Think of the first song you ever heard. Was it the lullaby your mother sang at night? Perhaps it was some wind chimes tinkling in a storm. No matter the tune, music resonates with our souls far deeper than any writing or speaking ever can.

Music, that unique organization of sound in time, is the oldest art. Before notated language, women spoke our herstories to the beat of drums. Thrumming on taught skins and hollowed logs sent messages into our bones. We breathed life into pipes that trilled the melodies of now forgotten times. We used our lilting voices to recant folktales and frights, the lessons of our lives, and funny tales of fluky passerby.

Melodies, like recipes, can retell herstories, bridge social divides and unite minds. Pulsing chants can rally warriors while charming hymns can heal those wounded spirits. In our current time, these singsong rhymes are claimed and maimed by male supremacy: men relegate women musicians and our works to the background of the industry. Well, the women of WLRN say FUCK THAT NOISE! Let’s listen to what women have to say!

Starting off our jam-packed podcast is Sekhmet’s latest headlines, followed by Heart’s Love Alive. Next is Julia’s interview with Brenna and Melanie of BLEEDERS, a pro-woman gash rock band whose recent tour included kicks from the crowd. “Backstabbing Scumfucker” by BLEEDERS is followed by “Traffic” by Bitch and Animal. Then Thistle interviews Bitch, whose shows, like her name, are exercises in self-liberation. Ferron’s “Testimony” offers us a moment of reflection. Thistle’s interview with Ferron, an herstorically influential lesbian musician from Vancouver, is followed by Pink’s “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.” Thistle rounds out the hour with her commentary sandwiched between her songs “Bella Ciao” and “O’ Madison,” which she wrote after facing misogynist discrimination in Madison. Ani Difranco’s “Make Them Apologize” segues into an announcement of the winner of WLRN’s very first T-Shirt Contest.

Featured photo is of Melanie of the Bleeders performing her art.

Enjoy! And please contact us with any news and information you think should get into the ears of our feminist listeners. [email protected].

It would also be great if you’d comment, like and share this podcast. Thanks for your support!