Category Archives: Influential Women In Music.

Emily Haines.

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My love for Metric could be listed as obsessive. I’m obsessed with music, so I don’t really see this as a bad thing. I’m also going to try my best to stick with this “Influential Women in Music” thing I started ages ago here..but sort of let it go. I have no idea why. I need to learn to stick at something properly. I’ll blame Writer’s Block, because that seems a more legitimate reason than just forgetting.

Writing about Emily Haines is going to make me happy because there are SO many reasons as to why I love her. She looks like someone you could just hang with and do dumb stuff with, but at the same time- you could hang out in a library with her and she’ll open your mind to a different world. I’ve been lucky enough to see Metric live, and it is one of the gigs I’ve been to that has firmly stuck in my mind. The room was cramped. You could touch the ceiling with your grubby sweat ridden mits, your body was wet with sweat and probably water, your throat ached from singing a long to every single word. I remember it as if it was yesterday. If only it was yesterday. It was a gig that helped with so much, as did interviewing them a few weeks before. It was just an experience that I needed, that partly saved me from losing my mind at the time. Fantasies came out and taught me about survival. It was Blindness that did it. Nobody will ever fully get what that song meant to me then, and it still does now. I told Emily, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off. It’s the main reason why I cannot write-up the interview because the subject matter of the interview..it is just entirely personal. She made me feel like I was talking to a long-time friend, you know? It was easy but at the same time a bit painful. But it is something I hold so dear to me.

Emily Haines looks so gentle, like her voice. The way she moves on stage is the opposite. Her lyrics on her solo work are much more delicate than that with Metric. I’d never pick what I loved the most, I love both equally. Knives Don’t Have Your Back is one record that I feel I cannot go a day without listening to- which is also how I feel about Live It Out by Metric. Her words (solo and Metric) just read like perfect poetry. Which is no surprise as her dad was the amazing poet, Paul Haines. I feel that her solo work portrays Emily’s mellow side that  can calm the wildest of personas. Then you have Metric. Metric give you that loud, unashamed freedom. You shake your body, lose your shit- you just go mental listening to them. Any song from Stadium Love back to Empty, you just allow your body to flail madly out of control. And why must you always have control of what you do? Let go. Emily’s lyrics can teach you to let go. From a break-up, to leaving a life behind that you just cannot handle anymore (I feel this right now more than ever) her words just ease all the tension and trauma you feel inside. I’d be lost without it.

There are so many females in music right now that could learn so much from the likes of Emily and Alison Mosshart (I could list many more but..) Emily has this stage presence which makes you feel like she is encouraging you to start your own kind of riot in the crowd. Not a bad one. One that means you just make a load of noise, spread the love and have a good time.

I know I’m probably mentioning her solo work more than Metric or Broken Social Scene work, but her solo work is so haunting. Her and a piano is truly one of the best things in life.  It just makes you feel right, you know? It does something to you. It takes you to an untouchable place. It is just you and Emily’s voice. The fragile voice she has covers you in goose-bumps. Your limbs become weak and talking seems too much. You want to embrace all the silences in-between. Her voice is just beyond perfection.

What drew me in when I first heard Metric (Combat Baby was the first song I remember hearing) I was just in awe. A voice so calming over a riotous drums, bass and guitars. Surely not?! This cannot be real. Oh it was real. So very real. “No one here wants to fight me like you do.” Her tormenting lyrics sung in the most playful manner imaginable just lured me in, there was no way I could have stopped it from happening, and why oh why would I want to? That’d just be silly.

You know, finding a Metric fan is hard. I know about two people who like them. It is pretty sad because Metric are such an incredible band that have put out solid records constantly. The new record, I firmly believe will be as stunning as previous. I cannot wait for it- and a tour too. There are so many layers to Metric’s music, but with Emily’s solo material it is so simple. Seeing these sides to her way of making music goes beyond being inspirational. However, regardless of who she is making music with her lyrics always seem to hit you right in the heart. This is due to her evidently writing from the heart. I cannot listen to music that doesn’t seem true- to the heart and to the self. I don’t want to hear anything that doesn’t sound genuine. Emily Haines manages to make you smirk with her sometimes sexually charged lyrics, then straight away you feel your heart is going to fall to pieces with the sheer honesty she pours out. There’s just no way humanly possible that you can deny how important and influential she is. Those that know of her, know how true this is. Maybe the new Metric record will cause you to finally pay attention to all you’ve been missing.

“What it is and where it stops nobody knows,
You gave me a life I never chose.
I wanna leave but the world won’t let me go.”

Cat Power.

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My love for Chan Marshall began sometime in 2000, I think. I think that was the year. All I know is that I was listening to John Peel under the covers with the light out because I should’ve been asleep. Thing is, I did this with every John Peel show but my mum never told me off. She knew how much I idolised John Peel.

