...then I clearly pigged out at the buffet. One look at my music collection clearly indicates that my love of music is as eclectic as my love of clothes - some days full-on Goth, some days a hippy-chick or a skinny indie kid, and others an inmate of a Victorian Asylum for Wayward Girls. The reason for this post is because I just entered the 'Face The Music' contest at the British Music Experience website - I got 64/64 and won a prize, plus entry into the prize draw to win mega prizes (I'm crossing my fingers for the Vintage Goodward day - old clothes and old cars are my idea of heaven!) A lot of the artists they had cartooned for the competition were ones that I had grown up listening to and had really liked over the years; still do, in a lot of cases, for I'm as loyal to my favourite albums and artists as I am the new ones, which is why Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath sit happily alongside Nightwish and Apocalyptica on my shelf. I also have no problem mixing genres (well, a lot of dance music or rap irritates me beyond belief, but that's about it), which is why Kylie and Nirvana, Muse and Inkubus Sukkubus, Emilie Autumn and Garbage all rub along nicely together.
I have a big thing about women in music, though; I would say that at least half of my stuff is either female solo artists or female-fronted bands. And I'm not trying to make some big political feminist statement or anything here; a lot of the bands or artists that I love just happen to be women. I still freak out over male artists/bands just as much as anyone else does, and if you were to look at the men in music that I've lusted after over the years...well, let's just say we don't have the time to list them. But as I've got older and my tastes have expanded (musically I mean, not just hormonally, although that's probably improved somewhat), I still have a lot of affection for some of the stuff I grew up with...
It started with Kylie. I was five, she was still Charlene from Neighbours, and I was besotted with her. I wanted to be Kylie; she was so pretty and had such amazing hair and clothes...look, I was five, ok! Before that, all I'd really listened to was the Elvis my dad played and my mum's eclectic taste (classical music, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Duran Duran). But Kylie...she was all mine and I worshipped her. With Kylie, naturally, came Jason Donovan; it was officially love. Shortly after, I discovered (in rapid succession) Bros, New Kids on the Block, East 17, Boyzone and the Backstreet Boys...yes, I was a pop princess and proud of it! I even liked the Spice Girls...then I had a revelation when I discovered Nirvana and the old rock bands of the 70's (thanks, Mum!) At roughly the same time, the Manic Street Preachers entered my life and I entered what is known as my 'skinny indie kid' phase. That lasted pretty much all the way through college; by the time I was 18, I was a fully fledged rock and metal chick. Who still loved Kylie. What? She's bloody Kylie!! (This, by the way, is a very quick whistlestop tour of my musical history and heritage. If I listed all the bands that I loved here, half of them you won't have heard of and the other half will probably make you go "who?")
So yes...Kylie. Thanks to her, I got to know that girls could sing just as well as boys (I was 5, remember...it was an innocent time back in the 80's). And because of Kylie, I got to know the Spice Girls, who taught me girl power and encouraged my feminist leanings. On a very juvenile level, admittedly, but still...Then I discovered Alanis Morrisette, Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Bush, Shirley Manson and Courtney Love...I was officially converted to the 'girls rock' message and - although I worship my male rock gods in all their glory - it's the women who have a special place in my heart.
And so, to the women in music who have inspired me, comforted me, given expression to things I could never imagine and given voice to the things that I have; to Kylie, who started it all; to Siouxsie and Alanis; the girls in Bananarama and the Spice Girls; to Shirley and Courtney and all the other female singers and musicians that I have great respect and love for (Simone, Vibeke, Emilie, Tarja, Anette, Angela...); to all of them: thank you. And an especial thank you to the fabulous Sarah Jezebel Deva, who is not only one of the most talented and fabulous people I have ever come across, but has proved that meeting your heroes doesn't always have to mean disappointment. She is so warm and funny, and takes the time to communicate with as many of her fans as possible and that, to me, makes her even more fantastic...Cradle of Filth's loss is definitely metal's gain!
More posts in this vein to follow, I feel...gotta spread the talent!
I have a big thing about women in music, though; I would say that at least half of my stuff is either female solo artists or female-fronted bands. And I'm not trying to make some big political feminist statement or anything here; a lot of the bands or artists that I love just happen to be women. I still freak out over male artists/bands just as much as anyone else does, and if you were to look at the men in music that I've lusted after over the years...well, let's just say we don't have the time to list them. But as I've got older and my tastes have expanded (musically I mean, not just hormonally, although that's probably improved somewhat), I still have a lot of affection for some of the stuff I grew up with...
It started with Kylie. I was five, she was still Charlene from Neighbours, and I was besotted with her. I wanted to be Kylie; she was so pretty and had such amazing hair and clothes...look, I was five, ok! Before that, all I'd really listened to was the Elvis my dad played and my mum's eclectic taste (classical music, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Duran Duran). But Kylie...she was all mine and I worshipped her. With Kylie, naturally, came Jason Donovan; it was officially love. Shortly after, I discovered (in rapid succession) Bros, New Kids on the Block, East 17, Boyzone and the Backstreet Boys...yes, I was a pop princess and proud of it! I even liked the Spice Girls...then I had a revelation when I discovered Nirvana and the old rock bands of the 70's (thanks, Mum!) At roughly the same time, the Manic Street Preachers entered my life and I entered what is known as my 'skinny indie kid' phase. That lasted pretty much all the way through college; by the time I was 18, I was a fully fledged rock and metal chick. Who still loved Kylie. What? She's bloody Kylie!! (This, by the way, is a very quick whistlestop tour of my musical history and heritage. If I listed all the bands that I loved here, half of them you won't have heard of and the other half will probably make you go "who?")
So yes...Kylie. Thanks to her, I got to know that girls could sing just as well as boys (I was 5, remember...it was an innocent time back in the 80's). And because of Kylie, I got to know the Spice Girls, who taught me girl power and encouraged my feminist leanings. On a very juvenile level, admittedly, but still...Then I discovered Alanis Morrisette, Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Bush, Shirley Manson and Courtney Love...I was officially converted to the 'girls rock' message and - although I worship my male rock gods in all their glory - it's the women who have a special place in my heart.
And so, to the women in music who have inspired me, comforted me, given expression to things I could never imagine and given voice to the things that I have; to Kylie, who started it all; to Siouxsie and Alanis; the girls in Bananarama and the Spice Girls; to Shirley and Courtney and all the other female singers and musicians that I have great respect and love for (Simone, Vibeke, Emilie, Tarja, Anette, Angela...); to all of them: thank you. And an especial thank you to the fabulous Sarah Jezebel Deva, who is not only one of the most talented and fabulous people I have ever come across, but has proved that meeting your heroes doesn't always have to mean disappointment. She is so warm and funny, and takes the time to communicate with as many of her fans as possible and that, to me, makes her even more fantastic...Cradle of Filth's loss is definitely metal's gain!
More posts in this vein to follow, I feel...gotta spread the talent!
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