Women's Voices

I had recent experiences of men telling me what to think - even in today's world with strong female leaders such as Angela Merkel and Hilary Clinton - and I have to wonder why so many men feel they need to tell experienced women what to think even in todays's world of supposed equality? I heard that women still earn 80% of what men do on average - which means for the rest of the year women work for free.?

In Walter Isaacson's recent book The Innovators; How a group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks created the Digital Revolution he mentions the Countess of Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron and a mathematician and writer who in 1842 wrote about a new calculating machine designed by Charles Babbage.  She wrote forecasting the digital age, "In enabling a mechanism to combine together general symbols, in successions of unlimited variety and extent, a uniting link is established between the operations of matter and the abstract mental processes." 

Babbage's machine was the first to produce abstractions from matter.  Lovelace foresaw the laptop and the smartphone. After this oddly for a hundred years nothing much happened, and then everything happened at once.  

The idea of networking computers took a while to take hold at first  - finally Tim Berners world wide web came along and showed the computer was really a gateway to the global information system that would become known as the internet.  Berners championed the freedom of the net but may have made a mistake. The link system when you click on a link takes you to another page - was one way and did not send a signal back.  If it had, it would have been a simple matter to impose a system of micro payments, a fraction of a penny per click and the devastation of the music, publishing, newspaper and countless other industries need never have happened.  

The question then remains do the big internet companies need restriction set on them? 

Some young women writers at Edinburgh below.

Leigh Bardugo and Maureen Johnson

Rhiannon Cosslett

Holly Baxter

Eve Ensler One Billion Rising

Eve Ensler (born May 25, 1953) is an American playwright, feminist, activist best known for her play The Vagina Monologues. I was inspired last night on BBCs Hardtalk by writer and feminist Eve Ensler who works against violence towards women. Certainly when I listen to the news it is often about violence towards women ( just today in the UK DJ Dave Lee Tarvis and Rolf Harris are both in court for charges of sexual assaults on young women) 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/eveensler

She says women need to break the silence - and that most women keep quiet about their problems.  Violence towards women occurs in all countries worldwide - there is still incest, bullying, sexual harassment in the developed world - 1 in 5 women in UK are attacked, 1 in 3 in the US, 1 in 5 women on college compasses US are attacked.  Violence against women is what maintains Patriarchy. 

Her play The Vagina Monologues makes it OK for women to speak out. She heard women talk of these issues and stories that upset her.  One older woman spoke of being assaulted as a young girl and after this experience she never had sex. Eventually all the women's stories were made into her play The Vagina Monologues which is now performed world wide in 140 countries. She said the storied are universal and that all women understand them.  She claims that the violence perfumed by men against women can lead to depression, suicides and eating disorders.  She says women need to break the silence. She said that the threat of violence and daily terror leads to a siege mentality and that this existence of fear leads to depressions, destroys self esteem, confidence and sense of worthiness. 

Ensler stated that her feminism motivates her art and that they drive each other.  Eve was bullied by her own father and she said often these men are spilt personalities projecting one normal image to the outside world another violent one indoors. 

Writing was the one experience where she was able to make sense of her environment and have  a persona that wasn't being drowned. 

Of course we tend as women to blame ourselves - that is that we are somehow the cause of these attacks by our own behaviour.  I remember watching the movie Goodwill Hunting when the therapist says to Will - Its Not Your Fault, Its Not Your Fault over and over. I find it very hard not to believe it is not somehow my fault.  

Perhaps this book on art and words and music is about my journey to make sense of it all.  Music has been my escape route to a better place. When I was very young I started to write poems and  to draw. 

http://www.eveensler.org/

Ensler started the campaign One Billion Rising for Justice. She says this is a grassroots campaign organised worldwide. In 2013, One Billion women and men shook the earth through dance to end violence against women and girls.  She called on women to dance outside police buildings. Dance is a powerful expression of breaking free; tell stories, organise.   http://www.onebillionrising.org/

We write to you one month before 14 February, the actual day we will rise and dance for Justice. But we all know One Billion Rising for Justice is clearly not just a day. It is a campaign, a strategy, a determination, a new energy. It is months of preparation, investigation, and collaboration. It is the careful, conscious work of building a coalition, inviting new activists, and acknowledging those who have been on the frontlines for years. It is envisioning and writing new laws and legislation. It is breaking the silence, releasing our stories, naming and identifying injustices, creating demands, organizing forums and panels and events, as well as writing songs and poems and plays, and making videos. It is identifying the places where we will rise. It is learning about our sisters’ struggles around the world and making them our own. It is bringing the most marginalized to the front. It is the grassroots leading the way. It is men joining and standing with us. It is acknowledging the places of intersection. It is a decision, a vision of the world where the bodies of women and the body of our mother earth are honored and cherished and safe and held sacred. It is trust. It is expanding our identities and wounds to include the others. It is a fierce refusal to undermine or attack or diminish, but to take the time to find the language to express our grievances and frustrations, with the belief that each one of us in this struggle is on a path of evolution and revolution, wounded, broken, and doing our best. It is a wild energy that says Yes. Freedom is possible. Unity is Possible. Everything is possible. It is a Rising – dissolving borders, edges, separations. It is love, an unstoppable wave of love and justice.

