Re: Speaking of women and music ...

Can anyone here name a female artist play all her own instruments in the studio, à la Prince?

I can't. Perhaps some female artist from somewhere outside the U.S.

Grimes? And I'm not accusing you of this, but I'm sick of the attitude that men get automatic brownie points for writing and producing their own music, no matter how mediocre it is, while women are looked upon suspicion as guests on their music if anyone else had a hand in writing, producing or playing on it. Both Bjork and Missy Elliott have said that they've posed for photos in front of mixing boards to make the point that they really do know their way around a studio.

Didn't St. Vincent do everything on her first couple of records?

This is harder than it should be. I thought of st Vincent and tuneyards but neither panned out; seems they had help.

How about Laurie Anderson on “Big Science”?

There are lots of other musicians on Big Science.

I feel like we're missing someone really obvious, but I can't bring her to mind.

Ani DiFranco?
Amanda Palmer?
Buffy St. Marie?
Judee Sill?

Kate Bush? At least some individual tracks, maybe not whole albums.

early Liz Phair?

Bingo! Got one. From the TP review of Danielle Dax:

"the utterly unaccompanied 'Pop-Eyes' (amazingly recorded, using more than a dozen different instruments, on a 4-track tape machine!)"



Post Edited (08-01-19 11:31)

> Both Bjork and Missy Elliott have said that they've posed for photos in front of
> mixing boards to make the point that they really do know their way around a studio.

Not to suggest that they don't, but they didn't do themselves any favors by saying so. I could pose for a photo in front of a Ferrari, but it wouldn't prove that I know how to maintain one.

I thinks Kristin Hersh played most of the instruments on her solo albums. I can.t remember other musicians being credited.

Yes, Danielle Dax did play all the instruments on Pop Eyes. She gradually let more musicians accompany her on future releases.

Kristin Hersh does play all the instruments on her first two solo albums.

Grimes does handle her own instruments in the studio.

And just so it's stated, I didn't open this thread in the interest of assigning "brownie points" to anyone. My wife is reviewing/updating part of a college textbook that she regularly contributes to, and she asked me if any female artist takes that one-person-band approach in the studio. (She even asked me to check in with the folks on this board.)

Moe Tucker's "Playin' Possum," from '81, beating Danielle Dax by 2 years.
The first one-(wo)man-band album?



Post Edited (08-01-19 18:23)

Been listening to a lot of Georgia Anne Muldrow of late. I'd say she qualifies on some of her platters.

Are you counting people like Wendy Carlos?

Joan Baez?

Melanie Safka?

Did Wanda Jackson do one or two all by herself - maybe they were singles?

Since Dolly can play a dozen instruments, maybe she has

I feel like Rebecca Gates told me she was working on one but I'm not sure which or the results

There might be some Quasi tracks that Janet made solo

Billy Corgan?


np::Versus - Ex Nihilo



Post Edited (08-03-19 09:24)