CLOSEOUT RGM ISSUE #04 2015 - 2016
Best Music of 2015 Article By: Courtney Mae Cochran 2015 was an incredible year for new music. It was filled with band reunions, new bands launching, unannounced album drops, supergroups and amazing singles from our long dormant favorites. Since music and nostalgia are inextricably linked, I put together a list of my favorite songs from this year while thinking about the best and worst moments of this year. I hope you take some time to think about your upsand-downs of 2015 as you blasted my list of the top 35 songs of the year. Check-out the playlist here. 1) “Lost Girls” By CocoRosie CocoRosie dominated my musical palate at the end of 2015. After a few years of silence, the sisters of CocoRosie dropped the brilliantly experimental “Heartache City” album and made me fall in love with their eccentricities all over again. 2) “Phone Down” By Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu reminded us that no matter how long she takes a break from the scene, she is still the queen. Her album “But You Caint Use My Phone” hit the airwaves at the end of 2015 and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. Badu comes back onto the scene with her signature punchy lyrics, laden with social commentary and a fierce sense of humor. 3) “En Love” By Lizzo Minneapolis’ Lizzo dropped her second fulllength album in 2015, attracting much deserved national praise. The power of this album is indescribable as is the power of the musician herself, especially when backed by her badass DJ crew, Grrrl Party. “En Love” is a song about selflove and the confidence to own your own beauty. Lizzo sings about the beauty of her own body and takes full ownership over flaunting the beauty of her curves. One of the best lines on Lizzo’s “Big Grrrl, Small World” album is found in this song and belts out the words, “Hallelujah, Thank you, Jesus! He made men so they could please us”. 4) “Yoga” By Janelle Monae
Janelle Monae fans were sad to see that we didn’t get another album this year, but we were graced with the single “Yoga”. Although “Yoga” was met with mixed reviews and confusion by many fans that believe Monae strayed from her expected SciFi themes, I can’t help but include this song. As “Yoga” was her only new song of 2015, I included this song because of the immense amount of time I spent listening to all of her music this year. 5) “Waitress” By Hop Along Hop Along is easily one of my favorite bands that I discovered in 2015. The tension of the vocals pairs perfectly with the depth and complexity of the lyrics and themes of the “Painted Shut” album. 6) “Mama Says” By Ibeyi These twin sisters have captured everything I have ever wanted in a band. Their sound is heavily, yet delicately layered with piercingly blunt and artful lyrics. These twin sisters are French-Cuban and sing not only in English, but in the Nigerian dialect Yoruba. In Yoruba, Ibeyi
means “twins”. If you were to check-out one new band of 2015, Ibeyi’s debut self-titled album should be it. 7) “Partners in Crime Part Three” By The Internet Los Angeles soul music that I discovered on a trip to California in 2015. I exchanged musical recommendations with a stranger at LAX in October and left California believing that I was fated to fall in love with The Internet. Cheers to strangers with good music taste. 8) “Planet for Sale” THEESatisfaction I almost wish that I had had some traumatic breakup in 2015, because the breakup jams were on point this last year. THEESatisfaction had both an incredible and painful year. THEESatisfaction opened for the Sleater-Kinney Reunion tour across the country and saw their following of fans grow. They also put out an album, which is both incredible and painful. “EarthEE” is the second album by THEESatisfaction and possibly the last. The ladies of THEESatisfaction are a queer hip-hop
duo that recently went through a breakup after years of being partners in music and love. “EarthEE” is an astoundingly beautiful and powerful breakup album about this experience. 9) “BuzzKill(er)” By The Dead Weather The Dead Weather brought another powerful, raw and addicting album in 2015 with “Dodge and Burn”. The perfect symmetry of Jack White and Alison Mosshart (of The Kills) will never stop being the perfect blend of my younger music tastes and my current music taste. 10) “Bros” By Wolf Alice Just a damn good pop song. One of my favorites of the year, easily. 11) “Magnifying Glass” By Girlpool The shrill angst of Girlpool has captured the hearts, affection and attention of women all over the country in the last year. These two best friend, teen rockers belt out emotions and honesty that many women have suppressed and left unspoken for much of their lives. Having seen them live twice in 2015, I must say that their
stage presence is unimaginably emotional and vindicating as a young woman. 12) “Six Men Getting Sick Six Times” By Radiator Hospital I stumbled into Radiator Hospital when Girlpool covered their song “Cut Your Bangs”. Radiator Hospital quickly became one of my top musical obsessions of 2015 with their perfectly whiny vocals and garage band punk riffs. Check-out their 2015 EP “Martha” and try not to get hooked. Don’t worry, they have two older albums you can binge listen to after you are hooked. 13) “I Live My Broken Dreams” By Gramma’s Boyfriend Gramma’s Boyfriend is the bizarre, femme pop project of Duluth, Minnesota’s (where I live) own Haley Bonar. With an album drop this year, Gramma’s Boyfriend gave locals plenty of opportunities to see their borderline psychotic punk-pop music blend live. If you ever get the chance to see this group live, be ready to be captivated and carried away by the theatrical drama that possess Haley Bonar on stage. For
anyone who is a fan of Haley’s solo music, Gramma’s Boyfriend is essentially Bonar’s rock star alter ego that bring on thoughts of David Bowie and Nico all at once. 14) “In the Age of the Pixel Phone” By Alpha Consumer. This Minneapolis band was praised by Minnesota media for finally breaking out of their garage. Chris Riemenschneider of The Star Tribune wrote that “Alpha Consumer managed to become a real band” in 2015. The three men in Alpha Consumer even took such risks in 2015 as performing an entire Aretha Franklin set for the annual Girl Germs event at Minneapolis’ Turf club. Although Alpha Consumer only released a few singles this year, they remain in my top 30 of 2015 for their ability to blend humor, oddity and rock into some addictive jams. 15) “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)” By Father John Misty It took me a minute to get behind the wave of popularity that Father John Misty (formerly of Fleet Foxes and Har Mar Superstar) received this year. But then I heard it—the single most
