Women who sang about love were disparaged as only singing about their exes, women who sang about social issues were bitches, women who sang happier songs were “annoying,” women who sang pop were stupid, and women who played instruments were, of course, all overrated.
A guy said to me last week that he wouldn't know who Taylor Swift is if she weren't that football guy's girlfriend. I replied that I wouldn't know who Travis Kelce is if he weren't Taylor Swift's boyfriend. I wouldn't know who Curt Cobain or Nirvana are if I didn't follow Weird Al.
Kil (single L) is very ancient Dutch for a gulley or creek, nowadays you only ever find it in placenames. Kil now just means cold and wet. Interesting to learn it got brought along to the USA and gained an L. Or arguably it lost an e, an alternative spelling was "kille".
Kathleen Hanna, Susan Tedeschi, Adrianne Lenker, Aimee Mann, Lisa Germano, Cat Power, Mary Gauthier, Neko Case, PJ Harvey, Courtney Barnett, Channy Leaneagh, Siouxsie Sioux, Thao Nguyen, Jolie Holland, Ana Voog. All household names in my house. Ok, sure, I live alone.
Robyn, thanks. This wonderful woman was comin' up right in the time slot when I was...out of it in a general way for quite a while. Thanks so much for the documentary. I LOVE Kathleen Hanna now that I know about her. She's like the person inside me whom I always tamped down! So inspiring.
After decades of creative blocks and thinking I had no artistic talent or anything to say, I realized that, even though I'm 61, I absolutely DO. I picked up my electric guitar again after it sat in the attic for over 20 years, and I've been re-learning how to play for the last four.
Lemme tell ya, it's STILL hard to find women guitarists (even though there are a LOT of them) in the endless sea of cishetwhitemen. Cishetwhitemen worship old cishetwhitemen who 'shred'. They love their gadgets and pedals and pickups and fancy modeling amps and they buy all this shit but don't know how to play a basic 12-bar blues. I'm usually the only old broad in Guitar Center when I go buy strings (they recycle).
I'm not really sure where I was going with that rant, but Kathleen Hanna always said, 'GIRLS TO THE FRONT' at shows. I love Bikini Kill, I love Le Tigre, I love The Julie Ruin, and I will always be grateful for her just being HER.
Kathleen Hanna was interviewed on Morning Joe this morning, and the woman who interviewed her was CLEARLY a fan. I can't remember her name, but it was lovely to see.
Robyn. Thank you for pointing out the sexist discrepancy in headlines for male v. female performers. So often there's something that is right in front of me all along but I don't see it until someone shines a light on it. I hope headline writers see your article.
She sounds interesting, I'll check that video out.
Women who sang about love were disparaged as only singing about their exes, women who sang about social issues were bitches, women who sang happier songs were “annoying,” women who sang pop were stupid, and women who played instruments were, of course, all overrated.
Boy, that sounds familiar as heck
Damn right, Robyn, many thanks!
Maybe they just thought "nirvana=clicks"
Robyn's point. You made it
A guy said to me last week that he wouldn't know who Taylor Swift is if she weren't that football guy's girlfriend. I replied that I wouldn't know who Travis Kelce is if he weren't Taylor Swift's boyfriend. I wouldn't know who Curt Cobain or Nirvana are if I didn't follow Weird Al.
Ta, Robyn. Living in New Netherland, we're accustomed to Kill meaning body of water (it's Dutch). Bikini Kill is a perfect name.
Kil (single L) is very ancient Dutch for a gulley or creek, nowadays you only ever find it in placenames. Kil now just means cold and wet. Interesting to learn it got brought along to the USA and gained an L. Or arguably it lost an e, an alternative spelling was "kille".
Yay Kathleen Hannah! Thank you, Robyn!
Wasn’t there at once a recent headline that said “Football Players wife wins Olympic gold?” Or something similar?
Yup. She was a swimmer, as I recall. And it was below the headline saying "SO-AND-SO MAN TAKES SILVER IN SWIMMING" 🤮
And for the Oldz Madonna satanic panic!
https://religionnews.com/2024/05/13/right-wing-christians-blame-madonnas-satanic-concert-for-floods-in-southern-brazil/
Kathleen Hanna, Susan Tedeschi, Adrianne Lenker, Aimee Mann, Lisa Germano, Cat Power, Mary Gauthier, Neko Case, PJ Harvey, Courtney Barnett, Channy Leaneagh, Siouxsie Sioux, Thao Nguyen, Jolie Holland, Ana Voog. All household names in my house. Ok, sure, I live alone.
Thanks for this piece, Robyn.
I'm only familiar and a huge fan of six of these names. I think you just gave me homework
Ditto!
I meant to include Petra Haden.
Petra.makes seven for me
Kathleen Hanna for President!
Robyn, thanks. This wonderful woman was comin' up right in the time slot when I was...out of it in a general way for quite a while. Thanks so much for the documentary. I LOVE Kathleen Hanna now that I know about her. She's like the person inside me whom I always tamped down! So inspiring.
Defend your right to shoot puppies and screw porn stars! Trump/Noem 2024!
After decades of creative blocks and thinking I had no artistic talent or anything to say, I realized that, even though I'm 61, I absolutely DO. I picked up my electric guitar again after it sat in the attic for over 20 years, and I've been re-learning how to play for the last four.
Lemme tell ya, it's STILL hard to find women guitarists (even though there are a LOT of them) in the endless sea of cishetwhitemen. Cishetwhitemen worship old cishetwhitemen who 'shred'. They love their gadgets and pedals and pickups and fancy modeling amps and they buy all this shit but don't know how to play a basic 12-bar blues. I'm usually the only old broad in Guitar Center when I go buy strings (they recycle).
I'm not really sure where I was going with that rant, but Kathleen Hanna always said, 'GIRLS TO THE FRONT' at shows. I love Bikini Kill, I love Le Tigre, I love The Julie Ruin, and I will always be grateful for her just being HER.
GC recycles? Good to know!
I haven't changed strings in so long, this is news to me.
Yeah, D'Addario recycles strings in bulk, so you can just bring your old strings to GC and they take it from there.
Kathleen Hanna was interviewed on Morning Joe this morning, and the woman who interviewed her was CLEARLY a fan. I can't remember her name, but it was lovely to see.
Robyn. Thank you for pointing out the sexist discrepancy in headlines for male v. female performers. So often there's something that is right in front of me all along but I don't see it until someone shines a light on it. I hope headline writers see your article.