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Playlist for 12.21.2010

Don't forget: Next Tuesday is our last show on Radio K. Make sure to keep checking back for updates about where you can hear Girl Germs in 2011.

High Places - The Storm High Places
Prince Rama - Lightening Fossil Shadow Temple
Taigaa! - Off Off Taigaa!
Lykke Li - Get Some (Beck remix) Get Some [single]

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Man Fever to Tell
Gorilla Angreb - Pa Patrulje Gorilla Angreb
Joan Jett - Light of Day Fit to be Tied
The Avengers - We Are the One We Are the One [EP]

Gillian Welch - Lowlands Soul Journey
Luke's Angels - Cityscape Paulopolis
Tina Turner - Goldeneye Wildest Dreams
The Dresden Dolls - Coin Operated Boy Dig

Basses Wild: The Germs - Let's Pretend MIA: The Complete Anthology
Katastrophy Wife - Gone Away Amusia
PJ Harvey - This is Love Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

X-Ray Spex - Germ-free Adolescents Germ-free Adolescents
Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang Pulp Fiction Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Lauryn Hill - Everything is Everything The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Ronnie Spector - She Talks to Rainbows She Talks to Rainbows

Favorite songs of 2010:
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - The Game Gets Old I Learned the Hard Way
Janelle Monae - Cold War The Archandroid
Coco Rosie - Smokey Taboo Grey Oceans
Warpaint - Undertow The Fool

Sleigh Bells - Tell Em Treats
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be I Will Be
Noun - Holy Hell Holy Hell

Artists to watch in 2011:
Pink Mink - Black Door Black Door/Earthquake on the Loose [single]
La Sera - Never Come Around Never Come Around [7"]
Robyn - Dancing on my Own Body Talk
Psalm One - Southside Lady Woman at Work

Girlrrific Gifts for that Special Germ

Happy Holidays Germs!

For those procrastinators out there who are looking at their calendars only
to notice that Christmas is less than a week away, Girl Germs has a guide to help you find the perfect gift.


If it's books you're looking for check out Patti Smith's award-winning book  Just Kids, the true story of two artists, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe as they grow up during the '70s in New York City.

If you're looking for someone who is all about DIY take a look at the hilarious new book from Amy Sedaris, Simple Times : Crafts for Poor People, featuring simple and inexpensive crafts. 

For a perfect gift for someone bound to get stuck inside for a snow day,  check out  Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susan. This scandalous tale of three young career girls trying to make it in New York City is bound to become a favorite guilty pleasure.  

A fun book for fans of the hit series Mad Men would love the book 

Mad Men: The Illustrated World featuring amazing graphic designs by Dyna Moe inspired by the show. 

 Fans of the show Golden Girls may want to show their love with Bust Magazine's Stay Golden Tee Shirt, also check out their What Would Joan Jett Do Tee Shirt.

In need of stocking stuffers? Anyone who grew up loving Star Wars will love the The Ladies of Star Wars playing cards. Or how about a Holly Golightly Eye Mask?

Movie buffs and Girl Germ fans alike will love finding Ladies and Gentlemen: The Fabulous Stains wrapped under the tree. And don't forget about our favorite Girls on TV Daria and of course Golden Girls.

I hope this helps all you procrastinators out there. Happy Holidays from the gals at Girl Germs.

Basses Wild: Lorna Doom of The Germs

"Basses Wild" is an opportunity for Girl Germs to showcase a female bass player in a band that we might not normally play on the show - a "wild card," if you will (get it?). This month we're featuring Lorna Doom, nee Teresa Ryan, bass player in The Germs.

Despite the the fact that the band only released one studio album - 1979's (GI), which was produced by Joan Jett - it became one of L.A.'s most influential punk groups, and not just to other punk bands. The Germs' reach and connections extend to a multitude of more mainstream bands: The Go-Go's, Foo Fighters and Nirvana to name a few (in fact Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go's was an early member of the band and good friends with Doom). The band, who quickly became notorious for its shows - which bordered on riots at times - called it quits soon after the release of (GI) and in late 1980 singer Darby Crash committed suicide. Guitarist Pat Smear went on to be in Nirvana and Foo Fighters, and collaborated with Hole for a Germs tribute band called The Holez. Hole also covered The Germs' first single, "Forming."

In 1981, Penelope Spheeris (who would later go on to direct Wayne's World!) released a documentary called The Decline of Western Civilization, which chronicled the rise of the The Germs among L.A.'s punk scene. In 2008 the lives of Doom and the other band members were portrayed in What We Do is Secret, a biopic about Crash. The remaining members of the band reunited (with actor Shane West - who plays Crash in the film - on vocals) and are now active again.

Girl Germs picks the BEST MUSIC of 2010! (And predicts the musical future.)

We at Girl Germs have combed through every lady-band release we could get our hands on this year, and now we bring you...the best of 2010 (according to us). Make sure to tune in from 9 to 11 p.m.on Tuesday as Jenny and Dana will be counting down our top songs of the year and spinning the female artists who we think are going to be big deals in 2011!

