I have a zillion Frumpies songs in my head right now, thanks to all the old mixtapes I listened to while cleaning the apartment this afternoon. For the uninitiated, The Frumpies were Tobi, Kathi, and Billy from Bikini Kill + Molly from Bratmobile + (briefly) Michelle Mae from the Makeup. They released a slew of 7″s in the 90’s and a CD comp of all their singles called Frumpie One-Piece. (It has a panda on the cover and makes a totally awesome patch.)

Frumpies forever!

Learned today of the passing of Larry Cassidy, frontman for legendary Factory Records band Section 25. British journalist John Robb’s tribute and excellent history of the band can be found here.

Of all the Factory bands (aside from Joy Division), Section 25 was the one that resonated most with me. RIP Larry.

Do you ever hear about the awesome girls rock camps popping up all over the country and think, “Gosh, I wish those were around when I was a kid”? Well check this out!!!

To all Ladies, Women, Mothers, Maidens, Aunties, Godmothers, Grandmothers, and Grrrls…

Register now for Ladies Rock Camp where you get to
-LEARN AN INSTRUMENT
-START A BAND
-WRITE A SONG
-PERFORM LIVE
…all in three days! Food, movies, parties, performances, and other surprises make it a weekend not to be missed. No musical experience is necessary! This is a perfect chance to dust off an old guitar, pick up a microphone for the first time, or add a new drum beat to your repertoire.

Ladies Rock Camp (LRC) is a program of Bay Area Girls Rock Camp, an Oakland-based non-profit with a mission of empowering girls of all backgrounds through music creation and performance. It’s is an unforgettable weekend modeled after our Girls Rock Camp but for women of all ages. LRC is our biggest (and best) fundraiser of the year. All of the proceeds directly support Bay Area Girls Rock Camp’s programs for girls ages 8-18. By coming to LRC, you are supporting the next generation of women and girls while celebrating and empowering your own!

So here are the details:

LADIES ROCK CAMP 2010

Where: Oakland School for the Arts (OSA), housed inside the restored FOX Theater Complex in Oakland’s Uptown District; 530 18th St.; Oakland 94612.

When: April 9-11th, 2010.

For Whom: Women ages 19 – infinity, NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.

How Much: $400, sign up with a friend before International Women’s Day (March 8th) and you both receive $10 off!

To apply or for more information visit: www.bayareagirlsrockcamp.org/pages/lrc.html
LRC gift certificates are also available.

LRC Alumni photo via Bay Area Girls Rock Camp

Your eyes do not deceive you- the tongue reads “Step Inside”

On the swoosh it says, “But I remember when we were young…-Ian Curtis”

Is nothing sacred?

New Balance images via the New Balance blog, Nike image via Kitsune Noir, Zune image via Stereogum

Holy moly!!! Massive 12 CD-R overview of lady-fronted punk bands ‘77-’89 AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD c/o of Kängnäve. (This is why I heart the internet!!!)

Just check out the track listing for Disk 1 to get an idea of how epic this is:

1. Blutsturz – Schweigen (Demo) (Germany, 198?)
2. Penetration – Money Talks (England, 1977)
3. Pyhäkoulu – Painajainen (Finland, 1986)
4. VulpeSS – Me Gusta Ser Una Zorra (Spain, 1983)
5. The Comes – Panic (Japan, 1984)
6. Suicide Squad – New Kids Army (Australia, 1980)
7. Rivolta Dell’Odio – Altari Del Terrore (Italy, 1984)
8. Sick Things – Anti-Social Disease (England, 1977)
9. Accident (a.k.a Accidents) – True Detective (USA, 1979)
10. Dishrags – I Don’t Love You (Canada, 1979)
11. Último Resorte – Hogar, Dulce Hogar (Demo) (Spain, 1981)
12. The Fastbacks – Someone Else’s Room (USA, 1981)
13. Anorexia – Rapist In The Park (England, 1980)
14. Phobia – Pretend You’re Not Crazy (USA, 1978)
15. Androids Of Mu – Bored Housewives (England, 1981)
16. Sort Sol (With Lydia Lunch) – Boy-Girl (Denmark/USA, 1983)
17. Tappi Tikarrass – Skrid (Iceland, 1984)
18. Flowers – After Dark (Scotland, 1979)
19. The Rentals – I Got A Crush On You (USA, 1979)
20. Pariapunk – Double Face (France, 1987)
21. Amsterdamned – Traditie Amme Balle (Netherlands, 1982)
22. Dr. Zeke – Vild I Skogen (Sweden, 1979)
23. The Lewd – Magnetic Heart (USA, 1982)
24. Au Pairs – Kerb Crawler (England, 1980)
25. Mo-Dettes – White Mice (USA/Switzerland/England, 1979)
26. Stripes – Weekend Love (Germany, 1980)
27. Violators – The Fugitive (England, 1980)

I am clearing room on my computer as we speak.

Kleenex image via last.fm

Clipd Beaks’ awesomely creepy vid for the track “Blood.” Yet another reason I don’t hang out in nature alone.

Do you have the new album To Realize yet???

