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Here to compare for most of my favourite female singers their age and birthday (listed chronologic), with place of birth (if indicated) and short description (as shown in Wikipedia).

(born before 1940)

+ Bessie Smith (July 9, 1892 or April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer.

+ Marlene Dietrich (27 December 1901 – 6 May 1992, Berlin, Germany) was a German-born American actress and singer.Although she still made occasional films in the post-war years, Dietrich spent most of the 1950s to the 1970s touring the world as a successful show performer. In 1999 the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth greatest female star of all time.

+ Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day.

+ Édith Piaf, born Édith Giovanna Gassion (19 December 1915 -10 October 1963), French singer and cultural icon who is almost universally regarded as France's greatest.

92 - Vera Lynn Dame Vera Lynn, DBE (born 20 March 1917) is an English singer whose career flourished during World War II. Nicknamed "The Forces' Sweetheart", the songs most associated with her are "We'll Meet Again" and "The White Cliffs of Dover".

+ Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 in Newport News, VA – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella (the First Lady of Song), was one of the most influential jazz singers of the 20th Century, the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards.

+ Peggy Lee (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American Grammy award winning jazz and popular music singer and songwriter and Academy Award-nominated actress. She was born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota.

+ Maria Callas (New York City December 2, 1923 – Paris, France September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the twentieth century.

+ Dinah Washington (August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American blues, jazz, and gospel singer. Because of her strong voice and emotional singing, she is known as the “Queen of the Blues”

+ Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane Mortenson (Los Angeles, 1 juni 1926 – 5 augustus 1962).

83 - Irene Papas - Irene Papas (born September 3, 1926) is a Greek actress and occasional singer.

+ Julie London (September 26, 1926 – October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress who was known for her smoky, sensual voice (Cry me a river). Born in Santa Rosa, California,

+ Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 - 10 November 2008) was a South African singer and civil rights activist also known as Mama Africa.

+ Patsy Cline (September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963), born Virginia Patterson Hensley, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s. Since her death at age 30 in a 1963 plane crash at the height of her career, she has been considered one of the most influential, successful, revered, and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century

76 - Petula Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades. Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II. During the 1960s she became known internationally for her popular upbeat hits, including "Downtown," "I Know a Place," "My Love," "Colour My World," "A Sign of the Times," and "Don't Sleep in the Subway". With more than 70 million records sold worldwide, she is the most successful British female solo recording artist ever and is cited as such in the Guinness Book of World Records.

76 - Yoko Ono, (born February 18, 1933), is a Japanese-American artist and musician. She is known for her marriage to John Lennon and for her work as an avant-garde artist and musician.

+ Nina Simone - Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known by her stage name Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist.

75 - Brigitte Bardot (born 28 September 1934) is a French actress, former fashion model, singer and animal welfare/rights activist.

74 - Loretta Lynn (born Loretta Webb on April 14, 1935) is an American country music singer-songwriter; she was one of the leading country vocalists and songwriters during the 1960s and 1970s and is revered as a country music cultural icon.

72 - Roberta Flack - Roberta Flack (Feb 10, 1937 in Asheville NC, USA).

72 - Wanda Jackson - Wanda Lavonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist.[1] She is known to many as the The First Lady (or Queen) of Rockabilly, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence on April 4, 2009.

71 - Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938) is an American blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll and jazz singer and songwriter. She is the winner of four Grammys, seventeen Blues Music Awards, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (in 1993), the Blues Hall of Fame (in 2001), and the Grammy Hall of Fame (in both 1999 and 2008).

+ Nico, Christa Päffgen (October 16, 1938 – July 18, 1988), singer of psychedelic sixties band The Velvet Underground.

+ Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien OBE (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known as Dusty Springfield, was a pop singer and entertainer. Of all the female British pop artists of the 1960s, she made one of the biggest impressions on the American market. Owing to her distinctive sensual sound, she was one of the most notable white soul artists.

70 - Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington).

70 - Grace Slick - Grace Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing on October 30, 1939), singer of psychedelic sixties band Jefferson Airplane.

69 - Tina Turner - Tina Turner, Anna Mae Bullock (Nutbush, 26 november 1939).


(born between 1940 - 1950)

69 - Merrilee Rush (born January 26, 1940, Seattle, Washington, USA) is an American singer best known for her recording of the song "Angel of the Morning", a Top 10 charting song which earned her a Grammy nomination for Female Vocalist Of The Year in 1968.

69 - Nancy Sinatra - Nancy Sandra Sinatra Jr (born June 8, 1940, in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of the legendary singer Frank Sinatra and his first wife Nancy Barbato.

68 - Joan Baez - Joan Chandos Baez (born in Staten Island, NYC, USA, on January 9, 1941), folk singer.

+ Cass Elliot (September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), born Ellen Naomi Cohen, was a noted American singer, best remembered as Mama Cass of the pop quartet The Mamas & The Papas. After the group broke up, she had a successful solo career, releasing five studio albums. Elliot was found dead in her room in London from an apparent heart attack after two weeks of sold-out performances at the Palladium. In 1998, the four members of the group were inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

67 - Carole King - Carole King, born as Carole Klein (Brooklyn (New York), 9 februari 1942).

67 - Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942) is a Memphis, Tennessee-born but Detroit, Michigan-raised American iconic gospel, soul, and R&B singer. Many have called her “The Queen Of Soul” and “Lady Soul”. She is renowned for her soul and R&B recordings but is also adept at jazz, rock, blues, pop, and gospel. She is generally regarded as one of the best vocalists ever.

67 - Barbra Streisand - Barbra Streisand (born Barbara Joan Streisand, April 24, 1942) is an American singer, film and theatre actress.

+ Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette (May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998), was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of country music's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists.

+ Janis Joplin - Janis Lyn Joplin (Port Arthur (Texas), 19 januari 1943 – Los Angeles (Californië), 4 oktober 1970).

66 - Cilla Black (born Priscilla Maria Veronica White on 27 May 1943) is a British singer, actress and television performer, origin from Liverpool, Lancashire, England, who has been successful as an entertainer from 1963 through the present day. She is most famous worldwide for her successful singles "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and "You're My World". After a successful recording career and a brief time as a comedy actress, she became the best paid female presenter in British television history.

66 - Christine McVie - born Christine Anne Perfect, July 12, 1943, in Birmingham, Greenodd, Cumbria, England) is an English singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Her primary fame came as a member of the band Fleetwood Mac.

66 - Joni Mitchell - Joni Mitchell, born as Roberta Joan Anderson (Fort Macleod (Alberta, Canada), 7 november 1943).

65 - Françoise Hardy - Françoise Madeleine Hardy (née le 17 janvier 1944 à Paris).

65 - Diana Ross (born Diana Ernestine Earle Ross; March 26, 1944, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.) is an American singer and actress. During the 1960s, she helped shape the Motown Sound as lead singer of The Supremes, before leaving the group for a solo career on January 14, 1970. Since the beginning of her career with The Supremes and as a solo artist, Ross has sold more than 100 million records.

65 - Patti LaBelle (born Patricia Louise Holt on May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a hugely revered R&B/soul singer who fronted two moderately successful groups before rising to stardom as a solo artist in the late 1970s, influencing a new generation of female singers.

65 - Nona Hendryx (born October 9, 1944 in Trenton, New Jersey) is an American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Marmalade."

64 - Anna McGarrigle, (born December 4, 1944, Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts, Quebec) is a Canadian folk music singer/songwriter who writes and performs as a duo Kate & Anna McGarrigle with her sister Kate McGarrigle.

64 - Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.), better known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music with equal conviction and power; and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis. She is best known for her 1960 hit "I'm Sorry".

64 - Sally Carr (born Sarah Cecilia Young on 28 March 1945, in Muirhead, Lanarkshire). Lead singer of Middle of the Road were a Scottish pop group who enjoyed great success across Europe in the early 1970s.

64 - Carly Simon - Carly Elisabeth Simon (New York City, 25 juni 1945).

64 - Deborah Harry - Debbie Harry, american singer, born as Deborah Ann Harry (Miami, 1 juli 1945), lead singer of punk band Blondie .

64 - Kim Carnes (born July 20, 1945 in Pasadena, California) is an American singer-songwriter. She is noted for her distinctive, raspy voice which she attributes to many hours spent singing in smoky bars and clubs.

63 - Bette Midler - Bette Davis Midler (born December 1, 1945).

63 - Dolly Parton - Dolly Rebecca Parton (Sevierville (Tennessee), 19 januari 1946).

63 - Kate McGarrigle, (born February 6, 1946, Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian folk music singer-songwriter, who writes and performs as a duo Kate & Anna McGarrigle with her sister Anna McGarrigle.

63 - Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, later adopted by Gilbert LaPierre) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, author and entertainer. Among her many career accomplishments in music, television and film, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards among others.

63 - Linda Ronstadt - Linda Marie Ronstadt (Tucson (Arizona), 15 juli 1946).

62 - Jane Birkin - Jane Mallory Birkin, née le 14 décembre 1946 à Londres.

62 - Marianne Faithfull - Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946).

62 - Patti Smith - Patti Smith, Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946 in Chicago).

+ Sandy Denny, born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny (6 January 1947 – 21 April 1978), England.

62 - Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born February 3, 1947, in Astoria, New York City) is an American singer-songwriter. Usually known professionally as Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and "What Have They Done To My Song Ma". Melanie has sold over 25 million records over the course of her career.

62 - Sandie Shaw (born Sandra Ann Goodrich, 26 February 1947, Dagenham, Essex, England) is a British singer. She was, as described in the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "the barefoot pop princess of the 1960s", owing to her distinctive penchant of performing on stage without shoes.

62 - Jennifer Warnes - Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947) is a Grammy winning American singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer. She is known for her rich soprano/contralto voice, her interpretations of compositions written by herself and many others, as well as an extensive playlist as a vocalist on movie soundtracks.

62 - Kiki Dee (born Pauline Matthews, 6 March 1947, Little Horton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England) is a singer-songwriter, with a career that has lasted over 40 years.

62 - Emmylou Harris - Emmylou Harris (Birmingham (Alabama), 2 april 1947).

62 - Laurie Anderson is an American experimental performance artist, visual artist and musician. Laura Phillips Anderson was born June 5, 1947, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States. She attended Mills College in California, and eventually graduated from Barnard College magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, studying art history. In 1972, she obtained an MFA in sculpture from Columbia University. She became more widely known in 1982 with the single “O Superman”.