BEST ALBUMS OF 2010
Jenny

1. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings – I Learned the Hard Way (Daptone)

2. Warpaint – The Fool (Rough Trade)

3. Janelle Monae – The Archandroid (Bad Boy)

4. Ana Tijoux - 1977 (Nacional)

5. Robyn – Body Talk (Interscope/Konichiwa)

6. Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart (Jagjaguwar)

7. Pink Mink - "Black Door"/"Earthquake on the Loose" [single] (Self-released)

8. Vaselines- Sex with an X (Sub Pop)

9. Sleigh Bells - Treats (Mom & Pop)

10. Corin Tucker Band – 1000 Years (Kill Rock Stars)

Anna

1. Charlotte Gainsbourg- IRM (Because/Elektra)
The daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin hits it out of the park with another amazing album, this time taking on Beck as a producer for an edgier, heavier sound. Like her last release, 5:55, I think this one will make it into my permanent rotation.

2. Dark Dark Dark- Bright Bright Bright [EP] (Supply and Demand)
Bright Bright Bright is easily one of my top releases of the year, showcasing this former local band’s exciting and challenging songwriting. This was my bus-ride soundtrack all winter long. 

3. Zola Jesus- Stridulum [EP]/Valusia [EP] (Sacred Bones)
A young lady from Wisconsin is the last person you’d expect to adopt a name like Zola Jesus, let alone to make music that sounds like a dark, sparse Siouxsie. She’s one of my new favorites.

4. Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me (Drag City)
The obtuse folk singer with a signature child-like crow broke her four-year silence with an unexpectedly lush triple LP. Have One on Me has some of the year’s best songs.

5. Best Coast- Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)
Twitter feuds and it-girl charges against Bethany Cosentino aside, this album was extremely well done and nearly impossible not to love. 

6. Laura Viers- July Flame (Raven Marching Band) 
The quietly prolific Viers put out yet another gem this year on her newly minted label, Raven Marching Band. She even took pains to stop by the Radio K studios- baby in tow! This is one of the year’s best-reviewed albums for good reason.

7. Dum Dum Girls- I Will Be (Sub Pop) 
The Sub Pop darlings put their own spin on garage-rock revival with their consistent debut.

8. CocoRosie- Grey Oceans (Sub Pop)
The Casady sisters have put out yet another dense, quirky album. Despite a continual rise to prominence and move to Sub Pop Records, tracks like “R.I.P. Burnface” suggest no sign of watering down their own unique brand of weird.

9. Sleigh Bells- Treats (Mom and Pop)
It took a while for this to grow on me (a reaction to too much buzz too soon, perhaps), but when it did, I fell head over heels for it. For an album best-known for its tendency to peak out your VU meter, these irresistible songs come as a pleasant surprise.

10. Marnie Stern- Marnie Stern (Kill Rock Stars)
More guitar-shredding wizardry from New-York based Marnie.

Honorable mention: Janelle Monae's The Archandroid and Robyn’s Body Talk.

Dana
1. Puro Instinct Puro Instinct [EP] (Self-released)
This year I was a complete sucker for spooky yet dreamy shoegaze-reminiscent bands (see my top three picks...). These L.A.-based sisters have made - and self-released - an EP that is the soundtrack to my dreams!

2. Is/Is This Happening [EP] (Guilt Ridden Pop)
Is/Is is tied with Cadette for my new favorite local band. I can't get enough of the four songs on This Happening, and I'm really excited to hear what they do next. I just realized that we didn't post the playlist from the episode where they were our guest DJs. Must track that down...

3. Warpaint The Fool (Rough Trade)
I waited with baited breath for this album to come out and it was worth every second. "Undertow" might be the best song ever and the video is extremely well done. Their signing to Rough Trade signals BIG things for these ladies.

4. Black Mountain Wilderness Heart (Jagjaguwar)
Black Mountain is one of my go-to bands. They blew me away this time with their shift away from prog-influenced epic jams and toward more straightforward rock songs. Webber's voice is always great, but the way it complements fellow singer Stephen McBean's on this album is particularly lovely.

5. Marnie Stern Marnie Stern (Kill Rock Stars)
Marnie can do no wrong. She's insanely talented, not to mention smart, articulate and sweet. Oh, and funny. Not that I'd ever encourage beef among lady musicians, but IF I DID, my money would be on Marnie in this whole Marnie Stern vs. Best Coast debacle.

6. Noun Holy Hell (Don Giovanni)
Screaming Females' Marissa Paternoster's solo debut was more dynamic and nuanced than any of SF's stuff - but it also rocked just as hard.

7. Scout Niblett The Calcination of Scout Niblett (Drag City)
I rushed out and bought this record when it came out because vinyl is the only way to truly appreciate the simultaneous subtlety and power of her songs. Still kicking myself for missing her the last two times she was in town!

8. Laetitia Sadier The Trip (Drag City)
The Stereolab frontwoman's solo debut is poppy without being sugary. Hearing her away from the blips and bloops of Stereolab was refreshing, although I love Stereolab's new record as well.

9. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings I Learned the Hard Way  (Daptone)
Sharon Jones = BAD-ASS. I dare you to watch her interview with Stephen Colbert and try not to both love her and be very, very afraid of her. For about a month this spring, "Give it Back" was all I listened to. the Dap-Kings are pretty cool, too.

10. Lullabye Arkestra Threats/Worship  (Vice)
Formerly a six-piece complete with horns, this Canadian band has pared down to its husband-and-wife core and its music has evolved into a booming, metal-esque sound that makes it hard to believe they are just a duo. Kat Taylor-Small is one of the best bass players in the biz (see for yourself here). They were kind enough to record an in-studio with Girl Germs in April, and it was amazing to be in the studio while they played!

Honorable mention: Cate Le Bon's Me Oh My, Indian Jewelry's Totaled, Phantogram's Eyelid Movies and Dark Dark Dark's Wild Go.







ARTISTS TO WATCH IN 2011


Jenny

Warpaint

Pink Mink 

Robyn

Black Mountain

Total Babe 

Anna

Is/Is
Puro Instinct
Zola Jesus

Anni Rossi

Noun

Dana

Warpaint
First Aid Kit
La Sera
Psalm One
Wild Flag

BIG NEWS about the future of Girl Germs

Hello friends of Girl Germs,

As you may have heard us discuss last night, we have some sad - but exciting - news regarding the show.

December 28, 2010 will be Girl Germs' final broadcast on Radio K. While we love the station and the time we've spent there, Jenny and I have decided that a student-run station is no longer the appropriate venue for what we envision for the show in 2011. Radio K is making some substantial changes and it seemed like the right time to part ways.

Never fear, though. Girl Germs won't be skipping a beat. In fact we'll be as contagious as ever. We'll be continuing our monthly "TV Party with Girl Germs" screening nights at the Red Stag Supperclub in Northeast Minneapolis through the spring, in addition to doing some exciting guest-blogging and mix-making over at High Plains Thrifter. We'll also be blogging like crazy on this site (which will move to a new address after the first of the year - we'll keep you updated on that). In early 2011 we plan to start producing and distributing new episodes, and as more information becomes available we'll keep you posted on where and how you'll be able to listen.

As longtime employees/volunteers at KUOM, this is a bittersweet goodbye - but we look forward to sharing music by groundbreaking female artists with even more listeners in the new year and beyond. Please watch this site and our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates, and we'll see you locals at the Red Stag Monday, Jan. 11 for our next TV Party with Girl Germs event, where we'll be screening episodes of Golden Girls (OMG Sophia! Blanche! Rose! Dorothy!). We'll let you know the dates of future TV Parties shortly.

Please comment here or send an email to radiokgirlgerms@gmail.com if you'd like to contact us about the change.

Thank you all for your continued support, Germs!

Playlist for 12.14.2010

Tonight was the ALL LOCAL show!

The Short Fuses	Funtimes	The Short Fuses
Is/Is	Eating Hourglasses	This Happening [EP]
Bleeding Hickeys	Roadkill	Lovers and Haters, Unite!
Pink Mink	Earthquake on the Loose	"Black Door"/"Earthquake on the Loose" [single]
To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie	The Patron	The Patron
Low	Your Poison	Drums & Guns
Dark Dark Dark	Daydreaming	Wild Go
Zoo Animal	Worker Bee	Zoo Animal
Zuzu's Petals	The Girl He First Met	The Music of Your Life
Cadette	Teething	Live on Radio K
The Soviettes	Portland	LPII
Divebomb Honey	Kinky Kinky	The Divebomb Honey [7"]
Zola Jesus	I Can't Stand	Stridulum [EP]
Lookbook	True to Form	Wild at Heart
Alicia Wiley	Goldmine	Both Sides
Alpha Centauri	Electrostatic	Lavarocks
BNLX	Do Without	EP #1
Gospel Gossip	Sippy Cup	Drift [EP]
Total Babe	Bearbones	Heatwave [EP]
February	Hit Me	Tomorrow is Today
Best Friends Forever	Eisenhower is the Father	Romance Conflict Adventure
Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lappelles	Postcard	Orange Peels and Rattlesnakes
Roma di Luna	Before I Die	Then the Morning Came
Dessa	Dixon's Girl	A Badly Broken Code
The Keep Aways	Standards	The Keep Aways
The Blue Up?	Breathe You Out	Cake and Eat It
Daisy's Compact Mice	Hipster Zine	Live on Radio K
Mute Era	Mute Era	Mute Era [EP]
Red Pens	Don't Be Sane	Reasons
Sharp Teeth	Let Me Stay Alive	Sharp Teeth
Brute Heart	Blooming Trees	EP
Babes in Toyland	Right Now	Fontanelle
Kelley Deal 6000	How Bout Hero	Stuck on AM: Live from Radio K
Desdamona	I Don't Stop	The Ledge

Girl Germs guest bloggin' on High Plains Thrifter

Check it out! Meghan of the lovely, Minneapolis-based High Plains Thrifter blog let Dana from Girl Germs be her guest blogger today. After you're done shoveling the billion feet of snow we received this weekend, listen to the sweet, all-female snowy Sunday soundtrack Dana made and then head on over to Mighty Swell, a big ol' vintage pop-up shop that HPT and a ton of other vintage vendors are putting on today in Northeast Minneapolis.

