Happy New Year!

On behalf of Elizabeth, Emily and myself - plus our friend Mr. Snowman - we wish you a very Happy New Year and a 2010 filled with joy, laughter and great music!

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Top Twelve Records of the Decade, WOW Style

I can't believe another decade has flown past us. It was ten years ago that I first stepped into a radio station booth and that I met my lovely co-bloggers Emily and Jen, and in those ten years some damn fine records have come out. The 1990s were a great decade for music - it brought us Riot Grrrl and my all time favorite record, Tori Amos' Boys for Pele. But the 2000's had some great lady jams in it, too. Here's my top twelve list of records from the last decade, in no particular order.

1. P.J. Harvey, Uh Huh Her
2. Bjork, Vespertine
3. The Dresden Dolls, The Dresden Dolls
4. Metric, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
5. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Dap Dippin' With Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
6. Rilo Kiley, More Adventurous
7. Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Fever to Tell
8. The Gossip, Movement
9. Le Tigre, Feminist Sweepstakes
10.Sleater Kinney, One Beat
11. Broken Social Scene, You Forgot It In People
12. The New Pornographers, Twin Cinema

Witty Women: Quote of the Week

We haven't come a long way, we've come a short way.
If we hadn't come a short way, no one would be calling us baby.
~Elizabeth Janeway

Merry Christmas! Video Fridays: The 12 Days of Christmas by John Denver & The Muppets

A very Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Women on Women Music Blog!

Witty Women: Quote of the Week

It starts when you sink in his arms and ends with your arms in his sink.
~Author Unknown

Video Fridays: Fairytale of New York - Kirsty MacColl & The Pougues

One of our favorite and most amusing Christmas-themed songs, featuring the late great Kirsty MacColl. Sadly, Kirsty's mother's campaign for justice in the mysterious circumstances surrounding her 2000 death while scuba diving in Mexico disbanded earlier this month, due to Mexican authorities closing the case. Although we may never have satisfactory justice regarding her death, we can always honor Kirsty's legacy of great music.

Lilith Wants You, Aspiring Chicago Band!

Lilith Tour is looking for an aspiring Chicago band to perform a set at the Chicago stop on the 2010 tour this summer. For that matter, they're looking for a local artist or band in each of the cities on the tour schedule. To submit your band for consideration, upload a song to the Lilith Local Talent Search page, then get your friends and family to register to vote, starting in April. Winners will be announced in May. Good luck - and post in the comments if you've entered so we can vote for you!

Witty Women: Quote of the Week

Whether women are better than men I cannot say -
but I can say they are certainly no worse.
~Golda Meir

Video Fridays: Martha Wainwright Covers "Christmas Wrapping" By The Waitresses

Christmas Wrapping has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs - the irony, the sad grocery store scene, the happy ending, all set to 80s new wave... what's not to love? The song itself has quite the history, sending The Waitresses to an unlikely fame, just before its breakup. Unfortunately, The Waitresses never made a video, but I've found Martha Wainwright's cover of it here. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Lilith 2010 Lineup Announced, To Our Delight

When it was announced earlier this year that Lilith Fair was returning in 2010, we were excited, but slightly nervous - bringing back a tour like that is a lot of work, and sometimes nostalgia makes things seem cooler than they actually were. Could they still get great artists? Would we still be excited about the lineup? Would it still be a celebration of women in music?

The answer is yes, yes, yes, as the Lilith lineup was announced today. There's a delightful combination of original members of the 90s Lilith lineup, like Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Tegan and Sara and Erykah Badu, as well as newbies to the Lilith experience like Metric, Mary J. Blige, Miranda Lambert and Ingrid Michaelson, and there's a mix of genres, from singer-songwriter to rock to pop to country to hip hop. If only all music festivals (ahem, Perry Farrel) were as diverse as this lineup. The organizers say there's more to come, but in the meantime, here's the confirmed lineup so far -

A Fine Frenzy
Ann Atomic
Ash Koley
Brandi Carlile
Butterfly Boucher
Chairlift
Chantal Kreviazuk
Colbie Caillat
Corinne Bailey Rae
Donna De Lory
Emmylou Harris
Erykah Badu
Grace Potter And The Nocturnals
Ima
Indigo Girls
Ingrid Michaelson
Janelle Monae
Jennifer Knapp
Jill Hennessy
Jill Scott
Katzenjammer
Ke$ha
Mary J. Blige
Meaghan Smith
Metric
Miranda Lambert
Nneka
Sara Bareilles
Sarah McLachlan
Serena Ryder
Sheryl Crow
The Submarines
Sugarland
Tara MacLean
Tegan And Sara
Vedera
The Weepies
Vita Chambers
Ximena Sarinana
Zee Avi

Stay tuned for more Lilith news!