62 - Julie Covington (born 11 September 1947, London) is an English singer and actress, best known for recording the original version of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina".

+ Mariska Veres (1 October 1947 - 2 December 2006) was a Dutch singer who was best known as the lead singer of the rock group Shocking Blue.

62 - France Gall - France Gall (born Isabelle Genevieve Marie Anne Gall on October 9, 1947 in Paris).

+ Minnie Riperton (Nov 8, 1947 - July 12, 1979).

61 - Gigliola Cinquetti - Gigliola Cinquetti (b. 20 December 1947 in Verona, Italy) is an Italian singer.

61 - Patty Pravo - Patty Pravo (born 9 April 1948 Venice, Italy) is the stage name of Italian pop singer Nicoletta Strambelli.

61 - Kate Pierson - Catherine Elizabeth Pierson (born 27 April 1948 in Weehawken, New Jersey) is an American vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. She also plays keyboard, guitar and bass for the band.

61 - Grace Jones (born Grace Mendoza on May 19, 1948, in Spanish Town, Jamaica) is a model, singer and actress.

61 - Stevie Nicks - Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born on May 26, 1948, in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and has sold nearly 120 million albums. She has been noted for her ethereal visual style and symbolic lyrics.

61 - Olivia Newton-John born 26 September 1948 in Cambridge, United Kingdom is a British-born, Australian-raised singer and actress.

60 - Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE, (born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie on 3 November 1948 in Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire), best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, actress, model and television personality, who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day. She is most famous worldwide for her hit "To Sir, With Love" and in the UK for "Shout".

60 - Chi Coltrane (born on Nov 16, 1948 in Racine, Wisconsin) was an American singer/songwriter who entered the charts in many countries with her eponymous debut album by November of 1972.

60 - Donna Summer (born LaDonna Adrian Gaines December 31, 1948, Boston, Massachusetts, US) is an American singer and songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of music, earning the title "The Queen of Disco".

60 - Véronique Sanson (full name, Veronique Marie Line Sanson, according to the ASCAP Songwriter's Database, born April 24, 1949, in Boulogne, near Paris, France) is a two-time Victoires de la Musique Award-winning French singer-songwriter, musician, and producer with an avid following in her native country.

60 - Rory Block - Aurora "Rory" Block (born November 6, 1949, in Princeton, New Jersey) is an American female blues guitarist and singer, a notable exponent of the country blues style.

60 - Bonnie Raitt - Bonnie Lynn Raitt (Burbank (Californië), 8 november 1949).


(born between 1950 - 1960)

59 - Mary Hopkin (born 3 May 1950, Pontardawe, Wales) is a Welsh folk singer. She is best known as one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label, and for her 1968 single "Those Were The Days".

59 - Suzi Quatro (born Susan Kay Quatrocchio, June 3, 1950, Detroit, Michigan) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, radio personality and actress.

59 - Lynsey de Paul (born Lynsey Monckton Rubin, 11 June 1950, Cricklewood, London) is an English singer-songwriter.

58 - Tina Weymouth (Martina Michèle "Tina" Weymouth) (born on November 22, 1950 in Coronado, California) is an American musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the influential New Wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club.

58 - Joan Armatrading - Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE, (born 9 December 1950, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, UK) is a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee.

58 - Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) is an American country singer best known for a series of country-pop crossover hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". She accumulated 18 No. 1 country hits during the 1970s and 1980s. She is also famous for her nearly floor-length hair and was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world in 1983. She is the younger sister of singer Loretta Lynn (16 years younger).

58 - Ellen Foley (born June 5, 1951 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American singer and actress, who has appeared on Broadway and television, where she co-starred in the sitcom Night Court. In music, she has released three solo albums but is best known for her collaborations with the singer Meat Loaf.

58 - Bonnie Tyler - Bonnie Tyler (born June 8, 1951 in Skewen, Neath, South Wales, United Kingdom).

58 - Chrissie Hynde - born Christine Ellen Hynde, 7 September 1951, Akron, Ohio, lead singer of The Pretenders.

57 - Juice Newton (born Judith Kay Newton February 18, 1952 in Lakehurst, New Jersey is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist. To date, Newton has received five Grammy Award nominations in the Pop and Country Best Female Vocalist categories (winning once in 1983), as well as a CMA Award for Best New Female Artist and two Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year awards (won consecutively).

+ Nicolette Larson (July 17, 1952 – December 16, 1997, Helena, Montana, USA ) was an American singer best known for her 1978 cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love".

57 - Máire Ní Bhraonáin, better known as Máire Brennan or incorrectly/phonetically as Moya Brennan (born August 4, 1952, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland), is a Grammy Award-nominated Celtic Folk singer. She began her singing career when her family formed the band Clannad in 1970.

56 - Pat Benatar (born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski on January 10, 1953) is a four-time Grammy Award-winning American singer best known for her mezzo-soprano vocal range and establishing herself as one of rock's top vocalists and one of music's top-selling female artists with hit songs such as "Love Is a Battlefield"

56 - Cyndi Lauper - Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper (born June 22, 1953).

56 - Nanci Griffith - Nanci Caroline Griffith, born July 6, 1953, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas, United States.

?? - Mary Margaret O'Hara, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, born on ??,??, 1954??.

55 - Alice - Alice Visconti, born Carla Bissi in Forlì, Italy on September 26, 1954 is an Italian singer-songwriter and pianist, active since 1971.

55 - Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.) is an American vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer from the United States. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including rock, R&B, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards.

54 - Annie Lennox - Annie Lennox is an Oscar, Brit and Grammy award-winning pop musician and vocalist. She was born on December 25, 1954 in Aberdeen, Scotland. After three years as lead singer of The Tourists, Lennox achieved her most notable fame as the alto, soul-tinged lead singer of the 1980s rock duo Eurythmics with British musician David A. Stewart.

54 - Nina Hagen (born Catharina Hagen on 11 March 1955) is a singer from East Berlin, Germany.

54 - Jane Siberry - Jane Siberry, born October 12, 1955, Canada.

52 - Julee Cruise - Julee Cruise (born 1 December 1956, in Creston, Iowa).

52 - Loreena McKennitt - Loreena McKennitt (Morden (Manitoba) Canada, 17 februari 1957).

52 - Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957 in Southwark, Southeast London, England), better known by her stage name, Siouxsie Sioux is a singer, best known as the vocalist of Siouxsie & The Banshees between 1976 and 1996.

52 - Gloria Estefan (born Gloria María Fajardo García; September 1, 1957, Havana, Cuba) is a Grammy Award-winning Cuban-American singer and songwriter. She is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 90 million albums sold worldwide. She has won seven Grammy Awards, placing her among the most successful crossover performers in Latin music to date.

52 - Toni Childs - Toni Childs (born October 29, 1957, from Orange, California).

51 - Annabel Lamb (born ??/??/1958, Surrey) is an English singer-songwriter. She has released eight albums to date. Lamb had a British Top 30 hit in 1983 with her cover version of The Doors "Riders on the Storm", her only hit on the UK Singles Chart.

51 - Meredith Brooks - Meredith Ann Brooks (born June 12, 1958 in Oregon, USA).

51 - Kate Bush - Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on 30 July 1958 in Bexleyheath, Kent, now part of Greater London, England, UK).

51 - Madonna - Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone Ritchie (Bay City (Michigan), 16 augustus 1958).

51 - Siobhan Fahey (born Siobhan Máire Deirdre Fahey, 10 September 1958, Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland) was a founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later founded the musical outfit Shakespears Sister.

51 - Heidi Berry is an American singer-songwriter, born on ??/??/1958, in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1991, Ivo Watts-Russell asked Berry to sing on the third album by This Mortal Coil, and over the next five years she recorded three albums for 4AD.

51 - Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin September 22, 1958) is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress. She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock N' Roll".

50 - Carmel (born Carmel McCourt, 24 November 1958, Wrawby, Lincolnshire, England) is a British female singer, her eponymous band Carmel uniting bassist Jim Parris, and drummer Gerry Darby.

50 - Sade (pronounced “shah-day”) is a Grammy-winning, world-famous English group, which achieved success in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Sade Adu, (real name Helen Folasade Adu - born 16 January 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria)

50 - Susanna Hoffs (born Susanna Lee Hoffs, January 17, 1959) is a vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Bangles.

50 - Sheena Easton (born Sheena Shirley Orr, 27 April 1959) is a pop singer originally from Bellshill, Scotland.

50 - Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Nadine Vega (born July 11, 1959, Santa Monica, California) is an American songwriter and singer known for her highly literate lyrics and eclectic folk-inspired music.

50 - Eddi Reader - Eddi Reader MBE (born Sadenia Reader, 29 August 1959, Scottland).

+ Kirsty MacColl - Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) (aged 41) was an English singer-songwriter from Croydon, England.


(born between 1960 - 1970)

49 - Nena (born Gabriele Susanne Kerner, March 24, 1960, Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany) is a German singer and actress. She rose to international fame in 1984 with the New German Wave song "99 Luftballons".

49 - Anne Clark - Anne Clark (born 14 May 1960, Croydon, London, England).

49 - Sarah Brightman - Sarah Brightman, (Born: Aug 14, 1960 in Berkhampstead, England).

49 - Aimee Mann - Aimee Mann (born September 8, 1960).

49 - Jennifer Rush (born September 28, 1960, Queens, New York, US is an American German-based Pop/Rock singer, best known for the million-selling single "The Power of Love", which went on to be covered by Celine Dion

48 - Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith, 18 November 1960 in Chiswick, West London) is an English pop singer.

48 - Cowboy Junkies - Margo Timmins (born January 27, 1961 in Montreal, Quebec).

48 - Lisa Gerrard (born April 12, 1961) is an Australian musician from Melbourne, singer and composer who gained international renown as part of the music group Dead Can Dance together with Brendan Perry.

48 - Enya - Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin, born on 17 May 1961, Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland.

48 - Melissa Etheridge - Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961 in Leavenworth, Kansas) is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.

48 - Kim Deal - Kimberley Ann Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of the alternative rock band the Pixies.

48 - Alison Moyet (born Genevieve Alison Jane Moyet, 18 June 1961), is an English pop singer-songwriter noted for her bluesy voice.

48 - Mylène Farmer - Mylène Jeanne Gautier (born 12 September 1961 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author.