This year, on 14 February 2014 we are calling on women and men everywhere to harness their power and imagination to rise for justice. Imagine, One Billion women releasing their stories, dancing and speaking out at the places where they need justice, where they need an end to violence against women and girls.  Join us!

The NEW female Piano singer songwriters

Back in the 70s there were so many wonderful piano singer songwriters. There is something quite special about piano melodies as opposed to guitar composed songs.

There was Paul Simon's Bridge over Troubled Water (while he composed mostly on guitar), McCartney's Long and Winding Road, Elton John's Your Song, Carole King's Tomorrow and of course Joni Mitchell's songs.

But today, while there are many top guitar carrying singer songwriters I struggle to find any quality piano singer songwriters ... where are they? 
  
The only high quality younger piano singer songwriters I can think of are all female - Adele, who had to fight to have ONLY piano on her massive hit Someone Like You; Emeli Sande and her lovely Clown and River songs; and Canadian singer songwriter the irrepressible Sarah McLachlan and her very moving piano song Answer (new album next year).  She sings songs of understanding that are haunting and questioning. 

The only guy I can think of is Chris Martin's piano songs with his Coldplay band (Fix You).

Here's the irrepressible piano singer songwriter Sarah McLachlan. I listened to her Afterglow album quite often a few years back and I went to check on her and she has a great YouTube clip with a great band too here -    

Sarah McLachlan, is a Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2009, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards (out of four nominations) and four Juno Awards.

The Right Arrangements

I watched Lana del Ray’s 'National Anthem' video trailer with its' strong black and whites and it moves at just the right pace. I also watched Lana's gig at Hackney weekend where the crowd was singing along and clearly into the music. This was very good and touching too her joy of the crowd and lovely to see after the poor reviews for her Saturday Night Live performance - when the rock band backing her didn't work with the style of her music and I posted that she needed simply 'strings and piano.' So why do label people always think 'to be cool' the artists needs a rock band when it all depends on the type of music.

TOP Female Rock Singers

I'm not a helpless little female full of romantic nonsense ... but able to speak up of myself. 

I was writing here about the awesome Fleetwood Mac and in particular Stevie Nicks while listening to new female rock singers Haim. I was struck by Haim's strong edgy voices and the defiant words in their songs and I thought about those female rock stars who have paved the way. 

Rock singers sing to a rhythm and rock beat, usually with a band that consists of drums, bass and guitars. They defy convention with their look and songs and they don't feel they need to adhere to expectations and the rules, but write their own agenda. They are not afraid of their independence. They retain their femininity without having to totter in high heels or strip to gain attention or to please our patriarchal society. Rock singers songs often evoke strong emotions and they normally also play instruments. Rock band Haim have an edge and are the new FRS.

I was surprised when I checked Wikipedia's List of Female Rock Singers - that they list several country, soul and singer songwriters who I'd never consider rock! (such as soul singer Donna Summer and songwriter Carole King)

I am not making a huge list here, but rather those FRS who stand out for me - two in particular.

*Stevie Nicks

is one of my all time favourite female rock stars. I love her style and attitude and the way her voice cracks yet remains strong and true.  Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1974 along with her musical collaborator Lindsay Buckingham (also her lover at that time). The 'Buckingham Nicks' album, released 1973, was influenced by Cat Stevens and Jimmy Page's acoustic guitar playing in Led Zepplin.  

In Q this month she says she was inspired by Janis Joplin's presence on stage even though she was tiny and by the flamboyance yet humility of Jimi Hendrix.

Stevie wore those floaty surreal dresses and her top hat, a perfect look for her dancing presence on stage.  Along with Chrissie Hyde, Nicks was one of the first mega female rock stars, who really knew how to rock with the band, write songs and sing with an edge. Both were American. My all time favourite Stevie song is "Angel" from Tusk - just has that great edge and attitude!  And also her song "Rhiannon" (great live version on iTunes)     

*Chrissie Hynde

I admired the sassiness and confidence of her look, her stance and voice and the way she wore her fringe slightly too long!  Chrissie performed mostly with the band The Pretenders.