Chan Marshall aka Cat Power’s voice was like nothing I had ever heard. So relaxing but full of so much feeling. Her songs were so vulnerable and her voice trembling on certain songs made you really feel what she was singing.

I hold her song Metal Heart very dear to me. I do favour the Moon Pix version more than the Jukebox version, but that’s because it sounds much darker. If it sounds dark and tormented, I’ll love it. Not in a sick, twisted way; but in a way that makes it easy to relate to.

I own all of Cat Power’s records, and I think, as hard as it is to decide; You Are Free is my favourite record. I adore the album cover, with the picturesque album artwork just gives off the freedom feel to it which ties in with the album title. You listen to the album and you do feel so weightless, so free. Any good record will make you that way. Any good record will take you to a higher plain.

Her music is tormenting, romantic, dark, hurtful, loving, longing; it is just everything, and more. There are so many layers to her sound. I find her to be one of the most charming and alluring singers to have ever existed. She has this quality about her that makes you want to just sit with her and discuss the world. You also feel honoured to have heard her music. It is so rich but pure. All the greats seem to have battled with their own personal demons, from Billie Holiday to Jimi Hendrix. Cat Power is no stranger.

Most are aware of her battle with various substances (drink and drugs.) And her fight with her demons, no one is ever in a place to judge another with how they deal with their battles. We’ve all got our own demons to fight off. You do, I do; no one is exempt. However, Cat Power didn’t let it beat her. Her live performances did suffer for a time. Performances would be cut short or cancelled last minute. This was around 2006. In 2008, I saw her live. The venue held around 250 people maybe a hundred more, but it was tiny. I was finally seeing my favourite singer live, and I will not deny that I had a bit of fear that she would cancel or walk off stage halfway through the gig. Luckily, this was the time she was finally sorted. Her new album, Jukebox had come out and things were looking up. When she sang Metal Heart I felt that a part of me had been found. There is something indescribable about seeing the song that saved you live. It just does something to you that nothing or no one else ever could. I will never forget that gig; I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her band is truly stunning, what I love about them is that they are real, raw musicians. They do it for the music, and the sheer love they have for it.

Her music is one I cannot go a day without playing. It brings confidence and hope, it creates feelings no other could give. It is beyond music, it is a force. One thing Cat Power is known for is her covers. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of covers, I really do have a soft spot for Cat’s covers. She takes the original and just adds this sensitive and earthy feel to it. I adore her cover of the Velvet Underground’s I Found A Reason. As someone who is obsessed with Velvet Underground, I’m a bit dubious of anyone who covers them. The only two artists that can cover them and still stay true to the sound are The Kills and Cat Power. They keep the same feeling to the songs, but add their own personal touch to it. That’s when you know a cover is given the justice it deserves.

She has covered everyone from Bob Dylan to John Lee Hooker; she takes the songs from those that inspire her and makes the covers her own personal tribute to them. It is so beautiful and passionate.

Her love for Bob Dylan is truly special and just beautiful. You can tell how in awe she of him. Her track, Song For Bobby is the most gorgeous dedication I’ve ever heard. As someone who adores Bob Dylan, you really appreciate how she conveys how you feel for him in her song. “What I feel in my heart from the beginning till my dying day.” She’s loved him from the first time she heard him, and always will. That’s what it is like when you find a musician you really connect with. Nothing can break or decrease your love for them, it is that great. It’s like a lifeline for you. We’ve all got that one artist that means this much to us. The way she sings of her admiration to Bobby is how I feel about her.

Her voice is bluesy and just sets your soul on fire. If you’re not touched by her voice, then I guess there could be something wrong with you. Do you watch X-Factor by any chance and you’ve become a sucker for what the TV tells you to enjoy? Oh dear. I don’t know if you can be saved. Her music is a comfort blanket. Her music makes you feel okay with your insecurities and fears. You feel that her cover songs are her own; she is such a strong figure who allows herself to be weak. Not many do this; many just act like a rock. We cannot relate to that.

The vulnerability that comes through in her music makes you connect with her on a completely different level. You see, most show it through the words they sing. Cat Power is different; you feel it in HOW she sings it; that’s a lot deeper. That takes more out of you.

Of all the female singers that I adore, my heart well and truly belongs to Cat Power, and yes my blog URL is in tribute to Cat Power.

Influential Women-Part 2. Alison Mosshart.

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Yeah, I know I intended to make this a weekly thing….it’s been months. Sorry!

I am useless with money. I get my wages every week, and I am guaranteed to buy at least one thing that is of no use to me. This week, I bought a bike. I know you think it’s not exactly useless. But, I seem to have forgotten how to ride a bike. It’s currently in the back garden. Every time I wander into the kitchen, I stare at the bike and a few insulting words come into my head. I will not be beaten by this damn bike. I’ve been told over and over that you don’t forget how to ride a bike. I guess I’ve just got a shite memory, I think that’s genetic.

