I don’t like women in rock. If you have been with us awhile you already know this. It’s hard for me to appreciate girl rock. They generally look awkward and dumb and if they aren’t shaking their boobs or groaning, they’re trying to be a man. I can count those woman I my ears appreciate on one and a half hands.
There are the majors though. Women who have not only impressed me with their sound but have dazzled me with their image, look or disposition.
Chrissie Hynde, Exene Cervanka, Gwen Stefani all earn high praise. But listening to the crap Joy Formidable zinged me back to my girl Siouxie
I ripped off her look for so many years I should pay her royalties. That half Robert Smith half gothic slut look was mine and nothing but tribute to Sioux. She had presence.
I actually hung out with a couple girls during my Siouxie days, generally all of my friends are men. These girls and I made the perfect trio of good girls gone bad and with enormous black hair, alabaster skin, blackened eyes and red lips, we made a ruckus…shamelessly.
Our jam?
Once Upon A Time by Siouxie and The Banshees.
The opening tune “Hong Kong” got me in more trouble than any other song. We had a local Chinese restaurant nearby and I would stand up on the booth bench and belt this song out in full lung capacity. I’d do this odd sort of jerky dance too. I was fearless and most likely under the influence of a madras. For some reason during my Siouxie phase I drank those, which I think was cranberry juice and vodka. This songs beat was great for bouncing around on. They hated me in that place BUT they served booze to underage girls. ‘Nuff said.
“Mirage” Now you’re talking. This song is pure 80’s Strong girl lyrics with that marching beat. This song was on heavy rotation with us girls and to this day decades later I can see us in the car cigarettes in hand blasting hairspray (why were we not instantly ignited) as we headed off to a local dive to catch a band or cause no good. I do recall going to a bar in the Spanish side of town and strutting in to the bar turning heads and freaking out locals. We couldn’t understand a word they were saying- but we didn’t much care. We were there to shock and shock we did. This song was on in the car when we pulled away. We were nuts and no one would get away with what we did then in this day in age. No way.
“The Staircase (Mystery)” This song, at the time was a masterpiece. Now that I’m older its lame. It’s not at all coincidental that it has a spiraling effect, it’s a freakin staircase. This is where some songs are best left not re-heard. It now sounds so dated and predictable its comedic. It’s as if I just learned there was no Santa. As ‘punk’ or ‘goth’ as this was, these people were a lot older and a lot smarter than I was. Siouxie has 10 years on me The difference between 1 and 25 is huge. So I was the perfect fan for this one. Too naive to realize I was being had.
“Playground Twist”, holy crap she yells in this. There are a lot of tunes S and The B’s that are freaking annoying simply based upon her vocals. They can be shrieking and unnerving but that added to her mystique and image. This song grates on my nerves. The instability of the beat causes vertigo.
“Love In A Void”, another amazing sing along song. ‘Nunu nuuuuh’! The video for this was so cheap and dumb that I can hardly watch. If you’re ever looking for a song to drive at full speed at night, with the headlamps off- this is your jam. We did this as we circled the town reservoir. The driver of the car was always so freakin stoned it’s a wonder we survived.
“Happy House”, another empowering song. It was like a horror film for some reason ‘ it never rains…’. For some reason this one still reminds me of autumn bleakness. The drums once again are intoxicating. I want cymbals..like right now.
“Christine”, this song reminded me of the Stephen King novel. Of course, they’re unrelated but seriously how cute is the ‘bah nah nah split lady’? This song is a spiral of hazy booze induced dizziness. Such a wonderful, yet bleak picture is painted in its lyrics. I still absolutely love this song. “now she’s in purple now she’s a turtle”. What the hell is she talking about and more than that.. who really cares? It’s a fabulous song.
“Israel” was one of the darker tunes. With that rally cry it seemed to get past over in the day. Listening now I am again taken aback by the fantastic drumming. That was Budgie, though Sid Vicious was their drummer at one time. Yeah, a short time. Budgie though was intense. Whatever became of him? I may go search him out. The gothic like chant half way in is just as hollow as it was then.
“Spellbound” was my signature tune during that time. Age 15 and full of fire I heard this play in my head constantly. The drum/cymbal combo blew me away. “We are entrahhhnced” I think I may have a thing for tribal drums cuz this one still is on the work out play list. What a great running tune.
“Arabian Nights”, did nothing for me. Still doesn’t.