Enjoy!

Playlist for 12.07.2010

Thanks to Anna for co-hosting this week! Jenny will make a triumphant return next Tuesday.

ARTIST // SONG // ALBUM
Emma Pollock Acid Test Watch the Fireworks
The Kills What New York Used to Be Midnight Boom
Broken Social Scene Almost Crimes You Forgot it in People
Peaches You Love It (featuring Joan Jett) Impeach My Bush
Rainbow Arabia I Know I See I Love I Go The Basta [EP]
Eurythmics Here Comes the Rain Again Greatest Hits
Siouxsie and the Banshees The Staircase (Mystery) Once Upon a Time
Prince Rama Raghupati Shadow Temple
Juliana Hatfield Universal Heart-beat Only Everything
Anna Ternheim What Have I Done? What Have I Done [EP]
Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band I Felt Like Smashing My Face in a Clear Glass Window Between My Head and the Sky
La Sera Never Come Around Never Come Around [7"]
White Hinterland Icarus Kairos
Braids Lemonade Lemonade [single]
Asobi Seksu Thursday Citrus
Alice Russell I Don't Need This Trouble Under the Munka Moon Part II
Missy Elliot The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) Supa Dupa Fly
Gossip Dimestore Diamond Music for Men
Marnie Stern Building a Body Marnie Stern
Bruteheart Demons Rodentagogue: The Best of Dark Roots Music Volume II
Quasi Our Happiness is Guaranteed Featuring "Birds"
Liz Phair 6'1" Exile in Guyville
Peach Kelli Pop Do the Eggroll Peach Kelli Pop
Cocteau Twins Violaine Milk and Kisses
Puro Instinct I've Got Some Happiness Puro Instinct
Alice Coltrane Walk with Me Translinear Light
Delta 5 Triangle Singles and Sessions 1979-1981
Grace Jones She's Lost Control (Joy Division cover) Private Life
Yelle Ce Jeu Pop-Up

Interview with White Hinterland's Casey Dienel

Hey germs! Dana had an opportunity to interview Casey Dienel (a.k.a. one half of White Hinterland). Read the article here!

White Hinterland is playing Wednesday night at the 7th Street Entry with Elite Gymnastics and CLAPS. Click here for more info.

TV Party With Girl Germs: My So-Called Life! Monday, December 13th

Stay sharp, Germs! The latest installment of TV Party with Girl Germs is coming up next Monday, December 13th at the Red Stag Supperclub.
Up next we’ll be screening episodes of the much-loved mid-nineties teen classic My So-Called Life, a drama penned by Winnie Holzman and starring a young Claire Danes.

Fans remember My So-Called Life’s refreshingly honest and insightful portrayal of American teenagedom. The show captures the awkwardness of growing up with painful accuracy- the heartaches, friendships and conflicts feel credible and immediate. Characters like Rayanne, Ricky, Jordan Catelano,
Angela's parents Patty and Graham Chase, and even desperately nerdy neighbor Brian Krakow prove memorable and delightful. Holzman’s position as creator, armed with several female writers, helped to spur the invention of some of the most believable women on TV.

Come celebrate My So-Called Life with your best buds and fellow Girl Germs fans! We’ll be screening episodes from 9 pm onward. The Red Stag’s happy hour specials begin at 10 pm, with $3 domestics, $4 select taps, $4 select cocktails, $4 Crispin Ciders and $3 house wine, plus the happy hour menu (and kids, that truffled kettle corn is nothing short of magic.) Parking is widely available and free!

We hope to see you on Monday. Episode requests are encouraged! Email us, post on the wall of our Facebook event page or comment on this blog post.

TV Party with Girl Germs is sponsored by Radio K and The Onion.

November's Honorary Lady: Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter from 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'

The “Honorary Lady” is a monthly feature we do on Girl Germs in an effort to discuss the boundaries that come attached to a radio show devoted to female artists. We wish to challenge what it means to be a girl or lady, and to recognize that artists who fall outside of this gender definition do make huge contributions to the music and culture we celebrate on the show.

Yes, we realize that Dr. Frank-N-Furter is a fictional character. But actor/musician Tim Curry's depiction of the mad scientist proved (much like last month's HL, Seth Bogart) that you can challenge ideas of gender and sexuality that we as a culture take for granted while being hilarious. What's more, Curry did this in the '70s, when the idea of gender-bending transsexuals or transvestites (however sweet they might be) was still pretty taboo.


And come on...look at him. Dr, Frank-N-Furter, we at Girl Germs salute you!