48 - k.d. lang - Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC (born November 2, 1961).

47 - Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her music blends rock, country and pop into one mainstream sound, and she has won nine Grammy Awards. Crow is also a left-wing political activist.

47 - All About Eve - Julianne Regan (born 30 June 1962, Coventry, UK).

47 - Joan Osborne - Joan Elizabeth Osborne (born July 8, 1962).

47 - Tracey Thorn (born 26 September 1962), lead singer of duo Everything but the Girl, from Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

+ Eva Cassidy (Eva Marie Cassidy, February 2, 1963 in Washington, DC – November 2, 1996 in Bowie, Maryland) was an American vocalist described by the British newspaper The Guardian as "one of the greatest voices of her generation." She had a diverse repertoire of jazz, blues, folk, gospel and pop. Cassidy remained virtually unknown outside of her native Washington, DC, when she died of melanoma (which had spread to her bones) in 1996.

46 - Harriet Wheeler (born 26 June 1963) is the lead singer of the 1980s/1990s alternative rock band, The Sundays

46 - Tori Amos - Myra Ellen Amos, born on August 22, 1963.

46 - Elizabeth Fraser, born Elizabeth Davidson Fraser, August 29, 1963, Falkirk, Scotland and part of the group Cocteau Twins.

46 - Natalie Merchant - Natalie Anne O'Shea Merchant (born October 26, 1963 in Jamestown, New York, U.S.) former lead singer and member of 10,000 Maniacs.

45 - Neneh Mariann Karlsson (born 10 March 1964) and known as Neneh Cherry is a two-time Grammy Award-nominated and MTV Europe Music Award-winning singer-songwriter and rapper.

45 - Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964, origin from Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.) is an American singer–songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason", "The Promise" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.

45 - Maria McKee - Maria Louise McKee, born on August 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, also known as lead singer of the band Lone Justice.

45 - Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood (born September 19, 1964, Monticello, Georgia, US) is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."

45 - Lou Rhodes (born as Louise Robinson, 1. November 1964 in Leeds), is an English singer and songwriter from Manchester, now living in Wiltshire. In addition to providing vocals and lyrics for the band Lamb.

44 - Diana Krall, (born Diana Jean Krall, Nanaimo, British Columbia, November 16, 1964) is a Grammy Award-winning Canadian jazz pianist and singer. She is known for her contralto vocals.

44 - Happy Rhodes - Kimberley Tyler Rhodes, born on August 9, 1965 in Poughkeepsie, New York.

43 - Björk - Björk Guðmundsdóttir (Reykjavik, 21 november 1965).

43 - Alison Goldfrapp - Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp (born 13 May 1966) is an English soprano singer-songwriter with the duo Goldfrapp.

43 - Tanya Donelly (born July 14, 1966, in Newport, Rhode Island) is an American Grammy-nominated singer songwriter and guitarist based in New England who co-founded Throwing Muses with her stepsister Kristin Hersh.

43 - Kristin Hersh - Kristin Hersh (born August 7, 1966).

43 - Shirley Manson - Shirley Ann Manson (born August 26, 1966) is a Scottish musician, the lead vocalist of the band Garbage. Manson is also the former keyboardist and backup singer with Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie, as well as the ex lead singer of Angelfish.

43 - Martina McBride (born July 29, 1966, in Medicine Lodge, Kansas) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is best-known for her inspirational-style ballads about women and children.

43 - Sinéad O'Connor - Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor (Glenageary, 8 december 1966, Ireland).

42 - Eleanor McEvoy (born 22 January 1967) is one of Ireland's most accomplished contemporary singer/songwriters. McEvoy composed the song Only A Woman's Heart, title track of A Woman's Heart, the best-selling Irish album in Irish history.

42- Liz Phair - Elizabeth Clark Phair born on April 17, 1967 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

42 - Heather Nova - Heather Allison Frith, born on July 6, 1967 in Bermuda.

42 - Faith Hill (born Audrey Faith Perry on September 21, 1967) is an American country singer. Hill's voice (described as both soulful and raspy) and careful song selection have helped her to sell more than 40 million records and accumulate 8 number-one singles and 3 number-one albums on the Country charts.

42 - Gillian Welch (born October 2, 1967 in New York City) is a singer-songwriter whose musical style combines elements of bluegrass, neotraditional country, Americana, old-time string band music, and folk into a rustic style that she dubs "American Primitive".

42 - Sophie B. Hawkins - Sophie Ballantine Hawkins is an American singer and songwriter, born 1 November 1967, in Manhattan, New York City, USA.

42 - Sharleen Spiteri - Sharleen Eugene Spiteri (born 7 November 1967 in Glasgow) lead singer of Texas.

41 - Carla Bruni (born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi, December 23, 1967 in Turin, Italy) is an Italian-born, naturalized French songwriter, singer, former model and First Lady of France.

41- Sarah McLachlan - Sarah Ann McLachlan, born January 28, 1968 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

41 - Axelle Red - Axelle Red was born Fabienne Demal in Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, on February 15, 1968

41 - Paula Cole (born April 5, 1968 in Rockport, Massachusetts, USA) is an American singer and songwriter.

41 - Kylie Minogue, Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE (born 28 May 1968, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian pop singer, songwriter, and actress.

41 - KatieJane Garside (born July 8, 1968) is a vocalist and lyricist who fronted the first incarnation of the band Daisy Chainsaw and sang guest vocals for the industrial act Test Department. After retiring from the music world temporarily, she now sings with Queen Adreena, an independent rock band from London. Ruby Throat’s debut album The Ventriloquist was released on 8th November 2007 in a limited run of only 500 copies.

40 - Lori McKenna (born in Massachusetts, on December 22, 1968 as Lorraine Giroux) is an American folk singer/songwriter. She lives in Stoughton, Massachusetts with her husband and five children.

40 - Tanita Tikaram (born 12 August 1969, Münster, Germany) is a British pop/folk singer-songwriter, best known for the hits "Twist in My Sobriety" and "Good Tradition" from her 1988 debut album, Ancient Heart.

40 - PJ Harvey - Polly Jean Harvey, born October 9, 1969 in Yeovil, United Kingdom.


(born between 1970 - 1980)

39 - Gabrielle - Louise Gabrielle Bobb (born April 16, 1970, London) is an English singer who records under the name Gabrielle.

39 - Ani DiFranco (born Angela Maria DiFranco on September 23, 1970 in Buffalo, New York) is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She is a prolific artist, having released over twenty albums and is widely celebrated as a feminist icon.

38 - Rachel Goswell (born 16 May 1971 in Fareham, England) is a singer-songwriter who was a vocalist with shoegazing pioneers Slowdive.

38 - Dolores O'Riordan - Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan (Burton) (born September 6, 1971) lead singer of The Cranberries.

37 - Dido - Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong, (born 25 December 1971, London).

37 - Cat Power - Charlyn "Chan" Marshall (born Charlyn Marie Marshall on 21 January 1972).

37 - Mindy Smith - Mindy Smith (born June 1, 1972 on Long Island, New York) is an American singer-songwriter.

36 - Chantal Kreviazuk - Chantal Kreviazuk (born May 18, 1973, Winnipeg, Canada).

36 - Tara MacLean (born October 25, 1973 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada) is a Canadian singer and songwriter.

35 - Imelda Mary Higham (born ??/??/1974), known as Imelda May and previously as her maiden name Imelda Clabby, is an Irish female vocalist from the Liberties, in Dublin, Ireland. Specialising in Rockabilly music, she has a repertoire of covers and self-penned songs.

35 - The Corrs - Andrea Jane Corr born May 17, 1974).

35 - Jewel - Jewel Kilcher (born May 23, 1974).

35 - Alanis Morissette - Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1, 1974).

35 - Nina Persson (born Nina Elisabet Persson, September 6, 1974 in Örebro, Sweden) is the lead singer and lyricist for the Swedish pop group The Cardigans.

34 - Natalie Imbruglia - Natalie Jane Imbruglia (born February 4, 1975, Australia).

34 - Miranda Lee Richards - Miranda Lee Richards (born April 4, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter.

34 - Anouk Teeuwe (born April 8, 1975) is a Dutch singer, professionally known as Anouk. Since 1997, she has released seven pop-rock albums.

34 - Nerina Pallot - Nerina Pallot (born Nerina Natasha Georgina Pallot, 26 April 1975, London).

34 - KT Tunstall - Kate Victoria Tunstall better known as KT Tunstall (born 23 June 1975 in St Andrews, Scotland) is a singer-songwriter and guitarist.

33 - Emma Bunton - Emma Lee Bunton (born 21 January 1976) is an English pop singer, songwriter, radio presenter, and occasional actress. Bunton is best known for being a member of the successful '90s girl group, the Spice Girls

33 - Feist - Leslie Feist, (Amherst (Nova Scotia), 13 februari 1976, Canada).

33 - Charlotte Martin - Charlotte Ann Martin (born March 29, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter, who performs predominantly on the piano.

33 - Leigh Nash - Leigh Bingham Nash (born 27 June 1976) is a singer, and composer, best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band Sixpence None the Richer.

33 - Catherine Feeny (born ??/??/1976) is an American singer/songwriter based in Portland, Oregon. She grew up in Norristown, Pennsylvania, studied in Washington, D.C., and finally relocated to Los Angeles, where she started seriously writing her own songs.

32 - Lisa Knapp - Lisa Knapp (born July 21, 1977) hailed as one of Brit folk's brightest new young stars when she appeared with Wild and Undaunted in 2007.

32 - Kate Walsh - Kate Walsh es un cantautora inglesa de Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, born 2 february 1977.

32 - Ilse Annoeska de Lange (born May 13, 1977, Almelo, Netherlands) is a Dutch country and pop singer, better known as Ilse DeLange.

32 - Sarah Slean - Sarah Hope Slean (born on 21 June 1977) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, painter, and photographer from Pickering, Ontario.

32 - Fiona Apple - Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart, born September 13, 1977, USA).

32 - Rachael Yamagata - Rachael Yamagata (born on September 23, 1977 in Arlington, Virginia)

31 - Imogen Heap - Imogen Heap (born 9 December 1977 in the London Borough of Havering) is a Grammy nominated English singer and songwriter from Romford, Havering.

31 - Kathleen Edwards (born July 11, 1978 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter.

31 - Vienna Teng - Vienna Teng (born Cynthia Yih Shih on October 3, 1978) is a Taiwanese American pianist and singer-songwriter based in New York City.