Witty Women: Quote of the Week

Some of us are becoming the men we wanted to marry.
~Gloria Steinem

Stupid in Love

Last winter, the pop and R&B world was rocked when fan favorite Rihanna failed to make her scheduled appearance at the 2009 Grammy awards. Her absence was due to an incident that occured the night prior, when she was beaten by boyfriend Chris Brown. The paparazzi and press jumped on the story, and on her, and not only published the photos of her bruised and cut face but followed her every move following her release from the hospital. In the weeks following the abuse, Rihanna spent time with Brown, which was also captured and published for mass consumption.

The press and blogosphere judged her quickly, the general sentiment being "How could she even think about spending time with someone who would hit her?". Pop stars aren't the only ones who deal with this kind of judgment. Conversations around domestic violence frequently include place an expectation on the abused partner that they can easily remove themselves from the situation. That it is easy to leave, especially if there are no financial barriers, as in the case of Rihanna and Brown. That if someone won't leave then they deserve it, or don't deserve support, or are just plain stupid.

As someone who has both been a survivor of domestic violence and has worked in the field, I can tell you: it isn't that easy. The shock that someone you love, and who loves you, would harm you is overwhelming. Someone's palm on your face doesn't erase the good memories, or the positive parts of their personality. It doesn't eliminate your relationship or friendship. And if that person is your main source of emotional support....it gets so much harder. There is an impluse to try and make it work out, if only to show those around you that you weren't stupid enough to fall in love with an abuser. And to prove to yourself that you were right in seeing good things in them - that you aren't such an idiot as to give your heart to a monster.

This aspect of abuse, though, is rarely discussed. We expect abuse survivors to have the emotional strength of a herd of clysdales and to be able to cut off all contact with their abuser, to leave them in the dust, as soon as the first hit lands. It would be great it if were that easy, as that is the only way that the abuse cycle will end. As with most things, reality is so much more difficult.

Now that the dust has settled from the press bonanaza that occured this weekend, Rihanna has come out with a new album addressing issues around abuse that are usually kept in the dark. This blog is not intended for lauding the mainstream - commercial music gets enough press as it is - but I was so struck by her new record, and her bravery in addressing the more complicated issues that survivors face, that I had to write about it. Embedded below is a track off her new record, R Rated, "Stupid in Love". A warning to survivors - the song may trigger flashbacks or strong emotions.

Witty Women: Quote of the Week

I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly.
Tunafish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock.
~Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers! Wishing you a wonderful start to the holiday season!
~The Ladies of WOW

PS - Want some tunes to listen to while you cook? Check out these songs about food we recommended last year.

Witty Women: Quote of the Week

Welcome to a brand new weekly feature on the Women On Women Music blog - Witty Woman: Quote of the Week! Mondays are hard. Who couldn't use a little inspiration to start the week off, right? Here's our first edition -

The test for whether or not you can hold a job
should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.
~Bella Abzug

Friday Video: Peaches "Talk To Me"

Always a favorite of the ladies of WOW, Peaches is the kind of girl who says - nay, screams - what we're all secretly thinking. Looking for some of the harshest lyrics written by a woman in the last ten years? That's Peaches. Looking for an INSANE live show that will leave your head spinning? That's Peaches. Looking for a good time November 20 in Chicago? Peaches plays Metro. Here's a little taste - the video for "Talk to Me", her single off the latest album, I Feel Cream.

Help Community Radio Get Off The Ground!

Just a reminder that TODAY is the last day to donate to the Kickstarter campaign of the Chicago Independent Radio Project. As we mentioned before, there's lots of fantastic prizes to be had for donors, including a special women themed mix CD by yours truly! Head on over to the Kickstarter campaign page and pledge now - every dollar CHIRP raises today is a dollar they don't have to raise later on this year!

Lilith Rises Again - Tour Returns for Summer 2010

The rumors are true - Lilith Fair, the legendary all-female music festival championed by Sarah McLachlan, will return this summer! The new Lilith Fair website was launched yesterday, and although it doesn't have much in the way of details, Chicago is on the list of cities where Lilith Fair will stop. From 1997 to 1999, you may remember that Lilith Fair was one of the most popular and successful traveling music festivals in the world, with 1.5 million tickets sold, and $10 million dollars raised for charities. Pretty much every female musician who was around in the late 90s did a stint on the Lilith Fair tour roster.