romantic lyric ever written (well putting all Neil Young and Tom Waits songs aside that is). “You left a note in your perfect script, ‘Stay as long as you like’, and I haven’t left your bed since”. From that moment, I was sold on his ambient and tranquilizing sound. 16) “Opposite Ways” By The Do The Do is a French house/pop band that has the perfect sound for any road trip. The Do will always remind me of driving through the desert in California with one of my best friends in the world…Talk about nostalgia. 17) “Eating Makeup” By Seth Bogart Featuring Kathleen Hanna Two of my favorite musicians came together to create this gem of musical weirdness. Seth Bogart has seen relatively fame in his career with Hunx and his Punx, despite the brilliant queercore sound he has mastered. After a short hiatus from music to focus on running his salon in LA, Seth Bogart partnered with Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna to release his first solo single, “Eating
Makeup” in 2015. Watching the music video is a must to get the full impact of this song. 18) “Love Yourself” By Justin Bieber I don’t even care…Justin Bieber’s breakup jams were killing it in 2015. 19) “Worship Me” By Laura Marling Laura Marling’s voice will always be one of my favorite folk sounds ever. Her Album “Short Movie” was easily one of the most underpraised and beautifully composed albums of 2015. 20) “Lies” By Low Another Duluth, Minnesota band, Low has been shaping our local music scene for decades. Alan Sparhawk and his wife Mim are staples of the Duluth music sound and continue to create songs that layer and build as if they were a soundtrack to a dream. If you have never listened to Low, their musical evolution and discography are easily worth a few days of your time in 2016. 21) “Dream Lover” By Destroyer Destroyer has so many elements of my favorite musical genres. I can never get enough of his music.
22) “Gimme Love” By Sleater-Kinney Wait, Sleater-Kinney had a reunion tour and dropped a new album—“No Cities to Love—in 2015. It’s still surreal to me that after years of regretting being born too late in musical history to see them grace the stage that I got to spend Valentine’s Day of 2015 rekindling my teenage crush on Carrie Brownstein. 23) “I’ll Be True” By La Luz My favorite psychedelic surfer rockers. La Luz was the soundtrack of the Summer of 2015 for me. I found them because of my love for the music of Tacocat, but quickly found myself much more addicted to their music. 24) “I Mean Something” By Peaches WHAT? Peaches made a new album in 2015!!! Drop everything and listen to this now. If you aren’t familiar with the song that launched them on the map musically, be warned…Peaches is NSFW. 25) “Stranger Than Earth” By Purity Ring
Oh, how these Canadians make me want to dance. Purity Ring’s album “Another Eternity” is the perfect dose of needed pep for any day. 26) “Nobody Dies” by Thao & The Get Down Stay Down Thao Nyguen has created a new sound to alternative rock through her many musical projects, In 2015, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down put out the single “Nobody Dies” that delivers a unique and engaging sound. Thao Nyguen is at the top of my artists to watch in 2016 list right now. 27) “Atom Dance” By Bjork I have long loved Bjork from the Sugarcubes to her solo career, but this latest album—Vulnicura —is easily the best piece of art she has ever produced. If you have never watched the “Biophilia” documentary series on Bjork, I would highly recommend it as the best way to ring in the new year. 50 years old and making art for decades, Bjork is still the Queen of experimental alternative music. 28) “I’m Your Doll” by FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs graced us with a brilliant EP this year that in true form allows you to get entirely lost in her transcendent sound technique. 29) “On the Regular” By Shamir Shamir’s debut album is worth playing on repeat and dancing to for as long as you can. 30) “Good Goodbye” By Lianne La Havas This song, this album, these lyrics are powerful, honest, and heartbreaking. Lianne La Havas was my girl when I needed a cry in 2015. Another brilliant set of break-up songs are imbedded within Lianne La Havas’ album “Blood”. 31) “Ozma” By Shannon and the Clams Another one of my favorite queercore bands, Shannon and the Clams put out a new album this year. This Album blends doo-wop sounds with elements of 1980’s style punk and raw girl band angst. 32) “I’d Be Waiting” By Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats killed in charts with his song “S.O.B” this year. And while “S.O.B” is beyond catchy, the entirety of their
self-titled album released in 2015 is a must listen. The sound is bluesy, without too much grit and somehow fulfills the parts of my musical needs that Tom Waits, The Black Keys and Leadbelly would if they ever collaborated. 33) “Fourth of July” By Sufjan Stevens Who hasn’t had a love affair with the music of Sufjan Stevens? He graced his long patient fans with another breathtakingly composed album —“Carrie & Lowell”—in 2015. This is the album to help you through all the memories of trauma and grief as you think about the last year. 34) “2012” By Adult Mom With their new album—“Momentary Lapse of Happily”—Adult Mom perfected their previous raw and almost immature style into one that is poignantly emotional with simple, yet unsettling relatable lyrics. 35) “Heart Eyes” By Peach Kelli Pop Peach Kelli Pop is as her name indicates pop music, but the kind that makes you feel like you are stuck in an Andy Warhol film. Her third selftitled album was released in 2015 with songs
about deep content like her favorite shampoo and simple content like love. A must listen.
Photo source: Rob Glover, rootsrated.com
Breaking News: Women Like Beer Too
Article By: Alli DeJaegher Miller Lite demands “Be a Man.” “The Most Interesting Man in the World” always and only drinks Dos Equis. A recent Coors Light commercial shows action star Jean Claude Van Damme scouring a treacherous, blizzardy mountain while drinking Coors Light. It’s no secret that the beer industry targets men. For decades, beer ads have focused primarily on men, promising increased masculinity and higher testosterone levels. When a woman does make an appearance in a beer advertisement, she’s usually sexually objectified or cast as a subordinate to the male beer drinker.