30 - Karen Lee Orzolek, better known as Karen O, is the lead vocalist for the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She was born on November 22, 1978 in South Korea.

30 - Nelly Furtado - Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978, Canada).

30 - Erin McCarley (born January 15, 1979 in Garland, Texas) is an alternative music singer-songwriter.

30 - Norah Jones - Norah Jones, born on March 30th 1979 in New York City.

30 - Butterfly Boucher is an Australian singer/songwriter, born June 2, 1979. The name "Butterfly" was a suggestion from a friend of the family. Boucher currently resides in the United States in Nashville, Tennessee.

30 - Kaki King - Kaki King (born August 24, 1979 as Katherine Elizabeth King) is an American guitar player and singer-songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia.

30 - Geike Arnaert is the former lead singer of the Belgian pop group Hooverphonic. Born on 13 September 1979, Westouter, Belgium.

30 - Bat for Lashes - Bat for Lashes is the pseudonym of British musician Natasha Khan (born 25 October 1979), a Brighton-based songwriter.

29 - Sara Bareilles - Sara Beth Bareilles (born December 7, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Bareilles was born and raised in Eureka, California.


(born between 1980 - 1990)

29 - Regina Spektor - Regina Spektor (Moskou, 18 februari 1980)

29 - Vanessa Carlton - Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American soft rock / pop singer, songwriter, and pianist.

29 - Lene Marlin - Lene Marlin Peterson (August 17, 1980 in Tromso, Norway).

28 - Brandi Carlile (b. June 1, 1981, in Ravensdale, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter. Carlile’s music has been categorized in several genres, including pop, rock, alternative country, and folk.

27 - Amy Lynn Hartzler (b. December 13, 1981, Riverside, California, U.S.), better known as Amy Lee, is an American singer-songwriter and classically trained pianist. She is co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band Evanescence.

26 - Carrie Underwood (Carrie Marie Underwood, born March 10, 1983) is an American country singer and songwriter from Checotah, Oklahoma. She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol. She has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, and is the reigning Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of The Year.

26 - Alela Diane - Alela Diane Menig (b. April 20, 1983, Nevada City, California, USA) is an American singer and songwriter, who is associated with the psych folk.

26 - Michelle Branch (born July 2, 1983, Sedona, Arizona, USA ) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

26 - Amy Winehouse - Amy Jade Winehouse (born 14 September 1983 in London) is an English singer-songwriter, known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including soul, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues.

25 - Miranda Lambert - Miranda Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country music artist who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star.

25 - Anna Nalick - Anna Christine Nalick (born March 30, 1984, in Glendora, California), is an U.S. singer-songwriter.

25 - Jessie Baylin is a Nashville based singer/songwriter born April 4, 1984, in Gillette, New Jersey.

25 - Mandy Moore - Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer–songwriter, actress and fashion designer.

25 - Duffy - Aimée Ann Duffy (born 23 June 1984), better known by her stage name Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter.

25 - Katie Melua - Ketevan "Katie" Melua (Georgia, born 16 September 1984).

25 - Avril Lavigne - Avril Ramona Lavigne Whibley (Belleville, Ontario, 27 september 1984).

25 - Priscilla Ahn (born Priscilla Natalie Hartranft, March 9, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

25 - Katharine McPhee (Katharine Hope McPhee, born March 25, 1984) is an American pop and R&B singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.

24 - A Fine Frenzy - Alison Sudol (born December 23, 1984), known professionally as A Fine Frenzy is an American alternative singer-songwriter and pianist.

24 - Melody Gardot (born February 2, 1985 in New Jersey) is an American jazz singer, writer and musician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was disabled at 19 after being struck by a car while riding her bicycle and began writing music after using music to aid her recovery.

24 - Lily Allen - Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English pop music singer and songwriter.

23 - Susanne Sundfør (born 19 March 1986, Haugesund, Norway) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. She is the granddaughter of language researcher Kjell Aartun. She currently resides in Oslo.

22 - Kate Nash - Kate Marie Nash (born 6 July 1987) is an English singer-songwriter based in London.

22 - Amy Macdonald - Amy Macdonald (Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, 25 augustus 1987).

22 - Florence + The Machine - Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28th August 1987), London, England, UK.

21 - Adele - Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, born 5 May 1988, is an English soul/jazz singer.

20 - Sonya Kitchell (Sonya D. Kitchell, born March 1, 1989 in Northampton, Massachusetts) is an American jazz singer-songwriter.

19 - Taylor Swift - Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American country pop singer-songwriter, guitarist and actress.


(born after 01/01/1990)

19 - Laura Marling - Laura Beatrice Marling (born 1 February 1990), is a folk-pop, singer-songwriter from Hampshire, England


(not listed)
(because no favourites of mine).

Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, ...
Céline Dion, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton, ...
Britney Spears, Christina Aquilera, Shakira, ...
Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, ...
and all other girls alike.

ABBA - Dancing Queen
Al Green - Let's Stay Together
Amy Winehouse - You're Wondering Now
Arcade Fire - Wake Up
Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker
Baden Powel - Samba triste
The Beach Boys - Surfin' Safari
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
The Beatles - Till There Was You
Beck - Rowboat
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Billie Holiday - Sometimes I'm Happy
BJ Thomas - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
The Black Keys - Stack Shot Billy
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Ain't No Easy Way
Blur - Girls & Boys
Bob Dylan - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
The Brian Setzer Orchestra - Americano
Built to Spill - Randy Described Eternity
Cake - Sad Songs and Waltzes
Cartola - Acontece
The Centurions - Zed's Dead, Baby (dialogue)/Bullwinkle Part II
Chico Buarque - Valsinha
Chuck Berry - Jack Rabbit Slims Twist Contest (Dialogue)/You Never Can Tell
The Clash - Rock the Casbah
Cocteau Twins - Cherry-Coloured Funk
Grandaddy - Elevate Myself
Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
The Cure - Friday I'm In Love
David Bowie - Life On Mars?
Dean Martin - Everybody Loves Somebody
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Pumpkin And Honey Bunny (dialogue)/Misirlou
Eli 'Paperboy' Reed & The True Loves - Take My Love With You
Ella Fitzgerald - I've Got You Under My Skin
Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
The Flaming Lips - The Abandoned Hospital Ship
Françoise Hardy - Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles
Frank Sinatra & Tom Jobim - Wave
Gogol Bordello - Wonderlust King
Grand Funk Railroad - Winter & My Soul
Guided by Voices - I Am a Scientist
Hank Williams Sr. - Hey Good Looking
Heitor Villa-Lobos - Choros No. 1
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - Alayo
The Jackson Five - ABC
Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should've Come Over
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Almost Gold
Jimi Hendrix - Hear My Train a Comin' (acoustic)
Jimmy Cliff - Reggae Night
João Gilberto - saudade fez um samba
Johnny Cash - Were You There When They Crucified My Lord
Johnny Cash & June Carter - It Ain't Me Babe
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Kaiser Chiefs - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Kings of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You
Kings of Leon - Razz
The Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night
Leadbelly - Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Led Zeppelin - What Is and What Should Never Be
Leonard Cohen - Sisters Of Mercy
The Libertines - Boys in the Band
Lightnin' Hopkins - Stool Pidgeon Blues
Little Joy - Next Time Around
Los Hermanos - Veja Bem Meu Bem
Lou Reed - Sweet Jane
Maria McKee - If Love Is A Red Dress (Hang Me In Rags)
Massive Attack - Angel
Mercury Rev - Opus 40
MGMT - Kids
Michael Jackson - Billy Jean
Mississippi John Hurt - Waiting For You
Morphine - Honey White
My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow
Neil Young - Heart of Gold
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Nino Rota - Appollonia
Oasis - Some Might Say
Os Mutantes - Ando Meio Desligado
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Everything With You
Pavement - Range Life
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
Pixies - Cecilia Ann
Portishead - Glory Box
Primal Scream - Jailbird
Queen - Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)
The Radio Dept. - The Worst Taste In Music (Extended)
Radiohead - Faust Arp
The Revels - Bring Out The Gimp (Dialogue)/Comanche
Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town
The Rolling Stones - Time Is On My Side
Roy Orbinson - Pretty Woman
Slowdive - When the Sun Hits
Smashing Pumpkins - Today
Sonic Youth - Bull in the Heather
Sonics - Night Time Is The Right Time
The Specials - Message to you Rudy
Spiritualized - Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
Spoon - The Underdog
The Strokes - Juicebox
Sufjan Stevens - John Wayne Gacy, Jr
Supergrass - Alright
The Temptations - My Girl
Tim Maia - Azul Da Cor Do Mar
The Tornadoes - Bustin' Surfboards
Twisted Sisters - We're Not Gonna Take It
The Velvet Underground - I'm Sticking With You
Weezer - Undone - The Sweater Song
Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music
Yann Tiersen - La Valse d'Amélie
Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater

Hello lovers of amateur radio,

Last night I did a special "Ladies Night" episode of TtAS, featuring vocals solely from women. It was initially intended to be on LAST week, but I was preempted by baseball (the patriarchy?). Anyway, hope everyone who tuned in enjoyed it.

The playlist:

Things that Are Square 4-16-09

(*) = New release

(*) Mirah - The Country of the Future - (A)Spera

(*) Dear Nora - Second Hand - Three States: Rarities 1997-2007
Bratmobile - Cherry Bomb - Pottymouth
Black Tambourine - Throw Aggi off the Bridge - Complete Recordings
Heavenly - Cool Guitar Boy - Heavenly vs. Satan

Le Tigre - Eau d'Bedroom Dancing - Le Tigre
(*) Hello Seahorse! - Won't Say Anything - Hoy a las Ocho
The Blow - "Come On Petunia" - Poor Aim: Love Songs
Macromantics - Scorch - Moments in Movement

(*) Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - White Corolla - Advance Base Battery Life
Xiu Xiu - Hello from Eau Claire - The Air Force
High Places - From Stardust to Sentience - High Places

Matmos - Tract for Valerie Solanas - The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast
OOIOO - Mountain Book - Green and Gold
múm - Green Grass of Tunnel - Finall We Are No One (For Vadi in Irvine, CA)

(*) Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is the Move - Bitte Orca
Ponytail - Die Allman Brüder - Ice Cream Spiritual
Marnie Stern - Transformer - This Is It...
Deerhoof - Dummy Discards a Heart - Apple O'

Nouvelle Vague - I Melt with You - Nouvelle Vague
Françoise Hardy - Comment te Dire Adieu? - Comment te Dire Adieu?
Charlotte Gainsbourg & Calexico - Just Like a Woman - I'm Not There
The Magnetic Fields - Acoustic Guitar - 69 Love Songs

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country - Let's Get Out of This Country
Yo La Tengo - I Feel Like Going Home - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Low - Laser Beam - Things We Lost in the Fire
The Crabs - Private Eye - What Were Flames Now Smolder
Beat Happening - Fortune Cookie Prize - Dreamy

Galaxie 500 - Final Day - Peel Sessions

Hope to have you join me next week, Thursday, 6-8pm PST on KUCI 88.9FM in Irvine, CA, and worldwide via KUCI.ORG, the public radio presets of iTunes, and the public radio app on iPhone.

