June 2011
4 posts
How I heard about the Coathangers
The Coathangers are an experimental/rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They are: The Crook Kid Coathanger: Vocals, guitar, tamborine; Minnie Coathanger: Vocals, bass, tamborine; Rusty Coathanger: Vocals, drums; Bebe Coathanger: Vocals, keys. The band formed in 2006 as a joke, played a house show and were asked to open for The Hiss on the strength of their performance. The name was chosen for its vulgarity - an irreverent take on abortions - though all band members are pro-choice.
(stolen from Dedicala)
I was about to whine about how bands should stop featuring pictures of nude women in relatively vulnerable positions for their album covers. I had just seen the cover for The Coathangers’ most recent release “Larceny and Old Lace”.
But I had the right mind to do a little research on the band first and found them to be awesome based only on the following five facts.
1. “Larceny & Old Lace” is reference to a Golden Girls episode and also a Cary Grant movie.
2. Their band name is a reference to the old school way of giving yourself an abortion in times when it was illegal to do so - yes, a coathanger. And they’re all pro-choice.
3. None of them knew how to play instruments when they started the band as a joke at a party. Now three albums later, they’ve got critical acclaim, a following and talent. I find this most inspiring of all because of all the times people have told me I couldn’t play or I really shouldn’t start a band. Anyone can start a band with creativity, brains and hard work.
4. They remind me of something between Le Tigre and German feminist punk bands.
5. They’re campy and they know how to make fun of themselves.
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Still, naked ladies on tasteless album covers is still an issue I would like to tackle… tomorrow. I promise! In the meantime, enjoy the punk riot rock stylings of the Coathangers:
Bjork releases next album on Ipad →
guardian.co.uk
…but not exactly like the Gorillaz did.
(Photo: Getty Images)
“When Apple announced details of its iPad early last year, it acted as a catalyst for what would become Biophilia, Björk’s seventh and most elaborate album, the title of which means “love of life or living systems”. Along with a conventional album release, complete with music videos – at least one of which has been directed by Eternal Sunshine’s Michel Gondry – Biophilia will also be released as an “app album” and premiered as a multimedia live extravaganza at MIF.”
Josephine Baker - "J'ai deux amours"
This is one of my favorite songs by Ms. Josephine Baker. Partly because when I moved to Paris to pursue music, I assumed I would love it instantly, which was not the case at all. Like all nomadic peoples, you kind of have to build a home for it to become familiar to you. And while I still don’t know if Paris is my second love, I definitely feel unusually lucky to be living in a city that allows me to live off of music/art when it isn’t possible for me to do so at home - something Ms. Baker and I have in common.
