Decades Project: 1990s Music–Women Rock!

Before people start screaming at me that there were tons of women in rock ‘n roll throughout the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s…hell, a few of them I even posted about in early installments of this project…I am well aware, but as I said last week, this is where I started to discover music on my own, and as a teen, I realized that girls could rock just as hard as dudes. These are some of my favorites.

This is one of Lindsey’s favorite songs. We listen to it often enough that the kids know it as well. Also, this is probably one of those powerful songs that hits you emotionally when you get a little older, and understand the history behind the song (I probably knew the history in 1994, but I am not sure I ever really connected it until I was in college…whatever, don’t judge me).

Veruca Salt. I loved “Volcano Girls” when it came out, but honestly, I think “Seether” is probably my favorite song from them. 

 The one summer when I worked with my dad, he had a guy that worked for him named Greg, but his nickname was Squirrel. When this song would come on, we would all sing “Stupid Squirrel!!!” To this day I still sing it that way. A few years later, I worked at the Bryce Jordan Center, and I was there early helping set up something, and Garbage was the opening act, and they were on stage doing a sound check (or maybe just screwing around, I was like 17 so what would I know–I always thought it was weird that they did not have crew doing this, so maybe it was just them killing some time, or helping out). Anyways, they played a couple of random 70s rock songs. Shirley Manson and the rest of the band just jamming out to some classics. It wasn’t even the whole song, just a quick snippet, then they would switch, then switch again. Then they quit. It lasted like ten minutes, then I had to get back to work. I was working for the entire concert and they did not play any of those songs (they opened for Alanis Morrisette at the BJC in February of 1999). I found the setlist online, and it does not look like they played any covers…

One of Kat’s favorite bands in 10 Things I Hate About You. 

The second Crow movie was terrible, but the soundtrack was fantastic. That album was my first time hearing PJ Harvey (at least that I can remember). Such a different sound, but so damn good.

Hole can be a fairly controversial band, particularly Courtney Love, but she could definitely rock. 

And finally, we have Jewel. For some reason people love to crap on Jewel, but in the 1990s, it felt like everyone had a copy of Pieces of You, her debut album. I always enjoyed her music, it was like the perfect blend of the alt-rock I was getting into and the music I inherited from Dad (it is not shocking that Jewel opened for Bob Dylan on his ’97 tour).