Playlist for 11.30.2010

Artist // Song // Album

Blonde Redhead Equus Misery is a Butterfly
The Breeders Glorious Pod
Welcome Bunky Sirs
The Spells The Age of Backwards The Age of Backwards
Girlschool Race With the Devil Race with the Devil
Babes in Toyland He's My Thing Dystopia
Pink Mink Black Door Self-released
Eternal Summers Pogo Silver
Billie Holiday Pennies from Heaven The Complete Billie Holiday
Tori Amos The Springtime of his Voodoo Boys for Pele
Warpaint Undertow The Fool
Edith Piaf La Vie en Rose The Voice of the Sparrow
Luscious Jackson Gypsy Electric Honey
Bananarama No Feelings (Sex Pistols Cover) Party Party Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Quixotic Ice Cream Sundae Mortal Mirror
Sia Stop Trying We Are Born
Neko Case Favorite Canadian Amp
Best Friends Forever Eisenhower is the Father Romance Conflict Adventure
Zoo Animal My Lord Young Blood
Fiery Furnaces Duplexes of the Dead Widow City
Neneh Cherry I Ain't Gone Under Yet Homebrew
M83 Kim and Jessie Saturdays=Youth
Lookbook The Only Ones Wild at Heart
The Fresh Girls I Seen Your Boyfriend Ladies First
(Honorary Lady) Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter Sweet Transvestite Rocky Horror Picture Show Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Lovage Strangers on a Train Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By
Sort Sol feat. Lydia Lunch Boy-Girl Dagger and Guitar
Is/Is So Long This Happening [EP]
Odetta How Long Blues Odetta and the Blues
Lullabye Arkestra All I can give Ya Ampgrave
Sleigh Bells Kids Treats
Tribe 8 A Sad Poem Snarkism
Enon Those Who Don't Blink Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds
Times New Viking (My Head) Rip it Off

Playlist for 11.23.2010

Hello, friends! We are sorry to tell you that we are no longer able to offer streaming archives of new Girl Germs episodes. This is due to a new Radio K policy resulting from changes made by the company that handles our royalties. All the more reason to tune in Tuesday nights from 9 to 11 p.m. (via 104.5 FM or Radio K's website). BUT, we will still continue to offer the playlists. Like this one.

ESG	My Love for You	A South Bronx
Mum	Kay-Ray-Ku-Ku-Ko-Kex	Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know
Lesley Gore	The Look of Love	Phil's Spectre III
Y La Bamba	Crocodile Eyes	Lupon
Nina Simone	Gimme Some (Mike Mangini remix)	Verve Remixed 4
Fiona Apple	The Way Things Are	When the Pawn…
Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles	Bula Bula	Good of That
Corin Tucker Band	Half a World Away	1,000 Years
Wendy O. Williams and Lemmy	Stand By Your Man (Tammy Wynette cover)	Stand By Your Man [EP]
Mika Miko	On the Rise	We Be Xuxa
Screamin Cyn Cyn and the Pons	Damn Girl	Damn Girl
Hole	Gutless	Live Through This
The Coathangers	Parcheezi	The Coathangers
Nancy Sinatra	Burnin' Down the Spark	Nancy Sinatra
Stereolab	Laserblast	Not Music
Rings	Mom Dance	Black Habit
Hecuba	The Magic	Paradise
Cibo Matto	Sugar Water	Viva! La Woman
CSS	Rat is Dead (Rage)	Donkey
Blondie	Heart of Glass	Greatest Hits
The Knife	We Share Our Mother's Health	Silent Shout
Lykke Li	I'm Good, I'm Gone	Youth Novels
Santogold	Shove it (featuring Spank Rock)	Santogold
Lady Sovereign	9 to 5	Public Warning
Heart	Little Queen	Essential Heart
The Big Sleep	Murder	Son of the Tiger
You Say Party, We Say Die!	Quiet World	Lose All Time
Eagle and Talon	Ice Life	Thracian
Ana Tijoux	Partir de Cero	1977
Robyn	Dancing On My Own	Body Talk
Red Aunts	Alright!	Ghetto Blaster

Lady you should know about: Wendy O. Williams

Where to even start with Wendy O. Williams? She is definitely one of the most groundbreaking artists of our time - if not the most. She's best known for fronting the Plasmatics, but she was also an artist, daredevil, film and TV actor, animal rights activist and even worked for a time as a macrobiotic cook!

Williams was born in 1949 and left high school to travel around the world. In 1976 she arrived in New York City and met Rod Swenson, who would become her life-long partner and collaborator. Williams and Swenson formed the Plasmatics, an ever-changing lineup of musicians centered around Williams and guitarist Wes Beech, with Swenson acting as the band's manager. the band embarked on a career of outlandish performances that often became violent spectacles, status quo-challenging statements and a trademark punk-metal sound.

