group did their own versions of important songs in the folk music subculture, suddenly, people took notice. Of course, it didn't hurt that she was beautiful, which may have been why mainstream culture was willing to listen. But Mary took that attention to heart, using her platform to advocate for political causes through music like Pete Seeger's "If I Had A Hammer" and the remake of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind", as well as through where the band chose to play, including the 1963 March on Washington and the voting-rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., in 1965. Throughout the rest of her life, she would be an advocate for civil rights, nuclear disarmament and other political causes.

Peter, Paul and Mary weren't entirely serious though. One of their most popular and beloved songs, "Puff The Magic Dragon", was a whimsical tale of the adventures of a misunderstood boy and the dragon who teaches him to be brave. It later became a children's television special, and then movies, extolling the values of imaginary friends, adventures, understanding creatures who are different than us, and being courageous. Doubtless it spawned many of my own imaginary friends. Ready for a singalong?

I Was a Naked Girl Reading

A few weeks ago, I participated "So You Want To Be a Naked Girl" at Studio Lamour. The event was a spin off of the studio's monthly event Naked Girls Reading, which hosts members of the Chicago Starlets reading pieces based around a theme...naked. September marked the first amatuer night, done in the vein of a reality show. I joined seven other contestants, each of us reading a piece of prose or poetry, followed by a cold reading and then finally being asked a beauty pageant-esque question. At the conclusion, the audience sent in their votes via text message, American Idol style and a winner was crowned...er, boaed; an attractive brunette who read Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go".

I am pretty comfortable speaking in public, but I wasn't so sure how comfortable I would be doing it in my birthday suit. The setting was intimate, with only about fifty people in the audience, the readers sitting on couches and chairs and the audience seated at cafe tables filling the room. At first the nudity seemed out of place, but as the evening wore on it was easy to forget and the focus shifted to the reading. The selections varied between sexy poems to comedic bits to the abovementioned Dr. Seuss.

Of course, the biggest about this is: why naked? Some, including a writer from the Chicago Tribune have postulated that the nudity is just a gimmick. Yes, undressed, attractive women does tend to grab people's attention. But here it is not without context. Women are often placed into the category of "smart" or "pretty", but not both. There is also the Jerry Lewis perpetuated myth that women cannot be funny, or that women are not attractive if they are witty. Naked Girls Reading smashes both of those thoughts, and provides a space where women can safely shed their clothes for their own satisfaction, without fearing agression from the spectators.

With Naked Girls Reading events happening in five other states (and several others announcing that they will be beginning one in the coming months) and an anticipated feature on the Carson Daly show, the phrase "bedtime story" may never be the same!

Crafty Ladies Take Over Division Street!

This weekend marks the return of the 7th annual Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago! This year, as last year, the festival will take place on Division Street in between Damen Avenue and Paulina Street in Wicker Park, both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm. Art, shopping, snacks, and music!

If you've never been to the Renegade Craft Fair, you're really missing out. Over 300 artists travel from around the Midwest, and further, to peddle their handmade and DIY wears. You can find everything from jewelry and clothes to bath products and toys - pretty much anything that can be made by hand is there! My own favorite past purchases have been hand-painted wood carved earrings (I wore them last week!), a set of cupcake birthday cards, and pickle stickers. If you're looking for something unique or quirky, this is the place to find it. You'll also be supporting independent and largely women-owned businesses, which is a great thing, especially in this economy.

Here's my dirty secret about Renegade - sometimes I go and "window shop" for, ahem, let's call it "inspiration" for my own crafty Christmas projects! Sshhh, don't tell!

Beer, BBQ and Bloodshot - Celebrate this Saturday!

This Saturday September 12, Chicago record label Bloodshot celebrates their 15th anniversary with the Bloodshot Beer-B-Q at the Hideout Block Party. The musical lineup consists entirely of Bloodshot artists, including some of our favorites - Jon Langford & Sally Timms, The Blacks, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir and Alejandro Escovedo. Besides great music, there will also be delicious bar-b-que to be eaten and beers to be drunk, plus other fun activities including a children's art area, spelling bee, and an art show curated by Yard Dog in Austin, TX. Tickets are just $10 and the event will benefit two great Chicago charities, Rock For Kids and 826Chicago. If you're planning on stopping by, drop over to the Chicago Independent Radio Project table and say hi - Elizabeth and I will be there around 4pm, ready to tell you all about CHIRP!

Girls Rock on Chic-A-Go-Go - Live Audience Needed!

We just received work from our friends at Girls Rock Chicago that three bands that were formed at this year's camp will be appearing live on the popular Chicago dance party television show Chic-A-Go-Go. The Wiggins, Mourning Glory and Circular Convention will all perform, and everyone is welcome to come and dance during the taping of the show. So get on your dancing shoes and have some fun!

WHAT: GIRLS ROCK! CHICAGO APPEAR ON CHIC-A-GO-GO
WHEN: 3:00-6:00PM this SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5th
WHERE: CAN-TV Studio (322 S. Green Street, Chicago, IL)
WHO: Everyone! This show is ALL AGES.
HOW MUCH: This is a FREE event!