Wonder Woman of the Week.. Gwen Stefani!

I love Gwen Stefani.

I love No Doubt.

I love her style.

I love her work ethic.

I love her ability to not care.

...This may be a short post!

Gwen Stefani joined Ska band, No Doubt in 1986 as their vocalist, and the band signed to Interscope Records in 1991. Their sound was initially unsuccessful due to the early '90's grunge boom. In contrast to contemporaries at the time, such as Courtney Love, Stefani was influenced by Blondie singer, Debbie Harry, stating that Harry's combination of power and sex appeal contributed to her stage persona.

1995's Tragic Kingdom, which held their breakthrough single 'Don't Speak', as well as 'Just a Girl' and 'Spiderwebs', gained the band much exposure worldwide, and the intense touring schedule cause Stefani to take a gap year from her university course, to which she would not return due to two and a half years on the road supporting the album. 'Don't Speak' itself, was concerned with the break up of Stefani and bassist Tony Kanal's relationship.

Follow up, Return of Saturn, released in 2000, was more New Wave influenced than its ska predecessor, whilst 2001's Rock Steady incorporated dancehall and reggae sounds.

Stefani used to make all or most of her stage outfits for No Doubt, and this led her to create the L.A.M.B clothing line in 2004, being inspired by Harajuku fashion and Guatemalan and Caribbean style. She created a cheaper Harajuku Lovers line in 2005. Between 2004 and 2006, Stefani embarked on a solo musical career, releasing Love. Angel. Music. Baby and The Sweet Escape, both of which enjoyed commercial success (approx. $20 million in combined sales) and exposed her to a wider and younger audience.

As previously mentioned, I love Stefani's uniqueness! In her school days she was reportedly bullied at school, but this goes to show that it is better to be unique and yourself than to succumb to bullies, just look at how successful she has been! I also love how fearless she is in regards to fashion; some of her outfits I wouldn't dare to attempt to pull off. Her work ethic is also inspirational, she always seems to have her hands stuck into one project or another, and seems to be just a genuinely creative person.Also, Stefani and ex-Bush frontman, Gavin Rossdale, have two children, although their births did not prevent Stefani from continuing to work on her various projects, perhaps proving that you can, indeed have it all!

http://www.gwenstefani.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/gwenstefani
http://www.nodoubt.com/splash/default.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/nodoubt
https://twitter.com/#!/nodoubt

No Doubt are soon to make a comeback later in 2012.
Their sixth album, Push and Shove, is set to be released 25th September!
First single off the album, 'Settle Down' is released 16th July!

'Don't Speak

'Spiderwebs'

'Hey Baby'

Wonder Woman of the Week.. Robyn

A day late this week, apologies! 

I've been listening to a lot of Robyn lately. Her music is so catchy and fun to listen to!

From 1997 until 2005, she was a well known Swedish pop star in her native country, with moderate successes in the US and UK with English song 'Show Me Love' charting well in in both countries.

Upon receiving a negative reaction from her label in Sweden upon showing them her song 'Who's That Girl?', Robyn decided to start her own record label, Konichiwa Records, allowing her to have full creative control of her music, which deviated to a more electro-pop sound. Her self-titled album was a success both in Sweden and in the US and UK, churning out hit songs such as 'With Every Heartbeat', and allowing her to support Madonna on tour in 2008.

In 2010, Robyn released the Body Talk series, releasing first Body Talk Pt. 1 in June, then Body Talk Pt. 2 in September, followed by Body Talk, acting as a compilation album of the previous two, as well as having five new songs.

The success of Body Talk led to opportunities supporting Katy Perry in 2011 and Coldplay in 2012, allowing her music to reach wider audiences.

To me, Robyn is the best of both mainstream and indie sentiments. Most people probably know a Robyn song or two, without actually knowing that it's Robyn. She maintains her own credibility as an artist, writing her own material and even performing without backing dancers whilst also being successful commercially worldwide. By starting Konichiwa Records, she regained control of her own career, and has also collaborated with renowned artists, singers and rappers such as Swedish electro duo, The Knife, Bassment Jaxx, Britney Spears and Snoop Dogg.

Here's a selection of songs!

http://www.robyn.com/
http://www.facebook.com/robyn
https://twitter.com/#!/robynkonichiwa

'Dancing On My Own'

'Be Mine'

'With Every Heartbeat'

Wonder Woman of the Week.. Kathleen Hanna!