The Plasmatics became huge in the NYC punk underground in the late '70s and were a mainstay of the CBGB's lineup. They eventually started attracting larger audiences, drawing famous fans like Gene Simmons of KISS, and signed to Capitol Records (who later dropped them) in 1982. Williams' unpredictable and chaotic performances - one of which resulted in her being arrested for obscenity and beaten - included chainsaws, nudity and explosives, even driving a car through a wall of televisions for a video. Williams embarked on a solo career after the band parted ways in the mid-'80s and recorded a duet of Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man" with Lemmy of Motorhead (which you just might hear on the show tomorrow...). Williams and Swenson eventually moved to Connecticut, where Williams committed suicide (after two previous attempts) in 1998.

Through her music, attitude, appearance, lyrics and articulate outspokenness Williams questioned and challenged how we perceive just about everything from femininity and violence to materialism and music genres. And for that, she is a lady you should know about.

Playlist for 11.16.2010

Here's what Pink Mink played when they stopped by Radio K to guest DJ with Jenny!

Artist // Song // Album
The Vaselines Sex with an X Sex with an X
Michael Franti featuring Lady Shaw Shake It The Sound of Sunshine
Dolly Parton Jolene The Essential Dolly Parton volume 2
Pink Mink Earthquake on the Loose Demo
Nico These Days Chelsea Girl
Basia Bulat Heart of My Own Heart of My Own
Hot Lava Lady Postman Split with the Sad Cobras [7"]
Gospel Gossip Nashville Dreamland [EP]
Deerhoof The Perfect Me Friend Opportunity
The Revillos Where's the Boy for Me Motorbike Beat
The Pretenders The Wait Pretenders
The Avengers The American in Me The American in Me
Stereo Total Patty Hearst Paris-Berlin
The Muffs Lucky Guy Muffs
Teenage Jesus and the Jerks Orphans Everything
Heart Bebe Le Strange Bebe Le Strange
Tina Turner The Acid Queen Acid Queen
Suzi Quatro 48 crash The Wild One: Classic Quatro

Grease Rag Minneapolis’ 2nd Annual Winter Maintenance Skill-Share- This Sunday!

Attention, germ-ridden cyclists- Grease Rag Ride & Wrench of Minneapolis is holding their 2nd annual Winter Maintenance Skill-Share this Sunday, November 21st at Sunrise Cyclery in Uptown. The group, who holds regular open shop nights on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month from 7-9 pm at Sunrise, aims to “encourage and empower women/trans/femme (WTF) cyclists in a collaborative and fun learning environment through rides, discussions, shop nights and educational seminars in a safer space in Minneapolis.”

The Winter Maintenance Skill-Share is free and open to all WTF cyclists, plus you can expect vegan goodies, collaborative learning about maintaining your bike in the winter, and opportunities to rub elbows with some awesome, like-minded bike enthusiasts. Events start at noon and go 'til 3 on Sunday. Check out Grease Rag’s wordpress for more info and updates! You can RSVP to the event here.

Grease Rag pics on Flickr
Sunrise Cyclery

Stream for 11.09.2010

Playlist for 11.09.2010

Black Mountain	Wilderness Heart	Wilderness Heart
PJ Harvey	The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore	Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Crunt	Unglued	Crunt
Sleater-Kinney	The Fox	The Woods
Blonde Redhead	Not Getting There	Penny Sparkle
Stevie Nicks	Edge of Seventeen	Bella Donna
Zola Jesus	I Can't Stand	Stridulum [EP]
Bat For Lashes	I'm on Fire (Bruce Springsteen Cover)	Fur and Gold
Warpaint	Undertow (Blackbird Blackbird Remix)	Undertow [single]
Indeep	Last Night a DJ Saved My Life	After Dark
Crystal Castles	Crimewave	Crystal Castles
Digitata	You Best Believe Me	Two Daggers
Roberta Flack	Killing Me Softly	Killing Me Softly
Linda Ronstadt	Hurt So Bad	Mad Love
Hot Lava	Ghosties	Lavalogy
Splendora	You're Standing on My Neck	In the Grass
Ella Fitzgerald	Where or When	The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books
Mavis Staples	Don't Knock	You Are Not Alone
My Bloody Valentine	Lose My Breath	Isn't Anything
Oh Land	Son of a Gun	EP
The Supremes	Baby Love	The Ultimate Collection
The Detroit Cobras	You'll Never Change	Tied and True
Land of Talk	Speak to Me Bones	Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
Nena	99 Red Balloons	99 Luftballoons
M.I.A.	Galang	Arular
Brazilian Girls	Jique	Talk to La Bomb
John Legend and the Roots	Wake Up Everybody (featuring Melanie Fiona)	Wake Up!
Mirah and Spectratone International	Community	Share This Place
Joni Mitchell	Both Sides Now	Clouds
Madder Rose	One Armed Bandit	Panic On [EP]

TV Party With Girl Germs: Daria! Monday, November 15th

We are beyond stoked that the first installment of our new winter TV-screening series, TV Party with Girl Germs, is coming up on Monday, November 15th at the Red Stag Supperclub. Good TV? At a bar? With fellow Girl Germs fans and drink specials to boot? Sounds like you'd be nuts not to come out!