So the question is, who will play this year? Tripwire is hosting a Lilith Fair Fantasy League contest with their predictions for 2010's lineup. Who do you want to see? Post your wishlist in the comments section!

Beth Ditto, Punk Princess

Earlier this month, Jenny and I spent a chilly Friday night at Metro Chicago, seeing The Gossip'se first Chicago show in years. Since they last played the Windy City, the Gossip has exploded, becoming a huge sensation in Europe and released their latest album, Music for Men, on major label Sony Records. The lead singer, Beth Ditto, has become a celebrity all to herself. Known for her feminist ethics and activism around queer and fat rights, Ditto has become a somewhat unlikely muse for the fashion world. With her face plastered on magazines and her own clothing line, Ditto is much more a household name than she was three years ago.

With that in mind, we weren't sure what to expect when opening act MEN (featuring J.D. Sampson from LeTigre) finished and The Gossip took the stage. Their shows have traditionally been intimate, even when playing large venues, with Ditto interacting with the crowd and smashing the fourth wall between the band and the audience to pieces by the end of their first song. I was concerned that, with their major label status and rapidly rising climb to fame, The Gossip would present a more polished, removed and ultimately less satisfying show.

There was no need to worry. Playing a mix of their new songs and old favorites, including covers of "Rebel Girl" "Psycho Killer" and "What's Love Got To Do With It", The Gossip has stayed true to themselves. Ditto engaged the audience, even pulling a boy on stage who was from her hometown and stopping the show to talk to him. Their lyrics about broken hearts and queer pride are just as strong as ever, and she serves as a strong role model for self acceptance, pride in all regards and using music as a way to celebrate community. Even though the 1,000+ capacity club was nearly sold out, it felt like it was a show in a local civic center. The sound was great, despite Ditto being sick, but the real strength of the show was the interaction with the fans. Despite what cynics might say, punk and riot grrrl are not dead - at least not as long as Beth Ditto and The Gossip have anything to say about it.

Take This Job And.....

Starting out at the bottom and crawling your way to the top is common in many industries and in entertainment and creative fields especially. Workers spend years fetching coffee and job hopping to build a resume that will hopefully, someday, get them to their dream position. The years spent fighting for it are rough - but with a solid group of friends around, it is possible to get through anything.

The hard-scrabble years are noticeably absent from movies and television shows that depict twenty-somethings having their first go at their career. If we were to believe the media, everyone lives in gorgeous apartments in New York while barely working twenty hour weeks.

At last, a breath of fresh air has entered the world of the cute New Yorker making-her-way niche. The Underlings is a new web-series focused on a group of friends who are "underlings" in their various fields. Comprised of short episodes that you can watch on your lunch break, the show follows the cast through their job, love and friendship struggles with a sassy sense of humor and a refreshing dose of reality.

Created by an all-female team of funny lady writers and producers, The Underlings is a full web experience, with new music and discounts for already affordable stores on the website. Welcome to the web, ladies - we're glad you're here.

Wonder Woman Day!

Aw dang, we just missed it by a day. (And a couple thousand miles.)

But how cool is this? As part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, galleries and comic shops in both Portland and New Jersey participated in WONDER WOMAN DAY IV, a charity event benefitting local women's shelters and crisis lines. Founded by author Andy Mangels, the event was designed as "a celebration of the character [of Wonder Woman] and the heroic values shown throughout her history, and of upholding those same values within the greater community." In addition to prizes, celebrity signings, and superhero costumes galore, hundreds of contemporary comic artists donated original illustrations of the famed Amazon to raise money for this noble cause. Click here (and scroll down) to see depictions of our favorite superheroine by Los Bros. Hernandez, Alex Ross, Anne Timmons, Jeff Smith, Franco Aureliani, Linda Chartier, and more!

Video Fridays: "Man-Size"

Speaking of great guitar girls...



Oh Polly Jean, you're such a ham.

(Also, is it just me, or does it look like something falls out of her nose about 2:18 in?)

Greatest Guitar Girls

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In my internet wanderings this week, I came across an article in Venus Zine last year where they broke down the greatest female guitar players of all time. The article itself was a response to the ridiculous lack of women in the Rolling Stone "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" article, which included just two women - Joni Mitchell and Joan Jett. Few people have more devotion to Joan Jett than I, believe me, but can't we do better than two out of a hundred names? The writers at Venus Zine thought so, and came up with their own list, assisted by a panel of experts that included Chicago's Nan Warshaw, owner of Bloodshot Records, and Amy Phillips, Music Editor of Pitchfork. Check out their list, and be sure to click on the alphabetical titles to read more about each of the women they've featured and leave your own favorites in the comments section!

