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Sept. 27-<)ct. 10. 1983 VoJ. 4, No. 16 10 Years Later: Carnegie Hall! hv ./. M. Im relic Women’s music is one of the nice things lesbians do for each other. We write the songs, sing the songs, and record the songs as an album. Then we distribute the album, buy the album and pass the album along hand-to hand, as we help expand the market for women’s music. There are many small women’s music labels. The largest and most financially successful, however, is Olivia. Two of the genre’s top performers—Meg Christian and Cris Williamson—were among Olivia’s founders, and performed on the label’s first three recordings. Williamson’s first Olivia album, The Changer and the Changed, is the genre’s best seller (over 250,000 copies). Like all of us, Olivia has grown up in the last decade. They have attempted to reach new listeners, and much of their new material is less blatantly lesbian than before, when such classics as Christian’s “Ode to a Gym Teacher” were the main course of Olivia’s fare. But they have not forgotten the lesbian community. The ads bill Olivia’s newest album, Meg- Chris: Uve al Carnegie Hall as a "thank you” to all Olivia supporters. Why did Olivia end up in a place like Carnegie Hall in the first place? It was a birthday party Olivia was ten years old It was also a birthday party for the vision which gave impetus to the Olivia success story carve a place outside the mainstream for w omen to write,sing, engineer, distribute, buy and support their own music. 1 here were 5600 people at Carnegie Hall on Nov. 26, 1982. I hey heard concerts by Olivia’s two biggest stars, Williamson and Christian, as well as a host of backup artists, many of them Olivia stars in their own right. The concert marked both an end and a beginning. An end, in that it represented the culmination of a decade of work, sweat and triumph lor the foremost women’s music label. A beginning, in that even as the artists celebrated the event they presented new arrangements, new' songs, and a new sophistication about their performance. Some member of the audience have said that the trappings of the evening almost overwhelmed the singers that the audience, too, was slow to warm up to the surroundings. Fortunately, none of this tightness was translated to the vinyl. Carnegie Hall commemorates the 10th Olivia anniversary with new levels of engineering and artistic excellence. Listening to Carnegie Hall is at least as good—and maybe even better—than being there. The album is meticulously put together. Producers betty Rowland and Tret Fur have worked with engineer Howard Lindeman to produce a “live” sound that does not sacrifice studio-level quality. The balance between voice and instruments is consistently top notch. The backup musicians add incalculably to the final product. Fure’s electric guitar, Dianne Lindsay’s bass and especially Ady Torfs keyboards all represent the best of women’s musicianship. The backup vocalists are just as fine. They add a soulful, dynamic presence that dramatically counterpoints Williamson’s sweet and Christian’s direct styles. The vocals of Shelby Flint, Vicki Randle and Linda Tillery soar above and through the lead artists' interpretations, adding diversity and power. Williamson writes music unlike anyone else's. focussing on the spiritual dimension of the feminist lesbian struggle. All six of her Olivia albums are tight, emotional and very moving. Whether or not one shares her vision, Williamson makes any listener feel better. Her music is a source of renewal, buttressing our ability to hew individual paths. Her songs on Carnegie Hall display the customary musical net of voice, back-up voca Is and keyb o a r d-do mi n a ted instrumentals. Two compositions, “Come Hell or High Water" and “Soaring" stand out on the album as Williamson at her best. Christian is 'a much quirkier musical presence. She can attain a sweetness rivaling Williamson’s on some ballads; but there is a special strength to her voice that adds grit to that sweetness. The result is very personal, and very universal. It’s hard to listen to any Christian song without feeling like she is documenting all our experiences as lesbians through her own musical prism. One of the most moving points in the album is when Christian interprets a John CaK i song, “The Ones who Aren’t Here,” a bittersweet anthem to people who can't leave the closet: continual on page 4 The latest hot item in Women’s Music is Lifeline: Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert Together, ” on Redwood Records. J.M. Lavelle has promised us a review in the near future. Herstory of Women's Music Article courtevi /xn!\slipper Music Women's Music, which began on a small scale, open to all kinds of possibilities, has emerged as a network and a small industry. Diverse styles and influences.. .ja//„ folk, traditional, country, rock. pop. rhythm and blues, classical, improvisational. . are beginning to be represented more equalK. Although this ’‘industry " is not idyllic, and cannot provide all the opportunities needed, it has established an atmosphere ol support and encouragement for women to excell in fields previously closed to them. I he single question to crop up over and over has been, “W'hat is Women’s Music?” The definitions and explanations have been as varied as the women involved. Most important perhaps is it’s message it takes women seriously. It springs from a feminist consciousness, utilizing women’s talent, intellect, emotion, energy and spirit. Its production, presentation and finances are controlled by women. Beginnings In the early 70’s, encouraged by the Women’s Liberation Movement, a variety of artistic expressions by women began to flower, reflecting their changing attitudes about the roles of women in society . Artists performed anywhere they could be heard: ban*, rallies, demonstrations, benefit fund raisers, university coffeehouses and concerts. Since music has always been a medium through which people’s stories, protests and personal histories hat e been preserved, it was a natural step that women's movement would develop this cultural arm. Women hearing this music began to ask tor recordings (other than their own cassette recording of live concerts), and performers wanted their music to be more widely available. Historically and presently, women's attempts to enter the recording industry as engineers, technicians art directors, producers and studio musicians have been discouraged and dimissed with skepticism or ridicule. Female artists who have managed to get signed with major recording labels have often been presented in ways the industry has deemed most marketable: as passive and innocent little girls, or as abused, enslaved sexual objects. It became clear that women who wanted to record their own music, to work with other women, and to maintain control of the end products could not turn to the esablished music industry. In 1972, Maxine Feldman recorded “Angry mniintu tf on /a/.ge 7 ADVERTISERS WANTED Next Issues On The Streets By Ad Deadline Oct. 11-24 Tuesday, Oct. 11 Friday, Sept. 30 Oct. 25-Sow 7 Tuesday, Oct. 25 Friday, Oct. 14 Some Rates: Full Page-$162 Half Page-$87/ Quarter Page-$50 / Eighth Page-$32 In many cases, there are small production charges in addition to the cost for space. Credit only to establisded, approved clients. Call us for a complete rate card or for further information. Better yet, call us | Q 1 Q | COQ.O 1 C 1 to place your ad. Thank you! vrXOX Box 25642, Raleigh, NC 27611 SUBSCRIPTIONS A year's subscription to The Front Page, mailed in a plain, sealed envelope, costs only $8.00. If for some reason you desire I st class ^ mailing, the cost is $16.50. A subscription *|^ guarantees that you won t miss a single issue! Name . . . Address ___ __. _ _ City ...... ... State __Zip
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