We're kicking off the series with our favorite precocious MTV girl, Daria. A painfully sarcastic, yet honest and insightful teenager, Daria proved to be a refreshing voice of reason for those of us disenchanted with mainstream culture. Her quips and dry sense of humor prove no less relevant today than when her eponymous show first aired, between 1997 and 2002. Her critical attitude and unflinching individuality make her a perfect Girl Germs icon to celebrate.

We'll be screening episodes of this classic 'toon from 9 pm onward- The Red Stag is also offering happy hour specials from 9 pm to close; that's $3 domestics, $4 select taps, $4 select cocktails, $4 Crispin Ciders and $3 house wine. Plus, parking is abundant (and more importantly, free!)

We hope to see you out on Monday! Episode requests are welcome, in blog comments or via our Facebook event page. Write an episode request for a chance to win a special Girl Germs prize (winner picked at random and awarded at the event!).

TV Party with Girl Germs is sponsored by Radio K and The Onion.

Stream for 11.02.2010

Playlist for 11.02.2010

Young Marble Giants	Salad Days	Colossal Youth
Chairlift	Planet Health	Does You Inspire You
Garbage	Vow	Garbage
Is/Is	Eating Hourglasses	This Happening [EP]
Sharon Van Etten	One Day	Epic
Tracey Thorn	Oh, the Divorces!	Love and its Opposite
Regina Spektor	Fidelity	Begin to Hope
Peaches	Talk to Me	I Feel Cream
Sonic Youth	Little Trouble Girl	Washing Machine
Christmas	Namiot	Namiot [7"]
The Ronettes	Baby I Love You	Best of
Best Coast	When I'm With You	Crazy for You
Mazzy Star	Wasted	So Tonight That I Might See
Nancy Sinatra	Daytripper (Beatles cover)	You Go-Go Girl!
The Sugarcubes	Birthday	Life's Too God
Black Tambourine	Pack You Up	Black Tambourine
The Slits	I Heard it Through the Grapevine	Cut
Electrelane	I've Been Your Fan Since Yesterday	Singles, B-Sides and Live
Janis Joplin	Me and Bobby McGee	The Essential Janis Joplin
Yoko Ono	Walking on Thin Ice	Walking on Thin Ice
Ike and Tina Turner	Nutbush City Limits	Proud Mary: The Best of Ike and Tina Turner
Dixie Cups	I'm Gonna Get You Yet	Chapel of Love
Joan Jett	Crimson and Clover	Fit to Be Tied
Shop Assistants	Train from Kansas City	Will Anything Happen
CocoRosie	Terrible Angels	La Maison de Mon Reve
Azure Ray	Dragonfly	Hold on Love
Sia	Oh Father (Madonna cover)	We Are Born
Marnie Stern	For Ash	Marnie Stern
Selby Tigers	Flashbars	Charm City
Desdamona	Faulty Fuses	The Ledge

Q+A with Amy Bezunartea

You've heard us play a couple songs recently from Amy Bezunartea's debut full-length, Restaurants and Bars. Amy is a Brooklyn-based artist whose experiences working as a waitress have heavily inspired her songs.

Restaurants and Bars comes out this Tuesday, Nov. 2 on Jennifer O'Connor's label, Kiam Records. Recently Girl Germs got a chance to chat with Amy about her record, her inspiration, her dream touring companion (Linda Ronstadt!) and what lady artists she's digging right now.

Girl Germs: How did you get started as a musician? How long have you been performing?Amy Bezunartea: I always sang as a little girl and I started playing guitar as a teenager. Performing has always been a struggle, it's very scary.  But in the last few years I have performed a lot with [Amy's other project]  Clint Michigan and now I'm gearing up for some solo performances.

What inspired you to start making music?

Great songs have always been an inspiration.  I remember when "These Dreams" by Heart was on the radio when I was little and I thought it was so amazing.  Songs like "Free Fallin", "Back on the Chain Gang", "Rocket Man", "Helpless".  I could go on and on, but you hear a song like that and it changes everything.

I remember hearing artists like Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell for the first time and becoming totally obsessed with what they did.

Who are some of your greatest musical influences, male or female?

I'm such a big music fan, it's so hard to say! I love Tom Petty, Dolly Pardon, Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Loretta Lynn, Joni Mitchell, Kanye West, Kim Deal, Chrissie Hynde, Tina Turner.  I could go on and on.

How did Jennifer find out about your music and how did your signing to Kiam Records come about?

I met Jennifer when I joined the band Clint Michigan.  Clint and I would do a mix of our songs sometimes and that's how she first heard my music. Kiam records released a Clint Michigan record in 2009 and then Jennifer wanted to release my solo record too.

How does it feel to have your debut record coming out? Does it help to have an established artist like Jennifer standing behind you?

I'm equally excited and terrified about the record.  Part of me is thrilled that I finally did this and the other part is just scared of what people are going to think.  Today I'm happy about it...for now. I couldn't have made this record without Jennifer.  She really pushed me through the entire painful process, from writing to recording, to performing and promoting the record. She is a total go-getter when it comes to Kiam Records. She really wants people to hear the music she puts out and she really believes in it.