Feeling inspired to become a Great Girl Guitarist? Check out the Old Town School of Folk Music's guitar offerings - the next class session starts next week!

Video Fridays: Papas Fritas

From 1997's Helioself.



I'm gonna pretend it's not almost winter already, ok?

Video Fridays: Teenage Jesus & the Jerks

A clip from the legendary no wave band Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, from their Empty Bottle show earlier this week:

Oh that is F%@#ED UP.

Repost courtesy of the Daily Kos, Oklahoma Introduces Its Own Scarlet Letter.

Starting this November, every woman undergoing an abortion in the state of Oklahoma will have to provide information regarding her race, her age, her level of education, her relationship with the father, total number of previous pregnancies, etc. This information, although supposedly not connected to the woman's name, will then be posted on a public website.

The worst part is that this new law is supposedly designed "prevent abortions based on the gender of the fetus," which sounds like it is meant to protect baby girls, no?

Fortunately, pro-choice advocates across the country are already fighting back.

Way to go, Oklahoma. I'm never watching your crappy musical ever again. :P

Take Care Of The Girls Month

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Hey, it's October, which means it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the time of year when every store will have a million pink things on sale... oh wait, and its also the time of year when you should be thinking about your risk of breast cancer and what you can do to prevent and detect it. With all the pink sales, I almost forgot!

So here's your friendly reminder about what we at the WOW blog have termed National Boob Month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, but the good news is that it is now one of the most well understood cancers, and can be one of the most survivable when caught early. In fact, even though it is the most common cancer among women, there are more cancer deaths from lung cancer than breast cancer. That said, no cancer is a picnic, so all women should take steps to prevent it in the first place.

The American Cancer Society recommends three action items everyone can do to reduce their risk of breast cancer -
1. Eat a healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight, or seek help in getting to a healthy weight. If you are naturally slim, you still need to eat healthy foods. If you've struggled with your weight, eating healthy foods and exercising is more important than slimming down quickly or in an unhealthy way. For tips on easy to make healthy meals, try Lifehack's suggestions or Food Network's website. If you're lazy and hate cooking, like me, than get yourself a George Foreman Grill for $20 and it will help you to make almost anything quickly and without a lot of grease or fat. I also find that if you make time to stop at the grocery store every week on a Monday, you'll be better at loading up on fresh veggies and fruits for the week. Do what works for you, and make it easy and sustainable - starving yourself to loose pounds will only result in yo-yo weight loss and gain, which may actually increase your risk of cancer and other health issues.
2. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. I know, who has time for this, right? If you're lazy like me (sense a theme here?), try and sign up for an activity that you enjoy that just so happens to be exercise. For me, its swimming - my fellow bloggers here do drumming class and dance class. If you can knock a class out a couple of times a week, then you can cover the other three days by doing things like getting off the train a stop early and walking ten minutes to work, or biking when you do your errands. Even buying an exercise DVD like Punk Yoga can help. You don't have to spend a lot of money to do this, just do something. Again, be realistic here - it's better to work out twice a week for the next twenty years than to sign up for a six week cardio bootcamp class that you'll never do again in your life.
3. Limit your alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day. This is probably the easiest thing for everyone to do, but if you struggle with addiction you may find this difficult. Alcohol abuse puts you at risk not only for breast cancer but for many other physical and mental health issues as well. If you are finding it hard to limit your alcohol consumption, you can seek free assistance at Alcoholics Anonymous.

In addition to take the steps above to reduce your risk of breast cancer, women over the age of 40 should get yearly mammograms and breast exams. If you have a hard time remembering to schedule your appointment, sign up for the free mammogram reminder service from the American Cancer Society. Take Care of The Girls!

PS - Men can get breast cancer too! Any detection of lumps in a man's chest area should be taken just as seriously as a lumps in a woman's breast, especially if he has a history of breast cancer in his family. Get thee to a doctor!

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!

Statement of Vindication

Yoko Ono Gets Her Due

"To a younger generation growing up after the baggage of Lennon's personal life had largely been laid to rest, Ono became an esthetic godmother. As the world itself got noisier, her scream seemed more and more legitimate as a response—to anything from the panic of AIDS to the specter of WMDs. "It is a scream of the human race, in a way," she says today, and it makes sense: you can think of her music as an aural accompaniment to the paintings of Munch or Bacon. It may have taken a couple of decades, but the world caught up to that sound. It's difficult to imagine the X-Ray Spex anthem "Oh Bondage, Up Yours!," the Riot Grrl movement of the '90s (featuring groups like Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill), or even contemporary dance-punk heroines like Peaches or Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs existing apart from Yoko's trailblazing, proto-feminist howl."