Finally, though, things may be changing; the beer industry- primarily craft beer - is targeting women as a consumer base. Server for Charlotte sports bar Hickory Tavern, Sydney Krewson says, “I usually see men ordering more beer than women. Also, when women order beer it's mostly ciders, wheats, and pilsners. Men who like beer enjoy crafts like IPAs, porters, ambers, and stouts.” Even when there are female beer drinkers, they’re still less likely to drink craft beer. Yet, hundreds of craft breweries across the United States have begun hosting yoga events. Only one-third of beer drinkers are women, but increasingly more breweries are hosting events that merge beer tasting with yoga. This is interesting because beer typically targets men, and yoga has a largely female community. Manager of Triple C Brewing, Lee Boxer also decided to bring yoga to his brewery. When it comes to merging yoga and beer to attract more women, Boxer says, “It’s a great opportunity to bring in different clientele.” Boxer explains, “It’s
a good fit, we also do our run club. We want to be dedicated to exercise and involve the community,” adding later, “we want all people to feel welcome.” Lenny Boy Brewing Company in Charlotte has already gained popularity with women because of their organic, more wholesome brew selection. The brewery now hosts a weekly yoga session that fits their health conscious beer list. At Lenny Boy, five dollars gets you an hour of yoga and a beer or soda of your choice. Lenny Boy yoga is sure to attract even more women who enjoy beer, but want to balance out the calories with fitness. Krewson often attends Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s free Yoga on Tap event. According to Krewson, “Women generally look for low alcohol content, easy to drink beers. But, the place (OMB) was absolutely packed with women.” It seems the yoga and craft beer combination has been successful in bringing women to the beer industry, even though craft beers have always been more popular with men.
The blend of beer and yoga is appealing for many reasons. Many women avoid beer because of the calories, but a beer and yoga event is the perfect excuse for women to get out and drink beer because you just worked out. Plus, it’s a great way for women to get in their yoga time but still enjoy happy hour and socialize with friends and yogi classmates. Also, many women may be going just for the cheap or, in many cases, free yoga. They then have the opportunity to sample beer, a drink they may have never even tried before because, frankly, the beer ad world has never targeted them. While men have traditionally dominated the beer world, the growing beer and yoga trend undoubtedly wants women to drink beer. With beer and yoga sessions, the hypermasculine beer industry is finally making an effort to appeal to women.
photo credit: Andy Miller
Bands, Beers and Bystanders: A Festival Striving for Safe Party Space Article By: Courtney Mae Cochran Every year the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin welcome in May with the Homegrown Music Festival, which focuses on highlighting local musicians and music venues. The 17th Annual Homegrown Music Festival took place from April 26th to May 3rd and featured 200 local bands, 43 local venues, more than 200
volunteers and around 7,000 festival goers. Many locals know Homegrown as eight consecutive days of partying and the tone of the festival is often light-hearted from the annual kickball tournament between bands to a comical chicken mascot. Yet, The Homegrown Music Festival takes its commitment to growing the community of music in a way that is safe for everyone seriously. This year the Homegrown Steering Committee took that commitment to another level by partnering with local non-profit, Men as Peacemakers (MAP), to train their volunteers in sexual assault bystander intervention. The bystander intervention model implemented at Homegrown in partnership with MAP is known as the BEST Party Model, which stands for Be Equal, Safe and Trustworthy. The BEST model is based on the work of Men as Peacemakers whose mission is: To engage individuals and communities in innovative strategies that promote equality, repair harm, and prevent violence against women and children.The program began with MAP’s
executive director—Ed Heisler—who continues to work on this program with the support of staff Sean Elmquist, Michelle Ruszat and two student employees at the College of Saint Scholastica. The BEST party model is rooted in creating safe party spaces by addressing behavioral and environmental factors that can compromise consent. The work of BEST is rooted in shaping the culture of parties and bars and the empowerment of men and women alike for bystander intervention. According to BEST coordinator Michelle Ruszat, the Golden Rule of bystander intervention is “If you see something, do something”. BEST strives to equip others with the tools to assess, identify and intervene in situations that compromise consent (most often of women). Ruszat shared that she had the vision of implementing the BEST Model in Homegrown when making a sandwich. Ruszat brought the idea back to others at MAP and excitement began to grow for taking over Duluth-Superior’s biggest party. Ruszat then approached, Walter Raschick,
the director of the Homegrown Music Festival, about implementing BEST within the festival. Raschick already had a connection to the BEST model from DJ’ing some of MAP’s bar take-over nights and was excited at the idea of partnering on bystander intervention trainings. Raschick brought the idea to the Homegrown Music Festival Steering Committee and the connection seemed obvious. Both Ruszat and Raschick highlighted that the implementation of this training was rooted in the reality that sexual assault happens—especially in crowds where alcohol is often an influence. The BEST model steps-in and says that, yes, sexual assault happens, but often can be prevented through bystander intervention. Men as Peacemakers developed a two-fold training for Homegrown volunteers. Ruszat trained nearly 100 volunteers as well as the Homegrown Steering Committee in person. Ruszat and co-worker Sean Elmquist worked to design an interactive online training that was accessible to all Homegrown volunteers and
Steering Committee members that was completed by over 100 of the 200 volunteers. Ruszat and Elmquist hope to continue to make bystander intervention accessible by developing an interactive bystander intervention app that can help guide individuals through bystander intervention scenarios on their phones. Ruszat stated that as far anyone at MAP could find in their research, Homegrown is the first music festival that has proactively trained volunteers in addressing and potentially avoiding sexual assault in crowds. Although other festivals have trained volunteers in response to occurrences of assault to avoid future incidents of assault and minimize bad press, the preventative framework used by Homegrown seems to be a rarity. In talking with Raschick, it became clear that getting good press about these trainings never occurred to the Homegrown Steering Committee. The implementation of BEST was rooted in a proactive attempt to minimize harm to members of the community and to make music safe and accessible to all.
