Archive for the Girls Who Rock Category
The story of the 1970’s teenage all-girl rock band The Runaways is one for the ages in both rock ‘n roll and punk rock. To read it in print exposes one to the extreme highs and lows that life in the world of rock and roll and punk rock proffers its disciples. The notion of watching the story unfold on screen promises to engage those unfamiliar with The Runaways a slice of cinematic intrigue with the all-too-true story of Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Sandy West and Lita Ford.
Picture, then, the story of four teenaged girls who form a rock band in Los Angeles leading them to early fame, an unlikely connection to the newly-emerging scene of punk rock and sold out shows the world over. Their true story, as told by director Floria Sigismondi will feature expected breakout performances from two of Hollywood’s respected young actors: Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. From the looks of this short trailer, there’s good reason for us to remain interested and optimistic about the finished film.
There is nobody in music quite like the one known as Res (pronounced ‘Reese’). A classically-trained born-and-raised Illadelphian vocalist with a soaring range, Res was raised on the strains of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Teddy Pendergrass. However, as her musical boundaries expanded, she developed a prurient interest in rock music — diverse artists like Berlin, Pearl Jam and The Eurythmics. Res’s understated power as a songwriter and vocalist first came to light in 2001 with the release of her album How I Do, fusing her vocal fury with a series of rock and soul tracks which many (including me) felt solidified her position as the shape of things to come. The album, which yielded the single “They-Say Vision”, preserved Res’s incomparable collaborations with an equally-young-and-hopeful former A&R rep named Santi White, who so believed in the project, she quit her A&R job to work full-time with Res. (Today, of course, the world now knows her better as the massively successful Santigold)
But back in those strange salad days, the music business became cruel and dark to many artists. Layoffs and broken contracts became a touchstone of the early-mid 21st century, and Res got caught in the crossfire of record labels who couldn’t figure out how to market her music. Was she a soul singer? Was she a rocker? To her hardcore fans, the delineation hardly mattered; they knew what she was capable of, and Res did too.
More info and a free MP3 after the jump.
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