(Courtesy of Newsweek.)

R.I.P. Ellie Greenwich

Aw. :(

Songwriter Ellie Greenwich dies at age 68.


As the co-author of some of the most enduring hits of the girl group era -- "Be My Baby," "Leader of the Pack," "Da Do Ron Ron," "Chapel of Love," and "Then He Kissed Me," to name but a few -- Greenwich lent a distinctly feminine voice to the the male-dominated music industry of the 60s. She also worked as a session vocalist, sang backup for artists such as Dusty Springfield and Frank Sinatra, and even fronted the short-lived Raindrops with her husband and songwriting partner Jeff Barry. For a moving tribute to her life and works, check out this article by Ann Powers.

Happy Women's Equality Day!

Today we celebrate Women's Equality Day, an annual commemoration of the day, August 26, that the 19th Amendment was passed in Congress, granting women the right to vote. Women's Equality Day was the invention of New York Democrat Representative and feminist Bella Abzug, who introduced the idea for the first celebration in 1971.

It's interesting that as we celebrate how far women in this country have come today, we learn about the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, the "Liberal Lion". While Kennedy had been often criticized for his dealings with women in his private life, there's no doubt that throughout his long political career he was one of the strongest supporters of women and feminist issues, particularly health care, education, college sports equality, racial equality and reproductive rights. Without his policies that became law throughout the years, the American woman's world would be a very different place, so we thank him.

The question that now arises on this day, who will be the "next" Ted Kennedy? It seems that since Bella Abzug left Congress in 1977, there hasn't been another powerful feminist Congresswoman since, and I think that's a shame. It's time for the next generation to take up the call of Women's Equality Day, and of the legacy of the Liberal Lion, and move American women forward into the next century! What will you do to help?

Rockin' For Kids - WOW Mix cds!

We've spoken often of our love for the good people over at Rock For Kids, a charity that provides music lessons, holiday gifts and other support for at risk and homeless children in Chicago. One of our favorite things about Rock For Kids is their awesome fundraising events... and there's one coming up this Friday, August 21st, the Music Mixer! If you haven't been to a Music Mixer before, picture tables of mix CDs made by some of your favorite local "celebrities", all up for bid, with all the money going to Rock For Kids programs! It's a grand time and so fun to see what people put on their mixes. We here at WOW are honored to be included as one of the "celebrity music mixers" this year, and there will be a special three disc set up for auction from Emily, Elizabeth and I. Other mixers this year include folks from Bloodshot Records, Bob Nanna, Hot Doug, Metro, Double Door and Victory Records, among others. I hope you'll come out and join us at the Rock For Kids Music Mixer this Friday night, August 21st, at Smart Bar, 3730 N Clark Street. It all starts at 7pm and bidding ends at 10pm! Oh by the way, if you can't make it, you can always bid online by proxy at the Rock For Kids website.

R.I.P. Les Paul

In honor of the passing of guitar legend Les Paul yesterday, here's a trio of videos documenting his appearance on the Colgate Comedy Hour in 1954, with his wife and musical partner Mary Ford.

Practice What You Preach

Joan Baez diffuses right wing protest at Idaho concert

An excellent article on Joan Baez and the politics of peace, courtesy of Daily Kos.

Video Fridays: "Date With the Night"

Lollapawhoza?

Feminist Bargins: Women & Children First Used Book Sale

Here's some shopping for a cause this weekend - stop by Women & Children First, Chicago's feminist book store, this Saturday and Sunday August 1 and 2 for the annual Used Book Sale. Proceeds will benefit the Women's Voices Fund. The Women’s Voices Fund, a project of Women & Children First Bookstore and a grantee of the Crossroads Fund, raises money to help sustain and develop an ongoing program series focused on women’s lives, ideas, and work. This unique work which has been offered only at Women & Children first for the last twenty-five years, is crucial to guaranteeing that a wide and diverse range of women’s voices and the best voices in children’s literature continue to be heard.

While you're there, why not spend a little of this week's paycheck on a new book from the store, or sign up as a member for $25 and get discounts all year long? In this tough economy, it's the small independent businesses who are suffering the most - help keep great local companies like Women & Children First going by putting your wallet where your values are!

