If I had to use just one word to describe Cincinnati hip hop artist, Abiyah, it would be colorful. Colorful in clothing, personality and style. Abiyah is someone you can find out almost any night of the week at every type of show. She is extremely supportive of not only the Cincinnati music scene, but the hip hop scene across the country. Abiyah has been writing poetry since high school, but it wasn’t until 1998 that she began a hip hop career. But hip hop wasn’t her first musical love. Abiyah fell in love with “college rock” or new wave/alternative in the early 80’s. She tuned in to radio station, 97…
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Girls With Guitars LP Review
Record stores have a display wall for geeks like me. That’s where they put the super rare, used records and the limited edition 180 gram reissues. The last time I was at Shake It! Records scrounging for The Pretenders’ first album I looked up and saw the Girls with Guitars comp. The price was steep and I was on a mission and a budget. I went home with a used Nick Lowe album and despite what The Bible says I coveted. So when I got a twenty five dollar gift card from my boss for my birthday, I knew where I was headed and what I wanted. I told myself…
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Getting to Know The Pretenders
One of the great things about being in a band is sitting around listening to records together. That’s what got me on this Pretenders kick in the first place. I walked out of the basement and grabbed a beer from the fridge. Jenny and Sara were already on the futon, Roxie was stationed in one of the day-glow 70’s kitchen chairs by the end table and Todd was digging into his current listening bin of vinyl. He pulled out a record and proudly proclaimed, “Here’s where I’ve been stealing those guitar hooks from.” He held up a copy of Pretenders II. Growing up in the Midwest during the eighties, I…
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Marcy Mays of Scrawl on the Music Life
Back in February I went to see the Wussy album release show at the Woodward Theater. While I had heard of Scrawl, I had never seen them before. I was totally blown away and got to meet Marcy Mays (guitarist of Scrawl) afterwards. I love her bar in Columbus, Ohio (Ace of Cups) and have been lucky enough to play there several times. Immediately, I saw the opportunity for a great story. This woman is a midwest legend! Finally, on May 29, 2016, I was able to interview Marcy. Scrawl formed in 1985. Marcy was attending school at Ohio University in Athens and her band played a show in Columbus…
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Punch me in the face: a conversation with Screaming Females
“Lyrically, our songs are […] about a very personal and internal struggle while you navigate through what feels like a dystopian nightmare.” ~Marissa Paternoster May 26, 2016 Screaming Females — featuring Marissa Paternoster on lead guitar & lyrics, King Mike on bass, and Jarrett Dougherty on drums — sprawls cheerfully across two shabby couches in a dim upper room at the Northside Yacht Club, eating vegan sandwiches and chips as they speak with us about creativity, community, and being “working musicians.” Women in Rock: can you describe the moment when you realized that you wanted to play music professionally, become a…
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Riot Grrrl Listening Party: There’s a Dyke in the Pit
Women in Rock’s first magazine comes out August 16, 2016 and to celebrate there is a show in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Woodward Theater with Alice Bag, Leggy and Birdie Hearse. Here’s a teaser for you… below is an article from the upcoming release. Compiled by: Women in Rock On May 8, 2016, Roxie, Francis, Theresa and I gathered at my apartment to listen to the OutPunk compilation, There’s a Dyke in the Pit, released in 1992. What follows are segments of our conversation about the compilation. It is to be noted the my cats, Lux and Bowie, both thoroughly enjoyed the comp and hung out for the entire listening party.…
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7 Best Lines of Hole’s Live Through This
There is a lot surrounding Hole‘s second album, Live Through This that came out in 1994. A lot of history, a lot of controversy and so many great lines. It came out a week after Kurt Cobain died and just a few months before bassist, Kristen Pfaff’s death in June. While still a strong rock album, it was less abrasive than Hole’s first album Pretty on the Inside released in 1991. It received more critical claim and really launched Hole into rockstar status. A long time ago I read Poppy Z. Brite’s book, Courtney Love: The Real Story which gave some insight into Love’s life from childhood up to the writing and…
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We Are Hex Members Form New Band
I was hanging at the Northside Rock n’ Roll Carnival this weekend when I saw Jilly from We Are Hex with a posse of dark rockers fly past me. I grabbed her with excitement and said, “What are you doing here?!” I was very upset when We Are Hex broke up the last time but never to fear, Jilly is in a new cool band called Service (name might be temporary). The band is a five piece that draws some similarities to We Are Hex but is a fuller, more rock n’ roll sounding band! I don’t have too many details to report at this time but I loved Service.…
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“Last Disaster” by Night School
“Last Disaster” by Night School is the exact kind of song I want to listen to in this heat. It’s enjoyable, light and the perfect addition to any summer party mix. The guitar tone is perfect and the vocal harmonies add a full sound that creates a great pop song. “Last Disaster” is well written and produced. Night School’s new album, Blush, came out earlier this month on Graveface Records. Their slightly doo-wop sound is perfect for fans of Agent Ribbons and Best Coast. Check out the video for their single “Last Disaster!”
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A Big Announcement: Issue #1
We are beyond excited to announce that Women in Rock will be releasing our first print publication this August! Yes, you read that right, we are taking this to print!!! Our first issue will be celebrated with an event at the Woodward Theater featuring Alice Bag, Leggy and Birdie Hearse on August 16th!! Tickets are available here. We’d like to give you a sneak peek as to what will be in the first issue… An exclusive interview with Alice Bag, Screaming Females, Marcy Mays of Scrawl, Kid Congo Powers, a fun celebratory playlist, a review of a riot grrrl compilation, a book review and much more! We are giving away the magazine…
