A Few Good Women

It's time to promote and praise a few women who have one thing in common - they're all my 'friend' on MySpace. Okay, so most of them probably don't actually *know* that they're my friend, but that's a mere detail.

Amanda Palmer

Amanda is playing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the moment and reading this review in The Scotsman and seeing the wonderful photos of Amanda from the Livejournal blog of Two-Truths (whose photo was also used in The Scotsman) made me want to fly up to Edinburgh at the weekend and see the show for myself. She's sold out. The shows I mean. Drat.

So here are the great photos from Two Truths (who I hope doesn't mind me nicking them and reproducing them here). It looks like the lads from Zen Zen Zo (who performed at the Roundhouse in support of The Dresden Dolls last year) are helping out in the pics.



Linda Thompson

Linda Thompson has one of those wonderful voices, raw and powerful, delicate and swelling with emotion, but seems to be a niche taste. I like her. One of my favourite albums is 'First Light' by Richard and Linda Thompson which isn't currently available on CD (I got the vinyl back in the day). Well, she has a new album out this week (I think, I've seen different release dates) and it deserves a mention.

While Googling for a photo of the album I came across a torrent site that already has the album available for download. That's sad. I'll wait and buy the real thing. You can catch a preview of some songs on Linda's MySpace site - I love the brass band on the title track! I'm looking forward to hearing the full album.

Siouxsie

A must buy at the earliest opportunity is Siouxsie's new album, 'Mantaray', available in September. The 'Into A Swan' single (I posted the video in July) is released a week or so earlier. Samples of the music are available on the 'Mantaray' site so go and have a listen.

Michelle Shocked

Michelle also has a new album out in September and is playing at Union Chapel in Islington on 6 September. Needless to say I have tickets.

I don't know anything about the album and found out about it by accident but I like Michelle. Her last album was a triple album that was released as a triple and as three single albums so, I suppose, it'll be a relief to only have one new album this time! I'm looking forward to seeing her play and hope she includes some of the oldies (I like the way she updates 'Anchorage' so that the babe in the song is now at college).

Dawn Right Nasty

And I couldn't blog about women without mentioning the new endeavour by her former highness, the RedHairedQueer herself, Dawn Right Nasty. Dawn's new club night is MisterSister (gosh, I wonder what that refers to?) and opens this Friday. Since Amanda Palmer's shows are sold out then we might have to trundle along to Vauxhall, although I doubt I'll be boogying on down at 3am... But you've got to admire someone who has some dreams and ambitions and tries to make 'em happen.

Deborah Harry

Debbie also has a new album out in September and deserves a mention. Debbie is an icon. Enough said.

It must be difficult being Debbie 30 years on. We all know and love the old stuff (I got the re-issue of 'Parallel Lines' only a few months ago) but she wants to go forward and produce new stuff. I'll suspend any judgement until I've heard the full album and I fully expect to like it.

Suzi Quatro

Of course, I can't blog about current and future endeavours of my MySpace women without an honourary mention of Suzi's new autobiography, 'Unzipped', that I blogged about below.



That's not a bad haul is it? Makes it a costly month for me though!