Video Fridays: Women on Women

For your viewing pleasure today, here we have L7 interviewing the Breeders for MTV in 1994:



Plus, the Breeders perform their cover of Guided By Voices' "Shocker in Gloomtown"!

"He's my pride, he's my joy, he's my one and only Jimmy boy..." *

Jimmy Carter leaves Southern Baptist Convention due to church's sexism and subjugation of women.

An excerpt:

"... My decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention's leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service. This was in conflict with my belief - confirmed in the holy scriptures - that we are all equal in the eyes of God."

Carter is currently throwing his considerable energies behind a group called The Elders, "an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity." For more on their views on equality for women and girls around the world, click here.



* With a nod to The Girlfriends.

Heading To Pitchfork? Shop For CHIRP!

If you're heading to the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend in Union Park, don't forget to bring some spending money for records! The Chicago Independent Radio Project will be there, holding their annual Record Fair fundraiser on July 17, 18 and 19th at Pitchfork.

Talk about shopping opportunities! There will be over forty tables of records and cds from all the best independent record labels, stores and dealers, so browse to your heart's content under the shaded tent. I know I always pick up several gems every year at the fair... usually the problem is limiting myself!

And, don't forget to stop by the CHIRP table, where there will be tshirts and other goodies for sale, and you can write a letter to Congress in support of low power FM radio. Plus, some of the ladies of WOW will be womanning the tables, so be sure to stop by and say hi!

Video Fridays: "Once a Day"

A classic from country songstress Connie Smith:



(Note: The Triffids do a wonderful cover of this on their 1986 record In the Pines.)

United For Neda

If you've been watching the television news coverage of the election crisis and protests in Iran, perhaps like me you have been struck by the powerful images of women, many conservatively dressed and in headscarves, protesting in the streets. We in the West think of women in conservative Middle Eastern countries as being powerless and oppressed, without a voice - and to a large extent, that's true by most standards. In Iran, for example, polygamy is legal, women cannot run for president, arranged marriages for girls as young as 13 is permissible and fewer than 13 percent of Iranian women have paid jobs outside the home. Rampant discrimination in the legal system hurts women in divorce, custody, property rights and financial cases, and feminist political leaders are often arrested. Less serious, but relevant to this blog, women are forbidden from singing or releasing music. However, despite their circumstances, women in Iran have shown their political power, and continue to risk their safety and lives every day with continuing protests in the streets featuring seas of women in the crowds.

One such woman caught in the crossfire is the now famous Neda, who was shot and killed by the Iranian authorities during a protest. Video of her death has been circulated around the globe, and she's already being called a martyr. Now, her story has been memorialized in song by Iranian ex-pats who have released "United For Neda".

Video Fridays: Happy Fourth!

Check out this live version of "This Land is Your Land" by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, a perennial WOW favorite.

A Woman, A Car and the Open Road

Since it's summer, traditionally the season of road trips, I've been thinking about cars and driving and open roads. I recently purchased the third car I've ever owned and got rid of one, which is always a time of reflection about what cars have meant to me. While car worship is often associated with men, I think that there's a special relationship between a woman and her car - a car means freedom, responsibility, not having to wait forever for the bus, and so much more.

My very first car was a 1982 Chevy Citation that belonged to my grandmother. It came to me as I entered college, when my parents convinced my 80-something year old Grammy that I "needed" the car. In reality, I probably could have taken a bus and two trains to school every day, but they needed a way to get her to give up driving! Grammy sold me the car for $1, and it got me through four years at Loyola. It was "C'est la vie", as I named her, who taught me about how cars work, and how to find a good mechanic, and why its important to know how to jump a car, call a tow truck, and keep your oil changed. Today, I know more about how cars work than most men my age, which is an important skill for any woman who doesn't want to get ripped off by a mechanic. That car, which had carried me around town with my grandparents during my childhood, then carried me to the grocery store, to and from school, and eventually, back home after graduation with all my worldly belongings in the back seat and trunk. Unfortunately, C'est La Vie's time began to come to an end, and shortly after college ended I decided to donate her to the American Cancer Society car donation program in honor of Grammy, who had died of cancer the year before.