<3,
Kyle

Пробираясь сквозь дебри интернета в поисках нового материала о людях неординарных и креативных, наконец -то мне удалось найти наиболее интересный и объективный материал о Malcolm McLaren В музыкальных энциклопедиях это имя связывают лишь с созданием скандальной группы Sex Pistols. Хотя при этом он выпустил 5 полноценных альбомов, каждый из которых в свое время в музыкальных кругах стал сенсацией. Malcolm McLaren был продюсером, а по сути создателем не только такого коллектива, как Sex Pistols, но и Boy Georgeи Culture Club, Adam and the Ants, сотрудничал с Madonna и Эдуард Артемьев.
А в мире киноиндустрии вам назовут почти с десяток фильмов, где Макларен либо актер, либо автор сценария или продюсер, где-то использовались его музыкальные эксперименты, как например у Тарантино, а где-то он консультировал маститого композитора, или проектировал костюмы. В мире моды имя Макларена известно не меньше, чем имя его первой жены – авангардного модельера Вивьен Уиствуд…. При этом Макларен не только сам создавал костюмы, он задал в 70-х целое направления в моде…


Мальком Роберт Эндрю Макларен – родился в Лондоне 22 января 1946 года и воспитывался бабушкой. Как он вспоминает (уже через 60 лет в марте 2006 в интервью Таймс) рос он в семье, которая упорно семьей быть не хотела. А его настоящей семьей и душевным пристанищем стали художественные школы и арт-галереи, где он провел свое детство, где – по сути - воспитывался и образовывался. В 1964 – в неполные 18 – будучи студентом - он впервые увидел выставку работ американского художника Энди Уорхола. И выставка его настолько потрясла, что он тут же решает – ею вдохновленный - устроить 24 часовой хепенинг на Риджен Стрит. Полиция вовремя пресекла это, потому что на улице началось столпотворение и возникли пробки. Дальше можно продолжать рассказывать про эскападу маклареновских хепенингов, эксцентричных поступков, перечислять его проекты, которые всегда один сумасбродней другого…. Но от этого вряд ли станет понятнее, что и его участие в выборах мэра Лондона в 90-х, и его участие в продюсировании группы Sex Pistols в 70-х – все это звенья одной цепи. Цепи, которая накрепко связывает этого человека с 68- годом, с такими художественными движениями, как леттристы и ситуационисты….
Итак, 1968 год. Центр молодежных духовных поисков и споров не Лондон и не Нью-Йорк, а Париж. Макларен в Париже, здесь и знакомится с идеями тех, кто вдохновил студентов на те памятные студенческие волнения. Обычно, вспоминая события 68, все говорят об идеях Мао и Бакунина, вспоминают Маркузе и Маркса. Но есть два имени, которые для понимания сути этих событий, значат не меньше, а может даже больше – это Ги Дебор и Рауль Ванейжем. Работа Ги Дебора «Общество спектакля» стала для молодых умов в 68 настоящим детонатором.
"Комфорт никогда не будет достаточно комфортабелен для ищущих нечто, чего нет на рынке". Это "нечто" - это подлинные желания, подлинные, а не навязанные, сконструированные рекламой и обществом и, таким образом, представленные на рынке. Общество потребления сводит всю безграничность человеческого желания к тому, что можно купить за деньги. Человек покупает не потому, что хотел этого, а потому, что ему доказали, что он этого хочет. Осуществляя свои ложные желания, он все больше отрывается, отчуждается от своих подлинных и безграничных желаний. (Так размышляет о современном обществе Ги Дебор в своей книге «Общество спектакля»)
Ги Дебор выступает против общества потребления, которое тщательно маскирует свою единственную конечную цель – цель лишь воспроизводство товарной массы и получение прибыли с помощью навязывания желаний. «Современный человек работает для того, чтобы обслуживать вымышленные, навязанные ему потребности».
Ситуационисты острие своей критики направили против искусства как специализированной, отчужденной деятельности, против искусства как товара. Не следует создавать искусство, как товар, множа продукты искусства и гонясь за мнимой новизной. Все новое есть в уже созданном, следует только разглядеть это, услышать, почувствовать. Следует использовать ранее созданные артефакты общества зрелища, чтобы пробудить сознание людей от летаргического сна пассивного потребления товаров и образов. Целью леттризма и ситуационистов - вернуть к жизни подлинные желания.
Ситуационисты провозгласили счастье главной целью и оправданием человеческого существования. Свободное время не может быть свободным до тех пор, пока мы существуем в рамках, которые навязывает нам общество, для которого праздность есть не самоцель, а только способ восстановления работающего перед следующей рабочей неделей.
Они жили идеей альтернативной экономики. Журнал, издаваемый ими ещё в 50-е годы, не случайно назывался "Потлач" - в честь индейского обычая взаимных, иногда даже разрушительных даров, описанного Майклом Моссом. Ритуал потлача был воспет как символ безвозмездной траты Жоржем Батаем и - много позже - принят за образец символического обмена Жаном Бодрийяром. Вслед за Батаем ситуационисты мечтали об "обществе траты" – это общество, по их мнению, реальная альтернатива обществу потребления. Вот их лозунги: "Больше потребляешь - меньше живешь", "Вся власть воображению!", "Скука - контрреволюционна", "Я выдаю желаемое за реальность, потому что я верю в реальность моих желаний".
Всем, кому интересны идеи латтризма и ситуационистов – рекомендую книгу Ги Дебора «Общество зрелища» или «Общества спектакля», а также работу Рауля Ванейжема «Трактат об умении жить для молодых поколений (Революция повседневной жизни) ». Книги переведены на множество языков, в том числе и на русский. Макларен читал это в подлиннике - на французском - в кипящем котле студенческого Парижа 68-года. Зацепило! И началось! Провокация – вот революционная стратегия ситуационистов. Следует сделать искусство частью повседневной жизни. "Моменты, устроенные как ситуации, могут быть рассмотрены как мгновения исступленного восторга, ускорения, революции в индивидуальной повседневной жизни". Задача просто "шокировать обывателя" вообще отсутствовала в программах ситуационистов. Ситуационисты считали, что своими действиями они совершают прорыв, важный в первую очередь для них самих.


Вот одна из провокационных ситуаций, придуманная Малькомом: он и его друзья в канун Рождества в костюмах Санта-Клаусов приходят в большой магазин и там раздают игрушки детям. Те их берут, а на выходе их задерживают за неуплату полицейские. Полицейским страшно неловко, - они же и сами родители и сломали сказку про рождественское чудо. Неудобно и родителям остановленных детей, которые в супермаркетовском ажиотаже забыли о подарке чадам…. Игрушки в конце концов оплачиваются, родители прячут глаза, полицейские ежатся от неловкости. Ситуация завершена, а осадок остался…. А главное, что все вышли из этой ситуации немного другими. Макларен и его друзья ситуационисты в том числе - вышли из тюрьмы за ЭТО хулиганство…. Но были и не столь стремительные, не столь разовые проекты. Были и долгоиграющие…. В 71 году вместе с женой - авангардным модельером Вивьен Уиствуд – Мальколм открывают магазин модной одежды, который не похож ни на один магазин Лондона. Там черт те что, начиная от названия, кончая представленным товаром. Названия: сначала «На задворках райского гаража», потом «Пусть будет Рок», а потом «Слишком быстр, чтобы жить, слишком молод, чтобы умереть». К ним заглядывает знаменитый режиссер Ken Russell и заказывает костюмы для своего фильма «Малер». Они выполняют проекты сумасшедших костюмов для фильма «То будет день», где играли Дэвид Эссекс и Ринго Стар. И через год уже едут презентовать - вечно меняющий названия - магазин в Нью-Йорк. Здесь Макларен встречают кумира своей юности Энди Уорхола. Тот в 72 был занят очередным эпатажным проектом The New York Dolls- Нью-Йоркские куколки, которых справедливо величали Нью-Йоркские шлюхи… New York Dolls, - это хрипатые парни, которые использовали женоподобный облик для создания своего узнаваемого и неповторимого образа. Выглядели они ужасно: краска на волосах и макияж, который даже на Плас Пигаль показался бы чересчур сексуально-вызывающим. Пидоры! – кричали им постоянно из залов. А звучание N.Y. Dolls тех лет можно выразить в двух словах: скрип и хрип. Их самих забавляло, как зрители воспринимали эти выступления. К песням вроде Looking For A Kiss и Personality Crisis («В поисках поцелуя» и «Кризис личности») нельзя относиться серьезно, когда исполняющая их группа выглядит именно так. "Мы не рокеры, не панки, мы подружки-лесбиянки", причем неуправляемые, поцелуй меня! – пели они…. Трезвыми их никто никогда не видел.
Глядя на эту вакханалию Макларен и решил создать свою группу, только не эпатажную, а подлинно провокационную. Так появились «Секс пистолз» Sex Pistols . В отличии от The New York Dolls, которые были все же ряженными, эти лондонский ребята не рядились в одежды отбросов. Они пели как отбросы общества, они жили как отбросы общества, они были именно как отбросы общества. Никаких компромиссов с обществом, тем более что общество особо и не искало с ними компромиссов. Маклареновская провокация была в том, что публика устав от рафинированно-изнеженной поп-музыки и элитарного теперь уже рока, с удовольствием примет протестную наживку. Так оно и вышло. Музыкальный мир действительно оторопел. Чтобы стать успешным, чтобы тебя слушали, оказывается вовсе не нужно уметь играть и петь, или сочинять интересные стихи. «Мода – это искусство, а сегодняшнее искусство - всего лишь мода», - провозгласил леттристкий лозунг Макларен и с помощью Sex Pistols успешно его доказал. Он выступил не просто продюсером этого проекта. Он принимал деятельное участие и в работе над песнями. Вот, например, одна из самых скандальных и провокационных у Пистолетов God Save The Queen - «Боже, храни королеву!» издевательская и неприличная пародия на английский государственный гимн.
"Sex Pistols" - "God Save The Queen"

«Боже, храни королеву.
Ведь это фашистский режим.
Он сделал из тебя болвана
Потенциальную водородную бомбу.
Боже, храни королеву,
Ведь она не живое существо.
Нет будущего в мечтах англичан,
Нет будущего для тебя.
А когда нет будущего,
как может существовать грех?
Мы - цветы в мусорном ящике,
Мы - яд человечества.
Мы - будущее, Ваше будущее».