So, I’m sitting in my room listening to The Dead Weather. This will not be about Jack White; it will be about Alison Mosshart. A woman who I think is ridiculously under-appreciated and beyond beautiful. If I could look like anyone, it’d be her. She’s just got this “thing” about her that makes her some kind of rick goddess. The way she dresses, the way she sings and the way she throws herself around on stage is, as clichéd as it sounds, is effortlessly cool.

When I saw The Kills live last year, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She had this presence that I’ve never seen in any band or singer before. The band didn’t say much to the crowd, yet both Jamie and Alison had this chemistry on stage that just left me in awe. Midnight Boom was quite frankly the most underrated album of last year. Anyone who didn’t find the video to Last Day Of Magic strangely sexy is silly. They beat each other up! Alison also shoots Jack White to pieces in video to Treat Me Like Your Mother, which again, is sexy. Maybe I’m just weird, but if I was to get beaten up by Alison Mosshart, I’d ignore the pain and love the fact I was getting beaten up by a gorgeous woman. I’m doing myself no favours here at all. I should probably learn how to ride my bike. It’s black and red, it folds up. No idea how I fold or unfold it. One of the peddles is a bit dodgy. I’m scared I’ll be riding it and the bastard will just fold up.

Alison’s voice needs more recognition. Have you heard her when she was in Discount? Check them out; I think some tracks are still up on Last Fm.

In short, Alison Mosshart is sexy. Extremely beautiful. I hate the word “sexy” it’s so tacky isn’t it? I’ve never been called sexy, I don’t expect I ever will. I think there’s something quite creepy about it. I’m not sure what though, and I’ve used it a few times to describe Alison here. Then again, there’s a few people you can describe as being sexy without sounding like a weirdo in a mac eating spam sandwiches (this isn’t me. I don’t own a mac, nor do I eat meat.)

Maybe I’ll learn to ride my bike listening to The Kills. Thing is, I’m sure I’ll just get even more distracted than I usually do and just end up cycling to somewhere unknown and have no idea how to get back home.

I’m aware that this is probably utter nonsense. I’m not going to apologise, I do it all too often. Alison Mosshart should be more appreciated. She and Jamie should also put out a new album, even though it’s only been a year since Midnight Boom was released. The Kills are raw, in an Iggy Pop & The Stooges sense. That’s probably why I adore them so much. Jamie Hince is a killer guitar player, just like Jimmy Shaw from Metric. They both have this intense energy that you can’t take your eyes off. They also make it look so simple. But, when you watch someone do something that they love, of course it looks easy.

Was there any point to this? Probably not, but there’d be no fun it if there was! I now have cramp in my legs from sitting down writing this. Guess I won’t be riding my bike this evening!

Brody Dalle. (Influential Women In Music Part 1)

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Like so many (both men and women) I am in love with a certain woman named, Brody Dalle.

For a long time I wondered what it is about Brody that makes us fall in love with her, apart from her being ridiculously beautiful of course.

She just oozes strength and power. Yes, I do believe that there is something powerful about a woman who can play an instrument, especially guitar.

Throughout secondary school I was bullied and I used music as my way of ignoring the fuckers who hurt me (sometimes having your music blaring into your ears is acceptable) and The Distillers were one of few bands that made me think “fuck you, I’m not going to be some weak piece of shit that you can hurt.” To this day, City Of Angels can make me so happy even if everything has gone to shit.

 

Brody Dalle’s voice is unique, powerful and sexy. A few weeks ago, I saw her new band Spinnerette play. I never saw The Distillers, but seeing Spinnerette is easily in my Top 5 favourite gigs. The energy all band members gave off was beautiful. Everyone in the crowd adored Brody and every so often you’d hear someone shout out “you’re a sexy bitch.” I don’t know if using bitch was necessary, but you know- she’s still sexy.

 

Her voice sends shivers down your spine and makes you wish you could sing like her. Which, if you’re female (like myself) proves to be quite a difficult task. I sound like I’ve smoked a stupid amount when I try to sing like Brody, but in my head- I sound really good!

Coral Fang will always be one of my favourite albums. So many memories with that album, it never fails to bring a smile to my face. If I was stuck on a desert island, I’d survive listening to Coral Fang none stop. I suppose it’d be the perfect place to practice singing like Brody!

 

What I love about Brody’s new band, Spinnerette, is that you get to hear her sing properly now. She has such a strong voice, regardless of what she does with it. She screams better than most male singers and sings with such power. Anyone who fails to see the beauty and strength in Brody Dalle is missing a few brain cells.

Although most singers dislike being labelled as a role model, Brody is a positive role model for females to have. She is someone damn near everyone should admire. Some may say use the word “troubled” for her earlier life, but look at what she has achieved and has become.

Spinnerette’s gig the other proved exactly this. So many girls were emulating Brody’s early image from The Distillers from the mowhawks to the clothes- she is a massive influence and is quite possibly the most important female in rock right now.