My next car was a 1999 Saturn SL2 who I named Erin, which is Gaelic for "Ireland". I chose that name because as I was test driving the car, I noticed there were Irish coins in the cup holder, which I took to be a sign from my Irish grandmother to get the car. (I am Irishwoman, we believe in signs.) Erin was my first major adult purchase, and the down payment came from money I had saved from one of my three part time jobs during college. It was my first loan, and the first thing that appears on my credit report. Erin taught me about how to shop for a car, how to handle credit and loans, and how good it feels to own a new, perfectly working, vehicle. Erin drove me to job interviews, and then my first job. Erin took me to weddings and funerals, moved me into several apartments, carried me camping, drove me to weekend getaways with friends, and most infamously, Erin carried Elizabeth, Emily and I all the way to Washington, D.C. for the March For Women's Lives. My relationship with Erin lasted longer than any of my romantic relationships! Eventually, Erin's engine began to fail, and after several attempts at life support, I had to face the fact that she was dying. I sold her to Carmax this spring.

My current car is a Chevy Cobalt, which I bought from a family member who's sister passed away. My Cobalt has given me back the freedom that was lacking when I didn't have a car, and allowed me more mobility in volunteering, visiting with friends and family, and traveling around the town. While I got around okay without one, and I know many people go carless, my own life is much easier, cheaper, and less stressful now that I have a car. Plus, it's fun! I have already taken the Cobalt to Indianapolis, and have a few other trips planned for this summer. The Cobalt also reminds me of the kind and humble nature of the late woman who originally owned it, something that I try to emulate.

But I'm not the only woman who has loved her car. Click on this video to watch a woman talk about her fourty plus year relationship with her car.


That video is a few years old, but a follow up was done this spring. Rachel is now 91 years old, and still loves her car!

What do you think about women and cars? What is your favorite road trip music?

R.I.P., DJ Barb Wire

It is with great sadness that I announce the death of a long time friend and fellow WLUW DJ, Barb Wire.

Barb was perhaps best known for her ecclectic but impeccable taste in music, as demonstrated on numerous graveyard shifts and on her own weekly show, "Across the Pond and Beyond." I'll remember her as a generous and caring individual, always willing to lend a hand or cover a shift. Sometimes, totally unbidden, she'd burn you a CD of music she thought you might like. She was fiercely dedicated to the the music and the message of the station throughout the course of her long illness, and right up until the very end.

The airwaves will be poorer for your absence, Barb. You will be missed.

Video Friday:Pride Turns 40!

Well, sort of. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Starting the evening of June 28, 1969 and lasting for three days, young gays and drag queens rioted outside of the Stonewall Inn, a bar in New York City's Greenwhich Village. The riot began following a police raid on the bar, which was patronized by gay men and drag queens. The raid was under the guise of busting the club for having alchohol without a liquor license (the club was a "bottle club", run by the Mob, which had no liquor license and required that patrons sign in at the door), but police had been raiding and abusing gay bars and their patrons for years. Historians of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement frequently discuss the gay rights movement in terms of "Before Stonewall" and "After Stonewall" (and there are two documentaries by those names) because it was such a crucial event. Following the riots, gay activist groups sprung up around the nation, and a year later the first offical pride parade took place in New York.

It is often cited that Judy Garland's death and funeral, which happened a few days prior to the raids, fueled the patrons at the Stonewall Inn to fight back against the police. While historians will argue that the patrons at Stonewall were not the "Garland" kind of crowd due to their youth and lower class status, registries from the bar that show that many of them signed in to the bar using Judy Garland as a pseudonym prove otherwise.

In a year that had both incredible defeat and victory for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, we have much to celebrate - and much more work to do. Happy Pride 2009!

Video Fridays/Bands You Should Know: The Mo-Dettes

Since we're on the subject of the founding mothers of punk...

The Mo-Dettes were formed in London in 1979 by American guitarist Kate Korus/Korris (an original member of the Slits), along with bassist Jane Crockford, June Miles-Kingston on drums, and Swiss-born Ramona Carlier on vocals. The band would later be augmented by Melissa Ritter on second guitar, and for the last six months before the band's dissolution, Sue Slack on vocals.

(Inconsequential, but interesting: like the Slits, the Mo-Dettes were oddly connected to the Sex Pistols. June worked on the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, which is where she met Kate. June's brother Bob Kingston was the guitar player for Ten Pole Tudor, featured on the soundtrack for the film. Jane had reportedly shared a squat with Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious at one point, and June bought her first drum kit from Paul Cook. We won't mention their connection to other notable names in punk, but look up Shane MacGowan and the "Cannibalism at Clash Gig" incident and see if you can't spot our girls.)

Frequently overlooked in the annals of punk/post-punk and the history of women in rock for bands that were more ostentatious, more aggressive, more overt in their feminism, or simply more prolific, the Mo-Dettes were nevertheless a solid band, notable for their hooky, melodic bass lines, sparse, angular guitar riffs, and a simple yet irresistable backbeat.

