By: Sara Landeau
The name does not deceive—She Rocks Volume 1 unabashedly rocks hard, axes (not of evil), women to the front, a sonic pinnacle of fun shred. We get gnarly tracks from big names such as The Runaway’s uber legend Lita Ford, Michael Jackson’s last touring guitarist Orianthi, (which you can witness soloing while he directs the band in the candid 2009 tour documentary This Is It), and seminal guitar hero Jennifer Batten—the original 1980s MJ guitarist and first woman to graduate from Musicians Institute for guitar.
There’s also a sexy blues-ballad from the lush, soulful guitarist Kat Dyson—member of Prince’s New Power Generation, and more, like rocker Nita Strauss (oh, just the guitarist for a little known singer named Alice Cooper), prog and math rocketeers Yasi Hofer, Gretchen Menn, and dive bomb hooks from blues-metal ace Steph Paynes of Lez Zeppelin.
You wouldn’t think it could get brasher-noisier-harder than the first track, but, friends, it does, with the majority of the compilation showcasing abrasive tapping energy over hard-beaten drums and double kicks. You quickly get the feeling of how much fun they’re having, these women who would hands-down win a knife fight with any musical patronizing sexist, if any guy would actually dare. She Rocks Volume 1 takes no prisoners. Wondering what the crushing Volume 2 will do.
She Rocks Vol. 1 —A Collection of Kick-Ass Guitar Goddesses was released Jan. 20, 2017 by Favored Nations and in cooperation with the Women’s International Music Network (theWiMN.com), hosts of the famed “She Rocks Awards.” The compilation will be celebrated at the 2017 “She Rocks Awards,” taking place that evening in Anaheim, CA during the annual NAMM Convention.
Sara Landeau is a guitarist, bassist, drummer, educator, producer, composer, and artist living in NYC.
Sara is the guitarist in punk-pop-dance-feminist NYC band The Julie Ruin featuring Kathleen Hanna (Le Tigre, Bikini Kill), Kathi Wilcox (Bikini Kill), Carmine Covelli, and Kenny Mellman (Kiki & Herb). The Julie Ruin are signed to Hardly Art (Sub Pop). Other projects and recent collaborations include artist Tina Havelock Stevens, Jane Boxall (marimba), Doe Eye, and more.