Training volunteers in how to prevent sexual assault through bystander intervention seems to have found a natural fit within Homegrown, which at its core is a festival about supporting and celebrating the Duluth-Superior Community. Raschick shared that Homegrown volunteers are also provided with local resources in case a sexual assault occurs and is reported at the festival. Raschick stated that the Homegrown Steering Committee is committed to empowering volunteers to intervene in potentially dangerous or coercive interactions at local shows. This sentiment was reflected by Ruszat and many other female-identified festival goers (myself included) in stating that the festival felt different this year. Female-identified festival goers shared that they saw bystander intervention in action and/or had another intervene in situations that compromised their consent, which ultimately increased the comfort level and safety of the festival. The unexpected factor was that the bystander intervention by volunteers, created an
environment that empowered others in crowds to intervene in potentially dangerous situations. The culture of consent caught like wildfire at Homegrown Music Festival. Yet, it's undeniable that there is work left to be done in creating safe bar, party and festival space, which both Raschick and Ruszat echoed. Raschick stated that he hopes to build off of this bystander intervention training in the future— not only through the platform of Homegrown, but throughout the local music scene. He hopes that the BEST model can be brought to bands and introduced to crowds, which will help to shape the overall culture of crowds in the DuluthSuperior music scene. Ruszat stated that BEST still hopes to work to shape local bar cultures as volunteers cannot control the lighting or the potential derogatory posters or drink names. She hopes to continue bar take-overs and begin to work with local venues to shape their culture and orient their staff towards consent and bystander intervention. It's clear that the momentum is just beginning and that Men as Peacemakers and the
Homegrown Music Festival are committed to shaping and growing safe space within crowds. Another phenomenon noticed by festival goers is that women are often the ones at the center of the Homegrown Music Festival with the best performance slots and venues, delivering sets that are talked about for months afterwards. Out of the 300 bands in the festival more than 30 percent of the acts have at least one female musician many of whom are shaking up the local music scene. So who are some of the women that delivered the most memorable sets of the 2015 Homegrown Music Festival? The artists featured from Homegrown 2015 include: Rachel Phoenix, Brynn Sias, Ariane Norrgard and Jerree Small. These four women perform very different styles of music and captivate audiences in a multitude of ways, yet one thing that's clear is that they all have a passion for the Duluth-Superior music scene, which makes them the perfect women to highlight from the 2015 Homegrown Music
Festival. Check out their profiles below to learn more about who they are, what they play, who and what inspires them and even what their favorite jams are right now.
photo credit: Kip Praslowicz
Brynn Sias Watching Brynn Sias take the stage is a reminder of what the bass guitar was created for—to buildup and launch the sound of rock. Every time I see Sias play, I cannot help but think, this is what Iggy Pop wrote “Raw Power” about. Sias’ band The Farsights opened up the Homegrown Music Festival this year with a set that ranged from backing-up Duluth’s Mayor Don Ness on goofy ballads about potholes to heavy riffs that set the festival into motion.
Bands in Homegrown 2015: The Farsights & Man on the Moon How many times have you played Homegrown: 5 times since 2011. All bands/musical collaborations you have been a part of: The Farsights, Man on the Moon, Bradical Boombox, Staccato in Blue Musical inspirations: As a bass player, I look to people like Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth, Kim Deal from the Pixies, Esperanza Spalding, and Kathy Foster from the Thermals. I also love and admire Jenny Lewis, Ida Maria, Meredith Graves and most recently I have been in awe of Frances Quinlan's work with the band Hop Along.
Favorite jams right now: “Waitress” by Hop Along “Ripe” by Screaming Females “Driver” by Perfect Pussy What motivates you to make music?: Very simply, I write and play music because it is where I have had the some of the most fun and rewarding experiences of my life. I have built my closest relationships through music, I have been able to express feelings and experiences in ways that allow me to understand them better, and it makes the time I spend alone productive and joyful. You get everything out of music that you put into it and it lasts a lifetime. What are the best and worst parts of being a female musician?: The worst part is being seen as a gimmick. Like a band has a woman or women in it and that
becomes a fixation. At the same time, you then get to blast a song into those people's faces explaining exactly why that's fucked up and then laugh while they bob their head to the song. The lack of women sound engineers is a drag too, I would love to see more and have the community make space for that to happen. The best part is the community. More and more women can find amazing musical role models who have experiences to share. In Duluth, we have women who are such powerful and talented musicians. It's radical to break norms and get on stage and be unapologetic. Words of wisdom for other femaleidentified musicians?: Be unapologetic. Be radical. Surround yourself with diversity on your musical journey. And let me know when your shows are so I can come listen.
