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Rockin’ With the Boys: The Women of Punk

posted by ChickSpeak
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 11:05pm CDT

Whoever said women can’t rock and roll never heard of these musical punk rock sirens. Armed with guitars and a “we’re not gonna take it” attitude, these women took on the musical world and earned their places as punk rock goddesses.

PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey is talented, strange, dark and sassy. The British songwriter began her solo career after leaving her band in 1993. Since then, she has won five Grammys and was named Rolling Stone’s Artist of the Year. Her soulful rock sound proves PJ Harvey can rock with the boys any day of the week.

Poly Styrene of The X-Ray Spex

Poly Styrene fronted the 70s English punk band The X-Ray Spex. Famous for their song about censorship and feminism, “Oh Bondage, Up Yours!” the band, and Styrene, were instrumental in the British punk movement. The X-Ray Spex produced only three albums between 1978 and 1995, but called it quits when Styrene was hit by a fire truck in London.

Patti Smith

Patti Smith is most famous for the 1978 hit “Because the Night,” which she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen. Smith began writing and performing her poetry and three-chord rock in New York. Her powerful voice and incredible lyrics get her credited as being “The Godmother of Punk.” Smith still tours and is involved in political activism.

Shirley Manson of Garbage

Fronted by the red headed Scottish songstress Shirley Manson, Garbage broke onto the music scene in the mid 90s with their self-titled album. “Garbage” included the hits “Only Happy When it Rains” and “Stupid Girl.” The group wrote and recorded “The World is Not Enough,” the title theme to the James Bond film of the same name.

Debbie Harry of Blondie

Contrary to popular belief, the band Blondie did not get their name from lead singer Debbie Harry’s bleached hair. They actually named the band after Hitler’s pet dog. Though Harry began her career as a folk singer, she found her niche with the 80s new wave punk band. Harry’s talent reaches from one end of the spectrum to the other. “Rapture,” a ridiculous face paced song about alien invasion, became the first rap-influenced single to reach number one on the charts in 1981.

Sleater-Kinney

Feminist rock band Sleater-Kinney was formed in Oregan by Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein in 1994. Though the band broke up two years ago when Tucker’s son went to school, they continue to remain an inspiration for female rockers. The band lacks a bass guitar, but packs enough punch to do without it. Many of their lyrics revolve around female empowerment and gender rolls.

Allison Casey is a recent graduate from Appalachian State University. While in school, she worked in the campus Women’s Center where she wrote and delivered programs about sexual assault to classrooms and residence halls. She one day hopes to run a literacy initiative at a non-profit, hates wearing shoes and has a borderline obsession with her new camera. Photo courtsey of www.kjhk.org.