I am a total sucker for detective shows, probably because of early and prolonged exposure to the “Mathnet” segment on that old PBS show Square One. That and a huge dose of Nancy Drew circa fourth grade. Anyway, I began a 21 Jump Street marathon a few days ago and I CANNOT seem to get past certain plot holes, inconsistencies, and just outright nonsense. Namely:

- How many high schools are in this frigg’n city? Every episode it’s a different one!

- How is it even remotely plausible that people from surrounding high schools are not telling each other about the seemingly widespread presence of undercover cops posing as transfer students? Especially when they “blow their cover” at the end of pretty much every episode. AND kids are in and out of that bizarre churchy headquarters all damn day. There’s even a holding cell. Yet NO ONE recognizes them EVER?!

- Who the hell would actually believe that Peter DeLuise is in high school?

- Why does Vietnamese actor Dustin Nguyen play a Japanese guy? Not the same thing geniuses.

(And as an aside, why is Josh Brolin, who guest starred, so good at playing assholes yet seems like a pretty okay guy in real life?)

*I am completely aware I’m over-thinking all this, and that yes, the show was made for adolescents, but come on, kids are not MORONS. Even the theme song makes no sense whatsoever. No wonder Johnny Depp wanted out of his contract. Of course I will totally finish watching the rest of the season though. I, uh, need to know what happens.

Image via Hulu, my source of daily brain rot.

I’ve been downloading old Part Time Punks radio show podcasts as of late. Let’s just say I am totally obsessed. Like I want to start taking notes and making diagrams, which is kinda what I did with the Kill Rock Stars roster back in the day. Yes, I am a TOTAL dork. But seriously, Michael Stock has impeccable taste and an enviable musical acumen and every time I listen to a show I feel like I’m attending a really awesome lecture. And I can’t believe I have gone all these years without listening to Black Tambourine!

Part Time Punks radio show is every Thursday 3-6 on KXLU 88.9 FM, Los Angeles. Or you can listen on the interweb.

Not only did I find out about this cool website Pawesome today, I discovered the totally rad work of Amelia Santiago. This amazing Portland, OR based lady makes “Fine Art Needle Felted Pet Portraits of your Dog or Cat Sculpted in Wool.” (She also does horses and rabbits.)

Note to everyone: Walrus and Potato have birthdays in April!

Images via Amelia Makes Art.

Living in Oakland I got really into European magazines, thanks mainly to the awesome selection at Issues. One of my favs (which I can actually find around here) is Paris, LA, started by Dorothée Perret, a former directer of Purple mag. What I love about Paris, LA is its breath of subject matter- music, literature, art, design, photography, fashion. And it’s intelligent without being pretentious.

Published bi-annually, but le blog is updated on the daily.

Issue #3 image via Paris, LA.

BRAND NEW LIARS VIDEO!!! I AM SO STOKED (HENCE THE ALL-CAPS)!!!

AND new album Sisterworld out March 8th.

Kathleen Hanna talks role modeling, archiving, and feminist leadership. Awesome!

I’m still bummed the Vivian Girls/Best Coast LA show was sold out a few weeks ago. But here are some pics from their recent Portland gig. At least I/we can live vicariously through the digital photos.

But, if you’re an Angeleno you’re in luck, cuz Best Coast is playing w/ Cold Cave at the Echoplex TONIGHT!

Images courtesy of our PDX correspondent. Thank you!!!

I’ve been reading A LOT of Raymond Chandler recently- as of tonight I’m on novel number six. And while Dashiell Hammett is the more celebrated author of hard-boiled detective stories, Chandler deftly captures the character of 1930s and 1940s Los Angeles, which is what keeps bringing me back for more.

At his best, he reminds me of Didion:

“There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands’ necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.”

And that’s pretty much the highest praise I can give.

1940 photo of Raymond Chandler via The Guardian.

Not to get all Dear Diary, but we (the Sweetheart Society ladyz) actually went out this weekend. Like out out. Three times! And no bars were involved! (Cuz getting drunk and watching bros and trust fund hipsters ogle each other is LAME. And depressing.)

Friday we saw Tom Ford’s stunning and meticulous film A Single Man. Every little detail from camera angles to lighting, to killer mid-century furniture and that gorgeous angora sweater was sheer perfection. And the plot was not too shabby either. Go see this, please.

Then on Saturday we headed over to Family to see No Age play with Mike Watt and Tim Kerr. That’s right, No Age jamn with MIKE WATT. Epic.

And finally, (drumroll please…) we saw Weekend play last night at the Echo. Oh. My. God(dess). Now, I like a lot of bands. There are bands I respect, bands that are fun to see, bands that are endearing, etc. But bands that make me feel fucking ALIVE are far and few between. It has been years since I’ve been at a show and experienced that rare transcendent and ephemeral feeling of my heart about to burst, the I-cannot-believe-I-am-experiencing-something-this-amazing feeling, the everything-is-actually-okay-and-there-is-nowhere-else-on-earth-I-would-rather-be-at-this-moment feeling. Weekend were that fucking good.

And their 10″ rules too.

Weekend images via MyFace.