What will you do once the album is released on Nov. 2? Any plans for a tour?  

I am doing a Fall mini-tour with Winston Troy.  She's this great one-woman band with looped guitar tracks and effects.  We're playing five East Coast shows.

If you could collaborate or tour with any musician ever, who would it be and why?

Whoa!  One of my favorite records is called "Trio".  It's a collaboration with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt.  It has such pretty songs on it and they harmonize so beautifully together.  I would love to be the fourth wheel in that group.  I think singing and harmonies are one of my favorite things about making music. If I had to choose, I would hit the road with Linda.  She's also from Arizona and her voice is incredible and I think we would have a good time together.

What are some of your favorite lady bands or artists right now?

Joanna Newsom is an amazing songwriter and musician.  I love her records. I just heard the new Sharon Van Etten record and it's gorgeous.  I'm sold on Florence & the Machine after seeing her sing on the MTV Music Awards. I love watching Jennifer Hudson sing too; she always kills it.  Lady Gaga is a star, Rhianna too.  Lots of interesting ladies abound these days!

Buy Amy's (and Clint Michigan's and Jennifer O'Connor's) music from Kiam here, and download some free tracks from Restaurants and Bars (courtesy of Kiam) here.

October's Honorary Lady: Seth Bogart of Hunx and His Punx

The “Honorary Lady” is a monthly feature we do on Girl Germs in an effort to discuss the boundaries that come attached to a radio show devoted to female artists. We wish to challenge what it means to be a girl or lady, and to recognize that artists who fall outside of this gender definition do make huge contributions to the music and culture we celebrate on the show.

One of the non-lady artists we're loving right now is Seth Bogart, a mainstay of the Bay Area garage-punk scene. While in the Kill Rock Stars-signed electro-pop band Gravy Train!!!! (which, if you're a fan of Le Tigre, you should definitely check out), Bogart took the pseudonym Hunx and, in 2008, formed Hunx and His Punx. A nod to '60s doo-wop and girl groups (not to mention poppy garage-rock from days of yore) and featuring an all-female backing band, Hunx and His Punx were soon touring with Nobunny and Jay Reatard, and even had a song featured in a LensCrafters commercial. (!)

Bogart is gay, and has never shied away from the topic of queer love - or sex in general (nor does he really shy away from anything; he even appeared in his skivvies in Girls' "Lust for Life" video). But Bogart doesn't feed into the stereotypes that so often permeate so-called "queer music." His persona is brazen, but still genuine, and his portrayals of gay romance - while tongue-in-cheek and often hilarious - seem to be from the heart. Bogart's music is especially inclusive of ladies - he often plays with female musicians, and he owns a combo vintage boutique/hair salon/record store with Tina Luchessi (who's been in Tina and the Total Babes and dozens of other rock bands).

Hunx and His Punx will release a full-length on Hardly Art in early 2011, and Bogart's side project, H.U.N.X. will release what he called in an interview with Out Magazine, "the gayest dance record ever." We can't wait.

Playlist for 10.26.2010

Shannon and the Clams	The Warlock in the Woods	I Wanna Go Home
The Chiffons	He's So Fine	The Golden Girls Sing the Golden Hits of the '50s and '60s
Kill to Kill	Sugar Sugar	Fighter
Pierced Arrows	This is the Day	Descending Shadows
Doris Day	Teacher's Pet	Doris Day's Greatest Hits
Rilo Kiley	More Adventurous	More Adventurous
Suzi Quatro	Suicide	If You Knew Suzi…
Joni Mitchell	River	Blue
Doomtree	Sadie Hawkins	Doomtree
Glass Candy	Nite Nurses	Love Love Love
Buffalo Daughter	Socks Drugs and Rock n Roll	New Rock
Janelle Monae	Cold War	The Archandroid
Rasputina	Transylvanian Concubine	Thanks for the Ether
Heads and Bodies	The Will of Machines	Ground to Join the Dust [EP]
Screaming Females	Boss	Castle Talk
Shangri-Las	Leader of the Pack	Billboard Top Rock n Roll Hits 1964
Frankenixon	I Hate You	Frankenixon is Dead
Is/Is	Pretty Girl	This Happening [EP]
Marnie Stern	Building a Body	Marnie Stern
Tammy Wynette	Divorce Sale	Tammy's Touch
The Slits	Earthbeat	Return of the Giant Slits
The Slits	Slits Tradition	Revenge of the Killer Slits [EP]
The New Age Steppers	Fade Away	The New Age Steppers
The Slits	Typical Girls	Cut
Hunx and His Punx	Hey Rocky	Gay Singles
Ladies Who Lunch	Bull in the Heather (Sonic Youth cover)	Kims We Love
Dark Dark Dark	Celebrate	Wild Go
The Carter Family	Blackjack David	Best of the Carter Family
Autoclave	Dr. Seuss	Autoclave
Kelis	Good Stuff	Kaleidoscope
The Vaselines	Turning it On	Sex with an X