Такая провокация в духе леттристов – взять готовое, переиначить или даже написать свой текст. Одной из тактик ситуационистов и леттристов было как раз переписывание чужих текстов, так называемый детурнеман (deturnement). Это слово перешло сегодня без изменений из французского в другие языки; по-русски что-то близкое к словам "искажение", "перенос". Детурнеман заключался в том, что леттристы добивались новых смыслов от столкновения чужих текстов с привычными смыслами: например героям комиксов вкладывались в уста революционные лозунги. Ситуационисты заявляли, что именно им принадлежит заслуга нетривиальной аранжировки или чужих гениальных находок, или достаточно общих мест, чтобы сбросить с этого пелену привычного и вернуть подлинный смысл. Гимн «Боже храни королеву» получился - действительно - нетривиально аранжированным и обогатился исключительно новым смыслом…. Ну а если говорить о смысле проекта под названием «Секс пистолз», он уже на второй год исчерпал себя. Музыкальный рынок был взорван, панк-группы плодились как крысы в теплом подвале. Малькольм Макларен ныне любит говорить, что "Sex Pistols" были наследниками ситуационистов, что он использовал тактику публичного скандала, примененную сюрреалистами и леттристами, чтобы изменить музыкальную жизнь Англии и подхватить знамя романтического бунта из рук революционеров 1968 года. Но самому упорно нести это знамя Макларену было неинтересно. И в начале 80-х он полу шутя - полу играя запустил другую звезду на музыкальный небосклон: это был Boy George и его группа Culture Club.
В этом эксперименте Макларену было интересно только одно: помочь в создании лишь образной составляющей. К музыкальному материалу он не притрагивался, считал, что Бой Джордж сам прекрасно со всем справляется. Так оно и было. И этот эксперимент ещё раз подтвердил гипотезы Ги Дебора: в обществе потребления именно оболочка товара, важнее не только самого товара, но даже важнее подлинных потребностей и желаний самого потребителя. И Макларен решил перестать играть в эти имиджевые игры, а попробовать проверить идеи Ги Дебора на музыкальном материале. Он отправился в Мекку музыкальной моды 80-х - в Нью Йорк. Вот как он сам об этом вспоминает: ( на фоне zulu nation party из альбома Buffalo Gals Back to Skool )


Однажды - это было в 1980 году - в Нью-Йорке я увидел большого черного человека, который прогуливался и у него на майке были слова из песни Sex Pistols. Я подошел к нему и сказал: "Я имею прямое отношение к тому, что написано у тебя на груди". Мы разговорились, и он мне сказал, что он очень любит Sex Pistols, не музыку, а идею, и пригласил на свою вечеринку в этот же день. Звали его – Afrika Bambaataa ... И еще он сказал, что у него есть большая группа - Zulu Nation . Африка Бомбата и Нация Зулу! Какое фантастическое имя! И я решил, что мне обязательно надо попасть на эту вечеринку. Я тогда плохо знал Нью-Йорк и два часа ловил такси, потому что никто не хотел ехать в Южный Бронкс. В конце концов один таксист сказал мне: "Садись, закрывай все окна и спрячь свои деньги в носок. Но имей в виду, назад ты никакого такси не поймаешь, их там не бывает". Когда мы приехали, уже темнело, я вышел из машины, чтобы посмотреть тот ли адрес, но когда обернулся, ее и след простыл. Вокруг высились большие нежилые дома с черными проемами окон. Никакой вечеринки видно не было, зато вокруг было много черных парней. На самом деле я немного испугался. И тут я услышал звуки музыки, они доносились оттуда же, откуда струился маленький лучик света. И я решил вести себя как типичный американский босс какой-нибудь записывающей компании и нагло работая локтями стал пробираться к источнику этого света, крича: "Дорогу мне, дорогу, пошевеливайтесь!" Я пер вперед не смотря по сторонам и видя только этот свет перед собой. Наконец я увидел грубые столы, на которых стояли вертушки. Черные люди, крутя пластинки, перебрасывались микрофоном и что-то дико кричали в него поверх играющей музыки. Человек, который пригласил меня, стоял надо всем этим, скрестив руки на груди как повелитель всего этого кромешного ада. Я пробился к нему, решив, что для меня будет безопаснее не отходить от него. Я обнял его, похлопал по плечу, чтобы все видели, что мы большие друзья. И вот я стою рядом с Африкой Бамбатой и вижу колышущийся океан танцующих людей... Играют пластинки Гари Ньюмана, The Cars, Джеймса Брауна. Двое его здоровенных дружков зажигают факелы, устанавливают их на полу, люди начинают расступаться, расчищая место, и эти парни начинают... танцевать на голове!
Представляете, это 80-й год, я никогда ничего подобного не видел. Мне стало казаться, что я не в Нью-Йорке, а в африканских джунглях. Это было очень натурально, первобытно, вдохновляюще, им не нужны были гитары, они делали музыку из чужих записей. Вот так все началось. Потом я пытался найти значение слова "Бамбата" в словарях, оказалось, что это название места, где произошла последняя битва зулу и англичан. И понял, что мне надо увидеть эти места своими глазами и отправился в Африку. Затем я полетел на Кубу, я учился, я пытался найти людей, связанных с древними культами, ритуальными ритмами. Оттуда в Доминиканскую республику, в Перу. Это был мой тур по world music. Результатом стал этот сумасшедший альбом Duck Rock. Когда я вернулся в Лондон, люди из моей записывающей компании меня просто ненавидели - столько я потратил их денег, путешествуя по миру. На их заседании я должен был продемонстрировать одну из вещей альбома. И я поставил им Buffalo Gulls ,
Это был первый мой сингл - Buffalo Gulls. Это была старая кантри-вещь, под которую танцевали ковбойские танцы. Что меня больше всего впечатлило, так это само название. И я подумал, как эту деревенскую песню перенести на улицы Нью-Йорка. И люди из шоу-бизнеса, конечно, ничего не поняли, а человек с BBC сказал, что ни за что крутить ее не будет. И босс, - а был он старый алкоголик, - выпив еще виски, говорит мне: "А что, Малколм, люди будут танцевать под это?" "Да - отвечаю - под это танцуют на голове, называется это брейк-дэнс". Они очень расстроились и решили эту запись не выпускать. На следующий день я дал кассету с записью одному своему другу и сказал: "Отнеси это на радио и скажи, что это первая собственная запись Малколма Макларена, и ее никто еще не слышал". Песня прозвучала, и тогда другие радиостанции стали звонить в офис компании и требовать ее. Так что тем пришлось ее выпустить как сингл, и к их удивлению она стала хитом.
Причем хитом по обе стороны Атлантики. Замечу, что на этом альбоме представлено действительно феерическое путешествие по миру этнической музыки, только всю эту этнику Макларен очень умело препарировал. После столь длинных текстов, которыми не должна – на мой взгляд - отличаться программа Фонотека, следует немного встряхнуться и послушать несколько песен из этого первого собственного альбома Макларена. Хотя здесь нет ни собственных мелодий, ни самостоятельной игры – он часто любит повторять одну сомнительную фразу: Я не умею играть ни на оном инструменте». Но при этом все, что представлено здесь удивительно оригинально и это именно маклареновский стиль. Если вы будете слушать альбом Buffalo Gals Back to Skool полностью, обратите внимание на 4 композицию: Merengue . Макларен просто представил часть радиопрограммы ди джеев из Ньюоркского Бронкса. Она записана в самом начале 80-х. Сегодня она слушается как замечательный хип-хоповый номер конца 90-х. Хотя именно так ежедневно в 80-е годы они вели свои радиопрограммы и так вот общались со слушателями… Это небольшая иллюстрация может быть интересна тем, кто до сих пор считает хип-хоп открытием конца 90-х…. И кто воспринимает ди-джейскую культуру, как что-то очень современное. Вот как сам Макларен так оценивает работу ди-джеев:
Они все такие замечательные, потому что они все такие одинаковые и по-детски глупые. Они не создают ничего нового и это прекрасно!... Они берут уже всем известное, но встряхивают это известное и пыль времени слетает на время…
Он решает продолжить эксперименты, которые начал в альбоме Duck Rock . И полем для этого выбирает уж совсем запретную территорию, где все напрочь канонизировано. Это опера. Так в 84 году появляется альбом Fans .
Макларен не играет и не поет на своих альбомах. Мы можем слышать только его голос в декламациях. Для чего это? Здесь следует вновь вспомнить Ги Дебора и его книгу «общество зрелища», ставшую для Макларена важной вехой в жизни.