Welcome to my new weekly Sunday feature - Wonder Woman of the Week! As previously mentioned in my organisation post, this will be a weekly feature where I choose a woman who inspires me (or has been heavily featured for whatever reason in that week) and discuss them and say what exactly makes them so brill! 


So who should my first woman be.... hmm... how about riot grrrl feminist, Kathleen Hanna!

Founder of riot grrrl band, Bikini Kill, and later electroclash outifit, Le Tigre, Hanna has been a poignant and outspoken feminist voice since the early 1990's. 


She first became interested in feminism when her mother, a housewife, took her to a feminist rally where Gloria Steinham spoke when she was aged nine, which left a lasting impression. She later studied photography at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, also working as a stripper to support herself. Her exhibits at this time dealt with issues such as sexism and AIDS, although her work was taken down before public viewing by school administrators in the name of censorship, prompting her to create an independent feminist art gallery called Reko Muse. She also did spoken word sexism and domestic violence and volunteered for a domestic abuse organisation.


Bikini Kill was named after a fanzine that members Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Tobi Vail and Billy Karren created as a response to sexism in the punk rock scene, with the band later writing songs involving such ideals. They released a cassette, EP, split LP with Huggy Bear and two albums - Pussy Whipped and Reject All American before splitting and creating side projects (eg. The Frumpies - minus Hanna, with the addition of Molly Neuman of Bratmobile).


Post Bikini Kill, Hanna started a solo project called Julie Ruin, experimenting with New Wave sounds before later starting political outfit, Le Tigre, who released three albums before becoming inactive.


As someone who is frequently aggravated by sexist comments for sexist comments sake (my guy friends will find themselves quickly shot down), as well as believing in equality, Hanna is certainly an inspiration for me, with herself and her contemporaries challenging a whole scene with their feminist ideals and championing a message that reached new generations across the world. Even now, it continues due to the accessibility of the internet.


Her music is highly catchy, and definitely worth a listen whether you agree with her message or not. 'Decaptacon' by Le Tigre, for example, could easily be the soundtrack to my life, because I am yet to get bored of it! Her image also influences me time and again, as she always looks very put together in with her retro updo's and red lipstick, and wearing prints, tartans. In her Bikini Kill days, she was known to dress as a school girl. Hanna also evidently influenced her friend, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, famously writing 'Kurt smells like teen spirit' on a wall and subsequently inspiring the name of the perhaps the most iconic Nirvana song!


Anyways, check some of the vids below, and I'm pretty sure we have a well deserving first Wonder Woman of the Week.

Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl

Le Tigre - Decaptacon

Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Hanna
http://www.kathleenhanna.com/

Organisation!

I'm gonna write this post now as an attempt to organise myself and my weekly features!

Monday or Tuesday, depending on release date, I'll compile a list of weekly releases.

Sometime in the first half of the week, I'll put a few reviews up of my favourite singles of that week.

Album reviews will be uploaded in the second half of the week to allow for digestion time, and both single and album reviews will be listed (separately) on the Rapid Reviews page.

The New Waves will be updated whenever I hear/see a band or artist worth posting about.

The Life Logs will probably be the most regular, just if something worthwhile occurs in my existance or if I feel the need to have a whinge ;)


Now, time for features that I've yet to start!:-

1. Wonder Woman of the Week

This will be a weekly feature where I choose a woman who inspires me (or has been heavily featured for whatever reason in that week) and discuss them and say what exactly makes them so great! 

    2.  Fashion Files

This was inspired by some other bloggers, whom take post about their daily outfits, fashion and beauty products. As much as I like clothes and things, I don't think I'm enough of an interesting dresser to warrant photos everyday. Same goes for beauty products, I just stick to what I know. However occasionally I may post on this sort of thing, especially if my outfit has been inspired in some way (eg. yesterday I felt like Kathleen Hanna, today more a pre-Electra Heart Marina and the Diamonds) or if it's for some special purpose.

    3.  DIY Ditties

Regarding the DIY aspect, that's self explanitory - tutorials for when I feel the need to share my creativity. This will most likely increase once our little customisation franchise gets up and running.

And I think that's it! Hopefully, this won't get too hectic (although I can see it getting that way)!

Go forth! LLAP!