In their three short years of existence, they released only a handful of singles and one full-length album, The Story So Far. Fortunately, Cherry Red released a remastered version of the album on CD last year. It includes B-sides and non-album tracks, such as their first single and possibly best known song, "White Mice," (featured below) as well as extensive liner notes outlining the history of the band.

Enjoy!

Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosed with Exene Cervenka

By now you may have heard that the legendary rock chick and bad ass, Exene Cervenka, has been diagnosed with MS, a debilitating disease that she's already backtalking in press releases... yep, that's our Exene. We really like the story up at Gapers Block by Jeremy Henderson, where he posits that perhaps MS has more to fear from Ms. Cervenka than she does from the disease! Coincidentally, X starts a three night run here in Chicago at Double Door tonight. Tickets are still available but no doubt will go fast.

Here's one of my favorite videos of X...

Holy Slits!

The Slits have a new album coming out!

Slated to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the group's legendary album Cut, Trapped Animal will be released on Narnack Records this fall. We can expect to hear the first single, "Ask Ma," as early as August.

After breaking up in 1982, original singer Ari Up and bassist Tessa Pollitt reformed in 2005 (sans guitarist Viv Albertine, or original drummer Palmolive) for a few one-off reunion shows and an EP, Revenge of the Killer Slits. In this latest incarnation, Up and Pollitt are joined by Anna Schlute on drums, Adele Wilson (or Michelle Hill, reports differ) on guitar, and Hollie Cook (daughter of Sex Pistols* drummer Paul Cook) on keyboards. Hopefully a full tour will be in the works as well? We'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, here's a video of one of my favorite Slits' songs, "Typical Girls," from 1979.




* Bizarre factoid for the day? John Lydon is Ari Up's stepfather. No foolin'!

Fallen Princesses

From Fallen Princesses, a photography project by Dina Goldstein:

In the artist's own words: "These works place Fairy Tale characters in modern day scenarios. In all of the images the Princess is placed in an environment that articulates her conflict. The '...happily ever after' is replaced with a realistic outcome and addresses current issues.... I explored the original brothers Grimm's stories and found that they have very dark and sometimes gruesome aspects, many of which were changed by Disney. I began to imagine Disney's perfect Princesses juxtaposed with real issues that were affecting women around me, such as illness, addiction and self-image issues."

While I do question the inclusion of a rubenesque Red Riding Hood as a "fallen" princess (Goldstein claims it to be a "personal comment on today's fast food society," but I smell mixed messages about beauty and body-image for women*), I am nevertheless intrigued by her work. It reminds me a lot of Dulce Pinzon's The Real Story of the Superheroes series, which examines the everyday heroism of Mexican immigrant workers in New York.

I'm not knocking fairy tales, but for better or for worse, they've had an undeniable effect on the construction of gender and gender roles. (Although if you ask me, there's a lot of "worse"... the perpetuation of the "damsel in distress" stereotype, the necessity of a Prince Charming to save, redeem, and/or complete a princess's life, the emphasis placed on beauty as a woman's most important asset, the negative portrayal of older women as crone/evil stepmother/wicked witch, etc.) Either way, anything that takes a closer and more critical look at the cultural mythology we're passing on to our kids is a-ok in my book.



*To make up for it, I give you the brilliant and oddly empowering Big Beautiful Wonder Woman Blog.

Of course, you'll have to take them off to play guitar.

Be still my beating heart! Heart finger puppets!

Or perhaps Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash are more your speed? Maybe you want to see the White Stripes rendered in felt? If so, Etsy-er Mullish Muse is the girl for all your rock and roll finger puppet fantasies.

Video Fridays: Sister Rosetta Tharpe

A classic from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, "Up Above My Head."

Dag! Check out that guitar solo!



(Fun side note? A clip of this performance can be seen in the film Amelie.)

Theresa Andersson, Go!

Anyone else catch Theresa Andersson on the Craig Ferguson show last night?



Originally hailing from Sweden, multi-instrumentalist Andersson moved to New Orleans in 1990. While she cites New Orleans as having a big influence on her sound, it wasn't until she saw a one-man puppet show in Chicago that she was inspired to perform as a one-woman band. She builds layers of sound through the use of looping effects pedals, which capture snippets of sound and play them back in an infinite loop.

Her latest recording, Hummingbird, Go!, was released last fall on Basin Street Records. More information, along with tour dates and links to her Facebook page, can be found at her webpage. You can check out more videos here.