What is your favorite moment from a show?: This last Homegrown show with The Farsights was one of my favorite shows I have ever done. I fronted the last song [of the festival’s opening set] and got to rip a guitar solo. That song was the product of years of confidence building and support from my bandmates, Ryan and Phil. That same day, I was looking for a reason to cut it from the set because I was so nervous. I played it a few times and I couldn't find that reason. Ultimately, I just committed to it totally and had fun. I thought about myself as the super shy little kid I once was and I got to tell that kid that 'we kicked ass'. It was a big emotional and artistic hurdle that I got to leap over. Why is it important for women to be leaders in the music scene? Music is a form of storytelling to me and we constantly see that dominant narratives lack diversity in many ways. Having women as leaders
in the music scene allows our stories to be heard and it plays a role in creating inclusive narratives.
photo credit: Kip Praslowicz
Rachel Phoenix Rachel Phoenix’s dynamic musical talent is demonstrated in her various musical projects as she belts out powerful punks influenced songs with The Social Disaster and then takes the stage with the soulful folk music of Black Diary. One thing is clear throughout Phoenix’s music, her endless passion drives her work—from her commitment to using her power as a musician to create safe crowd space for women to her efforts of inclusion for up-and-coming female musicians. It's clear that Phoenix sees her role as
a musician as more than an artist, but a member of a movement. Bands in Homegrown: The Social Disaster, Black Diary How many times have you played Homegrown: This was my second Homegrown as a performer! Please list all bands/musical collaborations you have been a part of: I was in my first band when I was in 7th/8th grade with my friend Molly called Daily Special! We were a two piece and I played drums. I sang in a more jazz-styled band called Staccato in Blue throughout high school and part of college. I’ve also worked on collaborative projects with Zach Baquet, Ova Yonder Brass Band and Phil Jents (of the Farsights) at varying times in addition to my two current music projects.
Musical inspirations: BAD B’s and pizza. The intersection of the arts and communities to build political platforms and incite social change, Amy Winehouse, Billie Holiday, grrrls, my many homes, the ‘White Blood Cells’ album by the White Stripes, The National, queer theory, Alison Mosshart, Blondie, my brother for playing drums with me in unfinished basement at my old rental when I didn’t have anyone else to play with, unapologetic voices and everyday radicalism. Favorite jams right now: I love the new Screaming Females album. Why do you make music?: The simple answer is it’s a whole lot of fun. I’ve met some amazingly talented people and have had some crazy experiences because of making and performing music. Less simply, it’s a translation of my experiences and expression. I
feel like there is something missing when I don’t have a musical presence in my life, whether it is something that will be shared publically or remain private. I appreciate all the variables there are in creating music; balancing sound, collaboration, words or no words, feeling, intention versus perception and performance. Music combines so many different facets to create a whole experience. Whether it is attending a show or listening to a song or album at a certain point in your life, it can be life changing at times. I love the artistic process and the co-collaboration. Especially now with technology, it’s so much easier to be somewhere without really being present and I love the way shows can silence some of that outside noise for a bit and really bring people together to be present. What motivates you to make music?: I think relationships and community are a really important part of making and performing music‌On stage I feel such a range of emotions,
from overtly abrasive to completely vulnerable at the same time--I hope I create spaces where other people can engage with the music and performance in an authentic way without fear of judgment, harassment or being inhibited in any way. I love the interplay between performers/musicians and audience members or attendees; whether it is savoring a moment of silence during a quieter show or closing your eyes and singing at the top of your lungs, I love the exchanges of energy and chemistry. I think performance is collective, which is why I love attending shows about as much as I love playing. I love bands that make me want to leave a show and go write more. What are the best and worst parts of being a female musician?: Best part: getting to be a female musician! I love the camaraderie between women in bands. It’s really awesome to see the way music communities pay respect to the legacy of other women that have worked hard to help other
women infiltrate and develop a strong presence in all areas of music. My music projects are all very different stylistically, and I find them fulfilling for very different reasons. So I like exploring different types of stage presences and performances and thinking about what that looks like for women. I think it’s important to dismantle the belief that women can only do one type of thing musically or that if you play a certain type of music that your credibility is tied to maintaining some sort of ideal or image. Worst part, is some of the weird advances you get from dudes when you’re trying to book shows or network with other bands. Also, even though I am a feminist –identified artist I still want people to think critically about my work and examine the ways it plays with, engages with and agitates pop culture, dominate culture and aspects fringe cultures. I hate the assumption that work created by a feminist-identified artist is innately a certain type of way or is stagnant rather than being a dynamic work and can only have one purpose.
Feminist art is credible, dynamic, diverse art, it should not be sequestered or discredited. Words of wisdom for other female musicians?: Don’t be afraid to take up space and where there’s not space, create it. If there’s a place you want to play, people you want to play with, or band you want on a bill just reach out and start building those connections and don’t be intimidated. Realize what criticisms to take to heart and which ones to let go of. Be true to your vision of your project. Work with people that support you in being at your best. What is your favorite moment from a show?: The opportunities I’ve gotten share bills or a stage with some bands and musicians that I really respect and admire are my favorite memories. During Homegrown this past year, we had a big pillow fight during one of our shows at a gay bar
called the Main Club. The moment to me was perfect in every way.
photo credit: Andy Miller
Ariane Norrgard Native Duluthian Ariane Norrgard grew up playing music in the local scene and has been a staple of Homegrown since she was a teenager. In talking with Norrgard, she emphasized that she loves the work of crafting an album and pouring over her music in the studio, which is clear in the complexity and depth of all of her musical projects. She hopes to release a full length solo album in the Fall.