I also loved her songs - in particular "Angel of the Morning", "Brass in Pocket", "I'll Stand By You".   

Other top American female rock stars include Janis Joplin, Debbie Harry (Blondie), Pattie Smith.

There has also been several world class Scottish female rock stars - Annie Lennox, Sharleen Spitera, Lulu, KT Tunstall.

English female rock stars include Kate Bush, Alison Moyet, PJ Harvey,  

Also English pop singers I enjoyed a great deal - such as Dusty Springfield, Cilla, Marianne Faithful. 

 Strong female actors who are top role models - Sigourney Weaver (who played the first female lead character in Alien who was actually able to fight back and not stand there screaming! ), Angelina Jolie,(who normally plays strong lead roles in movies who are able to stand up for themselves plus she takes control of her own media)   
http://youtu.be/stevienicksangel
Stevie Nicks - Angel -

The Women Impressionists

Berthe Morisot

This was the first group of important women artists with a new voice and they exhibited thier work at the Impressionist shows in Paris. This was part of a new and rebellious attitude to have women in the shows apparently! 

I was surprised to learn of this group as I had never heard of any women impressionist painters. 

Berthe Moriot was often painted by Manet and other male painters and as she was very striking and beautiful perhaps they were unable to take her work as a painter serious enough?

Barthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot

Morisot’s painting was brave and new art with lightning blot brush strokes and instinctive insightful painting. She was known for beautiful crisp white painting

The joui de vivre of impressionism.

Mary Casat

Casat portrayed an emotional blankness in her paintings.

 

Mary Casat

Marie Brackamot

She made beautiful Impressionist pots.

Berthe Morisot was a painter and a member of the circle of painters in Paris who became known as the Impressionists. She was described by Gustave Geffroy in 1894 as one of "les trois grandes dames" of Impressionism alongside Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt.
In 1864, she exhibited for the first time in the highly esteemed Salon de Paris. Sponsored by the government, and judged by academicians, the Salon was the official, annual exhibition of the Académie des beaux-arts in Paris. Her work was selected for exhibition in six subsequent Salons until, in 1874, she joined the "rejected" Impressionists in the first of their own exhibitions, which included Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley. It was held at the studio of the photographer Nadar. She became the sister-in-law of her friend and colleague, Édouard Manet, when she married his brother, Eugène.

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Beverly & John Martyn

Martyn soothed the soul with his folk blues

The early 70s were a golden time for new music albums.  In 1973 singer songwriter and expert guitarist, John Martyn, released a defining British album of the 1970s Solid Air. The title song was a tribute to Nick Drake. He developed a new sound of acoustic guitar through a fuzz box, phase shifts and Echoplayer first shown on the album Stormbringer.  

Martyn’s music exhibited feelings of serenity, freedom and rapture that he craved in his life. In 1967 he recorded his experimental album London Conversation outside, which gave the record a free, unconstructed feel. .
I was going to write this blog about John, but when I started reading about him I discovered he gained much from his wife Beverly Kuter (which then led to my blog on woman and art).

I read recently about Beverly Martyn (or Bev Kutner) who had worked with Paul Simon, Nick Drake and Jimmy Page before she met John. I was surprised to hear of their song writing collaborations, her being a partnership with John and then her being left at home with the children, a home on top of a hill. A home she didn't even choose. 

Apparently John Martyn wrote his best songs with Beverly Kutner, his wife, which she gets little credit for.  Bev played piano while they wrote songs together for the album Solid Air and John would say that he would ‘credit her on the next song!’

Beverly and Martyn recorded three albums together  - Stormbringer, Road to Ruin and Bless the Weather - before John was persuaded by his record label to go solo. Beverly was then left on the house on the hill to raise their children while John toured. When John turned to drink he became abusive towards her and after one threatening scene Bev decided to leave him after ten years of marriage.

....and yet John wrote the song May You Never with Bev, all very poignant really. 

May You Never has to be one of the all time greatest songs yet when the song  was released as a single in 1971 it didn’t chart. The end of his marriage to Bev signalled the end of their classic songwriting decade.

Martyn was born Iain McGreachy and he gew up with an unsettled childhood. John spent his childhood between his grandmother in Glasgow and his mother in London. On tour Martyn was accompanied by jazz double bass player Danny Thompson for most of his music career. His blend of stand out bluesy folk and slurry style of singing gave Martyn a stand out sound on the 1960s folk circuit. Over his 40 year career John released 21 studio albums.
Times quote – ‘an electrifying guitarist and singer whose music blurred the lines between the boundaries of folk, jazz, rock and blues.’