Идеи совершенствуются. Соучаствует в этом и смысл слов. Плагиат необходим. Его предполагает прогресс. Плагиат точно держится фразы автора, пользуется его выражениями, удаляет ложную идею и заменяет ее идеей верной. Отстранение – это противоположность цитированию, всегда уже фальсифицированному просто тем, что он уже стал цитатой, фрагментом, вырванным из контекста, из движения, и, наконец, из эпохи.
Литтристы и ситуационисты часто использовали такой прием, например, брали очень известные комиксы, а в уста героям вкладывали другие тексты, и полностью опрокидывали привычный смысл или вытаскивали на поверхность смысл подлинный. В этом плане Макларен – чистой воды леттрист. И становятся понятны его заявления типа:Я арт-провокатор , я арт-террорист…. Я хочу убить скуку повседневной жизни!
Эти заявления- не просто красивая фраза- это этическая и эстетическая программа Малькома Макларена…
Следующий альбом Макларена был- по большому счету- сделан почти на таком же канонизированном поле. Только на этот раз это был ВАЛЬС.
На альбоме Waltz Darling «Вальсируй дорогая» он привлек к сотрудничеству прекрасного гитариста. Вы слышали в композиции House Of The Blue Danube «Дом Голубого Дуная» замечательную гитарную партию. Знатоки не ошиблись- это легендарный Jeff Beck . Но альбом интересен – конечно - не только этим. Как и предыдущий, который показал, что и классическая опера может быть сверх современной, альбом «Waltz Darling» проделал ту же шутку с вальсом. Только на этот раз Макларен вытащил считающийся уже архаичным танец на сверхмодный подиум. И манекенщицы в авангардных или сверхсовременных нарядах двигались по подиуму под такую музыку.
При торопливом знакомстве с творчеством – я не оговорился - именно с творчеством Малькома Маларена, у кого-то может возникнуть мнение, что Макларен чересчур смело подходит к музыкальному материалу, который использует. А порой ведь это считается признаком поверхностного и недалекого подхода. Уверяю Вас, что Макларен очень и очень не поверхностно изучает тот материал, который препарирует на своих альбомах. И лучшим подтверждением тому может служить мнение такого авторитетного человека, как талантливейший современный русский композитор Эдуард Артемьев . Его режиссер Андрон Кончаловский пригласил написать музыку к сериалу, а потом и фильму Одиссея. Продюсером Одиссеи был не кто-нибудь, а знаменитый режиссер Френсис Форд Коппола, снявший Апокалипсис и множество других лент. И Коппола поставил перед Кончаловским и Артемьевым неслыханную по сложности и дерзости задачу: сделайте музыку аутентичной той эпохе. Музыкальное сопровождение должно быть таким, каким оно могло быть в то время…. У Артемьева просто опустились руки. Как это сделать, где найти ноты-инструменты. И тогда Коппола познакомил их с человеком, который по мнению его может решить и не такую задачу. Это был Мальком Макларен. Вот как вспоминает это Эдуард Артемьев:
Наш консультант по древнегреческой музыке - Малколм Макларен,
человек невероятной образованности. И за что он ни берется, все выходит у него блистательно. Он познакомил меня с массой инструментов Восточного
Средиземноморья, например с флейтой "мизмир". Это маленькая глиняная флейточка, играющая всего шесть нот, но обладающая такой мощью, которая позволяет пробивать толщу любого оркестра. Эта флейта существует в неизменном виде уже пять тысяч лет. На ней играют в Греции и Турции -- на свадьбах, похоронах. Не изменились с древности арфы и лиры. Не изменилась и "критская скрипка" -- трехструнный инструмент каплевидной формы, внешне похожий на мандолину. Инструмент крошечный, 40 -- 50 сантиметров в длину, с лукообразным смычком. У него странный "рыдающий" звук, прямо-таки хватающий за душу. Все эти
этнические инструменты я применил в "Одиссее" как некий знак эпохи…
Надеюсь теперь говорить о Макларене, как о поверхностном компиляторщике, который не слишком образован, чтобы просто создавать свою музыку – так говорить мы уже не рискнем. И вернемся к альбому Waltz Darling.В 89 году он провальсировал с этим альбомом в Нью Йорке и Лос Анджелесе, причем с участием Мадонны. И работа с Мадонной, и возвращение на подиум, в мир моды напомнили Макларену его молодые увлечения. Он с женой - тогда совершенно андеграундным модельером Вивьен Уиствуд – создавал новую моду, которую подхватил мир, мода Панков во много создана и доведена до привычного нам уже облика этими двумя художниками: Вивьен Уиствуд и Малькомом Маклареном. И он переезжает в Париж…
Париж. Здесь он записывает свой четвертый альбом Paris («Париж»). Когда говорят, что его вдохновила на эту работу творчество Эрика Сати (Erik Satie) и Майлза Девиса (Miles Davis Кэтрин Денев (Catherine Deneuve Франсуаз Арди (Françoise Hardy), - это и правда и неправда. Это может быть было одним из вдохновляющих толчков, но не начальной точкой отсчета, не самым главным в его работе, над блистательным шедевром, под названием Paris...
Все, кто слушал этот альбом, единодушны в одном: здесь создана удивительная атмосфера. Она обволакивает слушателя и словно переносит в этот волшебный город. Только это странный Париж. Здесь Пер Лашез и Плас Пигаль, здесь играет Майлз Девиз и поет Катрин Денев, здесь ведется необычной разговор с музыкой Эрика Сати, но здесь не весь Париж. Это город, словно перестроенный Малькомом Маклареном
И здесь вновь возвращаю вас к тому, с чего мы начали рассказ о творчестве Макларена. В своих работах он является последователем такого эстетического направления, как Леттризм и Ситуационизм.. Целью леттризма было вернуть к жизни подлинные желания. Они хотели достичь этого, в частности переделав города, всю схему городов, сделать ее картой чувств, превратить ее в психокарту. Иван Владимирович Щеглов, одна из наиболее ярких фигур в леттристском движении. Щеглов считался в кругах леттристов визионером. Именно он написал статью "Правила нового урбанизма" (1953), положившую начало "психогеографии". Задача "психогеографа" - заменить старые улицы города новыми. Дрейфуя по городу, надо переписать его, как устаревшую книгу. Надо освободить город от жесткой сетки значений, навязанной ему. Надо сконструировать новые здания, где невозможно не быть влюбленным. Самая часто цитируемая фраза Щеглова: "Каждый будет жить в своем собственном соборе". Неудивительно после этого, что журнал "Потлач" печатал планы разрушения всех церквей и замены их декоративными развалинами или какими-нибудь светскими сооружениями. Психогеографические упражнения вовсе не всегда должны были быть материальны: важно было вскрыть в существующем городе иное измерение. Что и сделал Макларен в альбоме Париж.


Я никогда не претендовал на новые откровения или на поставку новинок на рынок культуры. Незаметная корректива в уже существующем намного важнее сотни дополнительных инноваций. Единственное, что бывает новым, это направление потока банальностей. ….. Современный мир должен познать то, что он уже знает, стать тем, чем уже является, путём упорного преодоления препятствий на практике .
Кажется эти слова Макларен произносит в каждом из своих альбомов. Но слова эти сказаны в середины 60-х идеологом латтристов Раулем Ванейжемом в книге «Трактат об умении жить для молодых поколений (Революция повседневной жизни) ».
И ещё одна мысль, которая меня не отпускает, когда я слушаю альбом Макларена Париж: Когда ставшее независимым искусство представляет свой мир в ярких красках – это значит, что устарело некоторое мгновение жизни, и его уже нельзя омолодить яркими цветами, но только вызывать в воспоминании. Величие искусства начинает проявляться лишь при полном упадке жизни. Это сказал Ги Дебор в своей книге «Общество зрелища».
Так и просится сказать, И это блестяще подтвердил и доказал всем своим творчеством М.М. Вот только весь фокус в том, что М. НИКОГДА НИКОМУ НИЧЕГО не доказывал. Он просто творил…

In order...

apparently I like The Beatles. A lot.

54 Rehab - Amy Winehouse
39 Get Back - The Beatles
39 I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
34 Help! - The Beatles
33 Yesterday - The Beatles
25 Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles
24 Mean Mr. Mustard - The Beatles
23 I Am the Walrus - The Beatles
20 Drive My Car - The Beatles
18 Sun King - The Beatles
18 Happiness Is a Warm Gun - The Beatles
18 Glass Onion - The Beatles
18 Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
18 Dansez sur moi - Maureen
17 Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - The Beatles
17 Imagine - John Lennon
16 A Wild, Wild Party - Soundtrack
16 Man Of La Mancha - Linda Eder
15 Something - The Beatles
15 Blackbird - The Beatles
14 La Noyée - Serge Gainsbourg
14 A Little Priest - Sweeney Todd Soundtrack
13 Come Together - The Beatles
12 Et si je m'en vais avant toi - Françoise Hardy
12 Koyal (Songbird) - Nitin Sawhney

1. The Beatles
First Heard: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
Fell In Love With: If I Fell
All-Time Favorite: Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Current Favorite: I'm So Tired

2. Amy Winehouse
First heard: Rehab
Fell in Love With: Me & Mr Jones
All-Time Favorite: You Know I'm No Good
Current Favorite: Valerie

3. Françoise Hardy
First Heard: Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles
Fell in Love With: Et même
All-Time Favorite: Et si je m'en vais avant toi
Current Favorite: Nous Tous

4. Elvis Presley
First Heard: Hound Dog
Fell in Love With: Heartbreak Hotel
All-Time Favorite: It's Now Or Never
Current Favorite: Jailhouse Rock

5. The Kinks
First Heard: You Really Got Me
Fell in Love With: Lola
All-Time Favorite: Waterloo Sunset
Current Favorite: A Well Respected Man

6. Serge Gainsbourg
First Heard: Je t'aime...moi non plus
Fell in Love With: La Javanaise
All-Time Favorite: Requiem pour un con
Current Favorite: La Noyée

7. John Legend
First Heard: Used To Love U
Fell in Love With: Show Me
All-Time Favorite: Ordinary People
Current Favorite: Stereo

8. The Doors
First Heard: Break on Through
Fell in Love With: Riders on the Storm
All-Time Favorite: Touch Me
Current Favorite: People Are Strange

9. Jacques Dutronc
First Heard: fais pas çi fais pas ça
Fell in Love With: Et moi et moi et moi
All-Time Favorite: L'opportuniste
Current Favorite: Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'èveille

10. Babyshambles
First Heard: Albion
Fell in Love With: La Belle Et La Bete
All-Time Favorite: Fuck Forever
Current Favorite: Killamangiro

1. How did you get into 29? M.I.A.

i had been hearing a lot about M.I.A. for years, so at the start of this year i downloaded a few of her songs. Paper Planes was the first track by her that i LOVED, and it turns out that's the one the radio plays every other day ~

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? Peter Gabriel

after reading all about the classic 80s teen movie "say anything", i downloaded In Your Eyes. i found it tedious at first and didn't give it much of a chance, but i ended up getting into peter gabriel a year later and now i love it

3. What’s your favorite lyric by 33? Jarvis Cocker

my god, i honestly have to choose my favourite jarvis cocker lyric ? i can't really be bothered giving it too much thought so i'll just say all the lyrics from This Is Hardcore