Bands in Homegrown : Ariane Norrgard with accompaniment of Emma Deaner on Drums and Rachel Gobin on cello. How many times you have played Homegrown?: I started [playing Homegrown] as a teenager and now I am 25 - so 6 to 8 [times]. Musical bands I have been a part of : Snobarn & recent solo music recordings. Musical Inspirations: Bill Callahan, Spiritualized, Bjork, Cat Power, Mark Kozelek, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mahalia Jackson. Favorite Jams right now:
D'Angelo’s Black Messiah, The Vanguard, “Baltimore� by Nina Simone. What motivates you to make music?: I have always made music as a cathartic exercise of self-expression, and shared music because it is a universal language that helps us connect and process with each other and with the world around us. Music heals us and helps us find the truth. I often combine social activism with my art to empower local peoples and causes. What are the best/ worst parts of being a female musician?: The question provides the answer. The worst part of being a female musician is that females get put in a category right away for being not just a musician, but a "female musician." So many times I have heard the line, "you play piano, guitar, and sing so skillfully - for a girl." The other very disrespectful line I have heard too many times is, "who did you sleep with to get that
gig?" The worst part of being on stage as a female is that people may look at you more than they may truly try to listen to you‌The best part of being a female musician is having an opportunity that we all should be afforded; the opportunity to create within outlets that acknowledged our voice. Music is a language that offers us the chance artistically express forms of free speech. Words of wisdom to other femaleidentified musicians: Always schlep your own gear. Love your art, regardless of any crowds’ response. Try hard to avoid horizontal hostility and support your fellow musicians. Favorite moment from a show: I am always filled with joy when I can empower lady friends to get on stage for the first time. This year one of my dear friends, Emma Deaner, started drumming with me. Watching her progression as an artist, individual, and as a close
friend has revived my belief in the power of music as a language and live performance as an outlet. Why is it important for women to be leaders in the music scene?: Because we have talent, we have ideas, we are capable, and we are strong. I could say something about disparities, regarding the man/woman ratio in music scenes, but we all know those stats. The point is to stop putting the few courageous women who get out there on a pedestal, stop looking AT them, and start realizing that women in the music scene is our new norm. Get used to it, we are here to stay, more amazing people are on the way, and our voices are ready to be heard. Jerree Small Jerree Small brings new meaning to the word folk in a city that is littered with stock sound Old Crow Medicine Show covers. Small sings with sharp emotions and piercing vocals—bringing a
certain tension to her music that keeps audiences entranced and wanting more of her musical brilliance. Bands in Homegrown: Southwire & Coyote. How many times have you played Homegrown: 15 years (roughly), usually in 1-3 projects per year. Please list all bands/musical collaborations you have been a part of: Solo singer-songwriter, Southwire, Coyote, Witchfarm, and I've sat in with a handful of other bands over the years as well. Musical inspirations: Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Aretha Franklin, Emmylou Harris, Madeleine Peyroux, Gillian Welch, Tracy Chapman, Carol King, Cyndi
Lauper, Low, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Greg Brown, John Prine, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell. Favorite jams right now: "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone What motivates you to make music?: Mostly, I just can't help it. It has always been something that moved me, and rang in me, and something that I felt compelled to create and share with other people. There have also been times when it's felt like a language I could lean on to connect with people or situations that might have been difficult for me to reach out to otherwise. Internally, it's always been personally therapeutic as a way to process ideas and create something—hopefully something beautiful. What are the best and worst parts of being a female musician?:
I am now 38, and have been actively writing and performing music professionally for nearly 20 years. Seeing that it is still often treated as a novelty for women to be prominent performers and composers, particularly in the role of fronting bands, is pretty disturbing. But the fact is, women are still a noticeably smaller group than males in the musical landscape. So that does make it a unique voice that stands out, and I think listeners are hungry to hear more from female musicians. Because it is rarer, perhaps there can be a built-in curiosity or respect for defying stereotypical gender norms, but also some negative assumptions that go with it. Above all, I'd like the quality and content of my musicianship to be the lasting aspect of what I do, more than the rarity of my gender in that setting. But, until it ceases to be rare, I think it will live somewhere in that duel space. Words of wisdom for other female musicians?:
Begin. Participate. If you're just starting, work up a song and find an open mic. Find other musicians you love and resonate with for feedback or collaboration. What is your favorite moment from a show?: I've had the pleasure of performing with many talented musicians that I love and respect. Generally, I love when a song is strong enough and elastic enough that we can maneuver as a band through surprises and improvisations on stage. There are live moments that feel like the thrill of tightrope walking, but also completely secure. I love that. Check out some of the favorite jams the ladies of Homegrown here. Photographs graciously provided by Duluth photographers Kip Praslowicz & Andy Miller.
Poem by Oliver Ayers To the guests at my future wedding: You are not required to dress up. I’m going to dress up, though. Mom, you have to dress up. I don’t care how you dress up, or if you wear an actual dress or a tux or a designer toga or even a fucking wedding dress, but I want to see you dress up because you never do and you look beautiful when you do, in a different way than you usually do, and also I like annoying you in (mostly) harmless ways. No tie-dye shirts. Fancier than a blouse and slacks. The rest of you can do what you want, though. Try to be stylish, but you know, mostly just be you, and be there. You may not throw rice at us as we leave. Birds who eat dry rice get sick or die
because rice expands in their stomachs, and then their little stomachs explode. It’s very sad. No rice. Birdseed is acceptable. Also toast. Also homemade confetti. Basically if you’re going to litter, it better be ecofriendly or at least you put your own actual effort into it. We’re definitely going to kiss in front of all of you. Don’t worry, it won’t be pornographic or anything; you won’t have to hide your children’s eyes, or your own eyes, for that matter. There’s probably not going to be an officiator. No one gets to decide we’re married but us. So, we’ll be married in the eyes of God, and hopefully in the eyes of you, but the Catholic church and the government probably won’t count it. We don’t need their permission to be married, though.
