there is a female singer-songwriter who is "coming up", and she recently she sent her fans (through a mailing list) an email that basically asked those of 'alternative sexual preference' or some such to not show blatant displays of public affection with each other at her shows, because it was driving away the straight soccer mom audience that she wanted to cultivate. in other words, she basically told her lesbian fans to be stop being so gay at her shows. it is now assumed she only has exactly 2 fans left. classique.
screw that- Cat Power is amazing. Patti Smith definitely had some genius songs limited to her and an acoustic guitar Are we talking only about current artists? Because I could name about a dozen 60's/70's ones that make Ani DiFranco look like Britney Spears.
Dixie Chicks and Patty Loveless? Eh, whatever. But Emmylou is pure class. Janis Ian and Patti Smith deserve exemptions as well. Also Aimee Mann for her solo material.
Man, you have tapped into a genre that I hate like no other. This makes me want to go off on the whole "Coffehouse rock" genre. Coffehouse rock? Oh you mean, background noise? I get it, now, stop wasting plastic and paper manufacturing your CDs and leave the good music making up to someone else!
Re: Re: Re: The Anti Chicks-with-Acoustic-Guitars Thread There are many things I don't like about Jewel. The snaggle teeth are actually the more tolerable of her faults.
Is this Kim Gordon? She was interviewed in Bass Player a few years ago. She couldn't even tell them what kind of strings she uses. Admittedly, strings aren't nearly as big an issue with electric basses as they are with uprights, but when you're going to be interviewed by a trade mag, rigs get discussed. She had to know that. Of course, if it ain't Kim, disregard this post.
I'd like to add Tracy Chapman to this list. Yes, she has her soapbox for stupid causes, but she's also dealt with some real issues (racism) in her work. For that, I forgive her for her "coffeehouse appeal".
Ok how bout Kelly Willis or Allison Krause (I'm not sure if Allison plays the fiddle or the guitar, but if it is the guitar, she should be an exception).
I don't put Tracy Chapman in this category, because well, she's actually decent. The only other chick with an accoustical guitar I like is Ani DiFranco. The rest can bite me. I hate almost 99% of this genre.
I heard Kelly Willis's new song off her new album Wednesday night as I got to the Metros game . I'll start the Kelly Willis appreciation thread when it comes out if someone doesn't beat me to it. Kelly Willis is great. As a rule, I don't listen to country - a very smart way to be if the only stuff around is the pap played on awful 'Hot Country' stations - that's the situation here. I'm no country boy, and the only artists I seem to like in the genre are on the fringes of it or doing interesting things with it - Raul Malo, Dwight Yoakam, etc. But I think Willis has the best female country voice since Lurlene Lumpkin, and I'll listen to her sing anything anytime.
Allison plays the fiddle and blows the doors off the joint when she does. Here are 2 that could be exceptions one minute and subject to full ACWAG emnity the next: Tish Hinojosa Iris Dement My nominee for ACWAG poster girl: Michelle Shocked. Saw her at a concert (they had her billed OVER Richard Thompson and Jimmy Dale Gilmore) and hated every second. The phony cow.
Nobody mentioned the original "fingernails on the blackboard" acoustic chick: Joni Mitchell However, Joan Baez did some good stuff and could play the guitar, too
Requested exemptions thus far: Lucinda Williams Melissa Auf Der Mer Patti Smith Dixie Chicks Patty Loveless Emmylou Harris Janis Ian Aimee Mann Dido Tracy Chapman Kelly Willis Allison Krause Ani DiFranco Tish Hinojosa Iris Dement Joni Mitchell Joan Baez We have a problem here, because there aren't 17 CWAGs that don't suck.