4. What is your favorite album by 49? Madonna

it would have to be any of the albums she released in the 80s. they're incomparable to her work now :(

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? Lou Reed

i own two of his solo albums - Transformer, and NYC Man, and one with The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico

6. What is your favorite song by 50? Adam Ant

with the ants: Prince Charming, Kings of the Wild Frontier or Stand and Deliver. solo, it's Goody Two Shoes all the way

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? Talking Heads

well, i haven't found one yet. i suppose And She Was is sad, but it's just such a cheerful sounding song that i don't often notice. talking heads aren't really sad, just .. weird

8. What is your favorite album by 15? Suede

probably Coming Up

9. What is your favorite song by 5? Morrissey

i love love love I Have Forgiven Jesus

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? The Cure

there are quite a few but the ultimate is probably Plainsong

11. What is your favorite album by 40? Robyn

Robyn, definitely. it's a fantastic album, just track after track of great songs

12. What is your favorite song by 10? The Ting Tings

i am very snobby when it comes to the ting tings, i make no secret of having started listening to them in february of 2008 and therefore i am obviously queen of indie. at the time, i loved Great DJ but i've since decided that That's Not My Name is my favourite

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? Lily Allen

probably staying at my best friend's beach house, that's where i first heard LDN

14. What is your favorite song by 38? Nico

it used to weird me out, but at the moment i'm obsessed with Chelsea Girls. creepily brilliant

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? Marilyn Monroe

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend and I Wanna Be Loved By You are both stellar. marilyn was a much better singer than she is given credit for

16. How many times have you seen 25 live? Gang of Four

unfortunately i've never seen gang of four live, but considering they've reformed and everything, i certainly would if they ever came to australia

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? Siouxsie and the Banshees

Hong Kong Garden, off the Marie Antoinette (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). i have marie antoinette to thank for introducing me to so many great bands. that and Trainspotting are my all-time favourite soundtracks, judging merely on the sheer weight of great, genre-defining songs on them.

18. What is your favorite album by 11? Adam and the Ants

Prince Charming is my favourite, but all of their releases were fantastic really

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? The Smiths

christ, that's easy. Morrissey, of course

20. Have you ever seen 14 live? Bow Wow Wow

no, but again, i wouldn't miss a chance to see them though i hear they're on hiatus now

21. What is a good memory involving 27? Radiohead

there isn't one, really. they're pretty glum all the time, right ?

22. What is your favorite song by 16? The Beach Boys

either Don't Worry Baby or Wouldn't it be Nice?

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? Edith Piaf

whichever song she sang first in the movie "la vie en rose"

24. What is your favorite album by 18? Gwen Stefani

her first one, Love Angel Music Baby - there's no comparison with her second

25. What is your favorite song by 21? Nancy Sinatra

definitely You Only Live Twice. imo, the best bond theme ever

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? Placebo

Pure Morning

27. What is your favorite album by 3? The Beatles

it's a tie between Rubber Soul and The Beatles (The White Album)

28. What is you favorite song by 22? Peter Gabriel

Solsbury Hill is lovely

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? The Boy Least Likely To

Be Gentle With Me, although i didn't know it at the time because it was on an advertisement for a while. i never even particularly liked it, Paper Cuts is far superior

30. What is you favorite song by 8? Pulp

This Is Hardcore

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? The Killers

i had the opportunity to see them live last year, but i wasn't that into them at the time so i didn't bother. they're not really a band that i'd kill to see live, though, idk why

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? The Cardigans

Lovefool. but then again, does that song not make anyone happy ?

33. What is you favorite album by 12? Joy Division

Closer

34. What is the worst song by 45? King Adora

i don't know enough of their songs to pass judgement

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? The Jesus and Mary Chain

i think Head On was the first song by them that i downloaded

36. What is you favorite album by 48? Sia

Colour the Small One

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? Cilla Black

i don't know if cilla black even performs any more

38. What is you favorite song by 36? Françoise Hardy

Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? Lady GaGa

Just Dance. i hated it at first, but once i got into her other stuff, i found that i really liked it

40. What is your favorite album by 7? Blondie

as much as i don't want to be predictable, Parallel Lines.

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? Air

i'm sure there would be one, but i haven't heard it

42. What is your favorite album by 41? The Pipettes

We Are the Pipettes. they only have one, duh

43. What is your favorite song by 24? Jill Sobule

i guess it's Lucy at the Gym

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? The Prodigy

techno is not something i generally associate with memories, it's a pretty emotionally detached genre of music

45. What is your favorite song by 35? Iggy Pop

Lust For Life

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? David Bowie

Kooks always makes me smile

47. What is your favorite album by 4? New Order

Movement doesn't have many of my favourite songs, but it's the album i like most as a whole

48. Who is a favorite member of 37? The Ronettes

Ronnie Spector, of course !

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? Natasha Bedingfield

These Words, at a guess

50. How many albums do you own by 20? The Rolling Stones

one - their compilation Rolled Gold +

Top 30 from the past 12 months. Some of the questions (*) had repeats, so I changed the numbers to the ones that weren't used. I am a sucker for a quiz.

1 of Montreal
2 The Magnetic Fields
3 Tori Amos
4 Fleetwood Mac
5 Belle and Sebastian
6 The Fiery Furnaces
7 R.E.M.
8 Buzzcocks
9 Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
10 OutKast
11 Leonard Cohen
12 David Bowie
13 Françoise Hardy
14 Placebo
15 Radiohead
16 Pixies
17 The Shins
18 The Go-Betweens
19 Animal Collective
20 Ramones
21 Neutral Milk Hotel
22 Beck
23 At the Drive-In
24 Brian Eno
25 Simon & Garfunkel
26 Tarnation
27 múm
28 Travis
29 Felt
30 Sonic Youth

1. How did you get into 21? (Neutral Milk Hotel)
I can't remember. Someone (probably Laura, all my good music comes from her) recommended In the Aeroplane Over the Sea to me, I listened and loved it.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? (Beck)
"Loser" - every radio station plays it, it's unavoidable, like chicken pox.

3. What's your favorite lyric by 2? (The Magnetic Fields)
Oooh, too many! A few good ones:

"100 000 Fireflies": "Sounds like a mountain range in love", "Why do we keep shrieking ,when we mean soft things? We should be whispering all the time..."

"Candy": "And I know you'll find a better man they're all too easy to find / and I'll just go away somewhere and slowly lose my mind."

"Strange Powers": "Under more stars than there are prostitutes in Thailand", "In Las Vegas where the electric bills are staggering"

"All the Umbrellas in London": "All the umbrellas in London couldn't stop this rain / and all the dope in New York couldn't kill this pain"

"All My Little Words": "Not for all the tea in China / not if I could sing like a bird / not for all North Carolina"

And the whole of "I Don't Want to Get Over You", and "(Crazy for You But) Not That Crazy".

4. What is your favorite album by 29? (Felt)
Their singles are brilliant, so I would say a compilation (Stains on a Decade), but of the proper albums, Forever Breathes the Lonely Word (the obvious answer). The entire album just flows out so perfectly.

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? (Françoise Hardy)
None, but her singles are really good.

6. What is your favorite song by 10? (OutKast)
"Gasoline Dreams" (I love how Andre 3000 spits out the words of the chorus), "Hey Ya!" or "ATLiens".

7. Is there a song by 4 that makes you sad? (Fleetwood Mac)
This is really corny, but "Landslide" makes me cry.

8. What is your least favorite song by 15? (Radiohead)
"Fitter Happier". What was the point of that? Conceptually interesting, but even listening to it once seems like too much.

9. What is your favorite song by 5? (Belle & Sebastian)
Argh. I suppose I really like "dirty dream number 2" at the moment.

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? (The Fiery Furnaces)
Many, but "Sweet Spots" is my favourite.

11. What is your favorite song by 20? (Ramones)
"Judy Is a Punk"

12. What is your favorite album by 30? (Sonic Youth)
Probably Sister.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 23? (Simon & Garfunkel)
Playing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on the piano, and having it actually sound authentic :D

14. What is your favorite song by 17? (The Shins)
"Mine's Not a High Horse" - I love those ascending synth scales in the chorus.

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? (Animal Collective)
They're all pretty happy. "Grass".

16. How many times have you seen 24 live? (Brian Eno)
None. I would prefer seeing his early pop stuff live, I think part of the appeal of his later stuff is the production on the record anyway.

17. What is the first song you heard by 3? (Tori Amos)
"Cornflake Girl", it's excellent, but I'm starting to get sick of it.

18. What is your favorite album by 1? (of Montreal)
Hissing Fauna..., Icons... and Skeletal Lamping are all brilliant (especially in one hit), but Skeletal Lamping makes their old stuff seem boring. I have a really short attention span, and I love how it shifts between catchy melodies so frenetically. So, Skeletal Lamping, despite the tackiness (but hilarity) of the whole Georgie Fruit thing. I wouldn't recommend it as a first album though.

*19. Who is your favorite member of 6? (R.E.M.)
Michael Stipe, I suppose.

20. How many times have you seen 14 live? (Placebo)
None. I was going to go when I was 14, but back then the Enmore seemed too far away. I like them way less now, so I'm not sure if I'd bother.

*21. What is a good memory you have involving 25? (At the Drive-In)
Listening to Relationship Of Command with Michael while drunk.

22. What is your favorite song by 16? (Pixies)
"I've Been Tired". "Losing my penis to a whore with disease!"

*23. What is the first song you heard by 27? (múm)
"Sleep/Swim", the first song off Finally We Are No One.

24. What is your favorite album by 9? (Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band)
I know I'm supposed to say Trout Mask Replica, but I really like Safe as Milk.

25. What is your favorite song by 18? (The Go-Betweens)
"Cattle and Cane".

26. What is the first song you heard by 28? (Travis)
"Why Does It Always Rain on Me?". It must be one of their worst songs. They're so underrated. They have so many brilliant songs that have just been eclipsed by the ones that sold well and boring boring Coldplay.

27. What was the first song you heard by 26? (Tarnation)
"Game of Broken Hearts". Also underrated! You have to be in a tragic heartbroken alt-country mood though.

28. What is your favorite song by 12? (David Bowie)
I've been listening to Low, so "Be My Wife".

29. What is the first song you heard by 11? (Leonard Cohen)
Probably "Hallelujah".

30. What is your favourite song by 8? (Buzzcocks)
"Ever Fallen in Love?"