We also don’t think any of you need their permission, for what it’s worth. We might do something sappy like light a candle or something. There might be a bouquet. Or more than one bouquet? I don’t know but whatever it is, you don’t get to make fun of it until after the honeymoon. I don’t know if there’s going to be a cake. I got stuck cutting a cake for like thirty minutes at my Dad’s wedding when I was 12, all because I was really excited about the chocolate cake and got there first. And then apparently everyone thought I was the official cake cutter and I didn’t get to eat my own slice until half an hour later, when someone kindly took over for me. So probably cupcakes or something. Also some of you might be vegan, and I know my Gramma can’t have gluten, so cupcakes are
easier for different dietary requirements. They will be labeled. Don’t eat the vegan or gluten free ones first if you’re not vegan and you can have gluten. Even if they look really tasty. Don’t be like that. There will be a sign to remind you: “Vegans get dibs on these” or something. Some of you might subscribe to the school of thought that regards marriage as an inherently patriarchal and problematic institution. I have two things to say to you: One, this marriage is not about inheritance or property rights, it’s about love and partnership, so fuck off. Two, stay away from my Gramma. She’s a sweet lady and she’s already going to be outside her comfort zone with my queer little heathen wedding.
Some of you might object to our marriage on religious grounds. I don’t actually care about your opinions either. Just don’t talk about it at our wedding. Also, maybe stay away from our queer heathen buddies, for your sanity. Please don’t actively try to convert anyone, and be respectful. Other than that, go wild. Everyone: Try to avoid obnoxious drunkenness. Don’t get into it with your ex. Don’t hook up with someone who’s in a closed relationship. (Unless you’re part of that relationship.) No controlled substances. Including Mary Jane. Sorry. You can have some after you leave. Don’t get handsy with your partner(s) in front of the kids. Actually, just save that for when you get home. And no grinding on the dance floor. My Gramma
is here! If you feel you have to talk politics or religion with people who have wildly divergent views, okay, it’s your life, but no fistfights. No yelling, no insults, no ad hominem attacks. Don’t give anyone the finger, don’t cuss people out. Go sulk in a corner if you’re unhappy. Don’t follow anyone who’s going to sulk in a corner to keep haranguing them. That’s mean. Be respectful. Be kind.
Poem by Oliver Ayers do you want roses? do you want roses, sweet honey? I can get you roses; $10/dz round the corner from here. but a rose'll fade, 'll dry up and wither away‌ instead, how about a nice, durable, practical, love-poem?
Four Poems by Meggie Royer Grapefruit Cobbler I know many ghosts who would smoke my good cigarettes down to the bone through drywall lungs, holes wide as palms, dark as charcoal. I know ghosts who would spoon grapefruits straight out of their rinds, devour their pulped sections with sticky tongues. I know only one ghost who would lift a violin high on his arms and play til the strings sank deep into the left hemisphere of my brain, then take me to bed and tune my heartbeat to his own but there is a reason this cannot be done, not because all ghosts are dead & shipwrecks, but because the restraining order wouldn’t let him take even a step near me.
Woman in Bed You kissed her, she kissed you, you can’t remember which came firstuntil she wore down the floorboards of your belly and found the cellar door trapped beneath them, and the collection of baby teeth, the bird skulls arranged by bone size, the mason jar filled with moss. Everything is fine. Everything is still here, and everything is accounted for, you are both women, and she knows how to handle all the things inside you that hid themselves for years. Not unlike grief for the unborn. How she took your body differently than all the men- not a splinter, not a chaser for gin, but something that was just skin, and skin, and skin.
Internet Famous An internet search reveals all I’m famous for are sad drinking poems, my name first on the list. This is better than being known as the slut, or the one who carries bullet casings on a string of twine around her left ankle, or even the one whose own body betrayed her. Maybe someday when I’m peeling avocados out of their soft shells, or pretending to feel safe, someone will recognize me from the photo on Google and ask for the autograph of the woman who only knows how to write poems about one thing.
The Nurse Tells Me Not To Ruin Myself For A Boy An entire bottle of NyQuil for dinner, then a few shots of vanilla extract when there’s nothing left in the
liquor stores and all the beer cans tremble empty like wind chimes in the alley, twenty years old and an addict, sitting in detox with men three times my age. A normal liver looks like an uncooked steak, something you’d throw to the dog; a liver with cirrhosis looks like a steak with mold. How to explain why I do this? Something like grief. A former English professor spots me in the parking lot and says my cells still look as beautiful as ever, unaware I am dying from the inside out.
Poem by Rita Banerjee Pygmalion & the Slippers I. Dusty books, gramophones, wooden panes, for every umlaut, there was rain, and shadows crossing ceilings. For every moving shade, there was a jewel, a bunt cake, tea with honey, rubies, too, found them dead in a village near the Ganges, in some bastard king’s chest. Just six beads for all of Manhattan, just six vowels in the bidder’s language but how many aspirations for plain? Diphthong, dental, dental— the orthography of the primitives
has shown that six vowels in combination with six men will lead to a triptych. French: ménage à trois Father, son, and— popular imagination says that we the people of kingdom come phylum chordata class none order lost genius some are not people but the feminine noun in German has few declensions Rotkäppchen, siehst du die schönen großen Blumen? How to say “ahh” without falling? Rotkäppchen— Red, her face in rain, what falls against the window pane. In Spain, there are tildas, conquistadores, and Don Quixote still
chasing windmills and his girl-princess. Princess, stick a ruler on your tongue, and bite, remove when numbed, let English speak, let the English II. Why does light outside a dark window always want to dance patterns as if to say as if to say her body is written by your clever her mind forgotten by proper As per the fall? Noun declensions, diminutives, original sin? She’s no siren,
her sin not original but stick a ruler on her tongue, let the ships crash, swallow-song, English straight shoe lace, strung her words tight like riding boots. Odysseus, why are you? Riding books, funny her words but she came back, so why fear? Goddess immaculate, Virgin Mary, too, her single form in clay, her smile not unbecoming, so why do you bid her to speak, to fetch a pair of shoes?
Poem by Rita Banerjee Currency In Black Rock City, desert law proclaims: liberation’s a bear dance, no cash, no transactions. Fire embracing fire obliterates we chant, leaves no trace— a man without desert has no home. Around us they gather, counting ducks, hens, any feather will do. They build a phoenix to live on ashes, but when we rise, we rise all fur and teeth. In Nevada, the stars throw down their silver bounty to the bear dancing on one leg, and when the sky comes down to devour us, it rains in quarters.
God Help the Girl Review Review by: Courtney Mae Cochran God Help the Girl was first conceived in the imagination of Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch in 2004. The project started with Murdoch’s desire to tell the stories of young women through song. He was committed to these songs being performed by female musicians, which is far from the classic Belle & Sebastian sound. The first songs from the God Help the Girl began to come out in 2009 and the project took on an entirely different life. The filming of the pop musical God Help the Girl started in 2012 with first screenings in January, 2014—when it won a Sundance Film Festival award. The film was written and directed by Murdoch and produced by the same folks who helped Wes Anderson bring us The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore. Emily Browning plays Eve, a twenty-something, who—at the beginning of the film—is in a mental
health facility for treatment of an eating disorder. Her character is guarded, honest, realistic and relatable to a visceral extent. Eve runs away from her inpatient treatment to find herself through music. She forms an eccentric friendship with the jaded, yet undeniably talented James—played by Olly Alexander. They form a relationship that teeters on romance throughout the film. Once Cassie—played by Hannah Murray—comes onto the screen, friendship leads to musical brilliance. The three form a band named God Help the Girl. Although the songs and plot are written by a male, the care and passion Murdoch put into the authenticity of the project are apparent. Murdoch’s song-writing skill is evident in his ability to deliver lines that have the irreverent catchiness that reckon the sound of the Beach Boys. Yet, while whistling the tune days later the songs still punches you in the gut with breathtaking emotions. The songs communicate Eve’s struggles with eating disorders, identity, intimacy and independence.
Murdoch does not create Eve as an archetypal female lead—she does not conform to the traditional standards of weak women or the independent film craze of the manic pixie girl. Eve fights for her independence--never conforming to relationship norms in her intimate relationships or her friendships. Eve’s character needs others and her independence all at once. Through Eve’s character, Murdoch expertly portrays the journey of female young adulthood through body image, vocation, relationships and identity. The depth and power of this film and the accompanying soundtrack have yet to make their deserved cinematic splash. God Help the Girl is not just a seminal story of three young people trying to find their feet in the world, it is a story where female leads have depth, character and strength. It is a story of love, pain, growth and friendship—all of which communicate the complicated nature of being a young women in a world that demands so many impossibilities. God Help the Girl is contagiously relatable. This film
is all at once empowering and healing for those who have struggled with body image, mental health and identity.
Featured Writers & Poets Courtney Cochran is the Congregational Outreach Director and Volunteer Coordinator and one of two community organizing staff at Churches United in Ministry in Duluth, Minnesota. Courtney is most passionate about faith-based community organizing and empowerment of female-identified leaders. She has six years of experience working with housing and homelessness both in direct service and systems change capacities and recently completed a Master's Degree in Social Work. Courtney loves sewing, theology, public policy, punk music, and of course old horror movies. Courtney is also a contributing writer to Duluth, Minnesota's women's empowerment zine— Minerva(https://www.facebook.com/MinervaZine) –and often writes with the moniker SeatbeltHands. Courtney loves writing about music, movies, fashion, gender justice, racial justice and socioeconomic disparities. For lots of playlists and updates about Minnesota politics you can follow Courtney on Spotify (https://play.spotify.com/user/12154783596) or
add her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/courtney.cochran.925 ). Alli DeJaegher is originally from Portland, OR and never really lost her Portland hippie spirit when she moved to Charlotte, NC. She likes discovering indie-underground music and attending music festivals. She writes about all things arts and entertainment, whether it be people, places or analyzing the cinematography of a Wes Anderson movie. She can also out-stat almost any guy when it comes to football. wordsfromalli.wordpress.com Rita Banerjee is a writer, and received her PhD in Comparative Literature from Harvard University. She holds an MFA in Poetry and her writing has been published in Poets for Living Waters, The New Renaissance, The Fiction Project, Jaggery: A DesiLit Arts and Literature Journal, Catamaran, Amethyst Arsenic, The Crab Creek Review, The Dudley Review, Objet d’Art, Vox Populi, Dr. Hurley's Snake-Oil Cure, and Chrysanthemum among other journals. Her first collection of poems, Cracklers at Night, was published by Finishing Line Press and received First Honorable Mention for Best Poetry Book at the 2011-2012 Los Angeles Book Festival. Her novella, A Night with Kali, was digitized by the Brooklyn Art-house Co-op. She is a Executive Creative Director of the Cambridge Writers' Workshop, and her writing has also been recently
featured in HER KIND by VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, Quail Bell Magazine, Speaking of Marvels, and on KBOO Radio’s APA Compass in Portland, Oregon. Meggie Royer is a writer and photographer from the Midwest who is currently majoring in Psychology at Macalester College. Her poems have previously appeared in Words Dance Magazine, Winter Tangerine Review, Electric Cereal, and more. In March 2013 she won a National Gold Medal for her poetry collection and a National Silver Medal for her writing portfolio in the 2013 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Her work can be found at writingsforwinter.tumblr.com Oliver Ayers is a queer poet and artist living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is: currently struggling to function as an independent adult; very into kindness, compassion, political decentralization, language, and non-violent collective action; a feminist; a Quaker; a nerd; somewhat hipster-adjacent; and definitely a mama's boy, in multiple senses. He really likes Ursula K. Le Guin, and, unrelatedly, he wishes he were taller, so he could reach things without a stepladder. Feel free to contact him via tumblr. http://inlovewiththesidekicks.tumblr.com
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