best of 2012

BAND OF THE YEAR: PUSSY RIOT

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: DEXYS - ONE DAY I'M GOING TO SOAR

TAPE OF THE YEAR: STILLSUIT DEMO

FAVORITE SONG OF THE YEAR: FREAKAPUSS - HARRIOT IN HER CHARIOT (B SIDE RULES TOO)

BEST NEW GROUP: VEX

BAND TO WATCH IN 2013: MOON

FAVORITE LIVE ACT: Госкино

BEST COUNTER-HEGEMONIC PUNK GROUP WHO FUCK SHIT UP: DICK BINGE

BEST OUT OF TOWN SHOW: THE CORIN TUCKER BAND IN BROOKLYN

FAVORITE ART EVENT: FREAKAPUSS LIVE - EXCURSUS III (OOGA BOOGA AT ICA PHILLY)

RECORD THAT GREW ON ME THAT I DIDN'T LIKE AT FIRST: FRANKIE ROSE - INTERSTELLAR

FAVORITE BAND TO PLAY WITH: REYNOSA

RECORD FROM 2012 LISTENED TO MOST SO FAR IN 2013: DUM DUM GIRLS - END OF DAZE

RECORDS FROM 2011 LISTENED TO MOST IN 2012: BLEACHED 7"s

FAVORITE DEMO BY LOCAL PUNK KIDS: SPIRITUAL WARRIORS

RECORD THAT GETS STUCK IN MY HEAD THAT I LOVE/HATE: DIE ANTWOORD - TEN$SION

BAND I WANTED TO SEE LIVE MORE OFTEN BUT THEY MOVED AWAY: SEWN LEATHER

BEST NO RAVE BAND: UNCANNY VALLEY

FAVORITE SONG I WROTE: SPIDER AND THE WEBS - LEAVING LAWRENCE (TO HIS WAVES)

BEST FEMINIST ALBUM ABOUT GENTRIFICATION: GRASS WIDOW - INTERNAL LOGIC

KILLER POP ALBUM MADE BY A SINGER SONGWRITER: CAT POWER - SUN

BEST PUNK RECORD: WEIRD TV 12"

FAVORITE DANCE TRACK: MIA - BAD GIRLS

BEST INDIE RECORD: DEEP TIME - DEEP TIME

KILLEREST HIPPY JAM: THE FAMILY STONED - HIGH TIME WOMAN II

FAVORITE TOP 40 POP SONG: MADONNA - GIVE ME ALL YOUR LUVIN'

PUNKEST UNDERGROUND ANTHEM: HIVE DWELLERS - GET IN

FAVORITE FEMINIST POP ALBUM: COASTING - YOU'RE NEVER GOING BACK LP

CATCHIEST PIECE OF CULTURAL CRITICISM: CHAIN AND THE GANG - CERTAIN KINDS OF TRASH

FAVORITE RECORD GIVEN TO ME AS A GIFT: PATTI SMITH - BANGA

MOST MEANINGFUL SONG TO ME PERSONALLY: CORIN TUCKER BAND - I DON'T WANNA GO

PRETTIEST RECORDING BY AN AVANT INDIE ARTIST: BROKEN WATER - CHANTAL

FAVORITE BAND TO DANCE TO LIVE: NEONATES

BEST NEW HARDCORE PUNK BAND FROM OLYMPIA: GAG

FAVORITE WEDDING SONG: TED LEO'S DIGITAL LOVE (DAFT PUNK) FOR MOLLY AND ALEX

GREATEST NW PUNK GROUP: MECCA NORMAL

FAVORITE RAPPER: AZAELIA BANKS

FANZINE: NUTS!

PUNKEST INDIE ALBUM: HUNX AND HIS PUNX - TOO YOUNG TO BE IN LOVE

FAVORITE DOOMY AMBIENT RECORD: EARTH - ANGEL OF DARKNESS, DEMON OF LIGHT ii

SHOW OF THE YEAR: GRASS WIDOW & THE RAINCOATS IN SEATTLE

KILLER RECORD TO LISTEN TO ON REPEAT: SONSKULL - WIPED CLEAN 12" EP

BEST NW GARAGE PUNKS: HOODED HAGS

FAVORITE FEMINIST PUNK SINGER: MISH WAY FROM WHITE LUNG

BEST ROCK MEMOIR: COAL TO DIAMONDS BY BETH DITTO (WITH MICHELLE TEA)

books I read in 2012

in chronological order, a selected list:

1. Out of the Vinyl Deeps by Ellen Willis

2. Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici

3. Retromania by Simon Reynolds

4. Witches, Midwives and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich

5. Flight by Sherman Alexie

6. The Lady and the Little Fox Fur by Violette Leduc

7. Iron Man by Tony Iommi

8. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

9. The time of the Doves by Merce Rodereda

10. Double Happiness by Jason Shiga

11. Love Rock Revolution by Mark Baumgarten

12. This is How by Augusten Burroughs

13. Tattoo by Manuel Vasquez Montalban

14. How Should a Person Be? by Shelia Heti

15. Grow Up by Ben Brooks

16. Sonechka: A Novella and Stories by Lyudmila Ulitskaya

17. Mister Wonderful by Daniel Clowes

18. The Dialectic of Sex by Shulamith Firestone

19. My Friend Dahmer by Derf

20. Farhenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

21. Coal to Diamonds by Beth Ditto

22. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

23. Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen by Alix Kates Shulman

24. _____________ by Lisa Carver

25. Reconsidering Yoko Ono by Lisa Carver

26. Green Girl by Kate Zambreno

27. Airless Space by Shulamith Firestone

28. Job Interviews for Dummies

29. Are You My Mother by Alison Bechdel

30. Woman's Consciousness Man's World by Shelia Rowbotham

31. Promise of a Dream by Shelia Rowbotham

32. Swimming Home by Deborah Levy

33. Bossypants by Tina Fey

34. The Voyeurs by Gabrielle Bell

35. Dora a Headcase by Lidia Yuknavitch

36. Heroines by Kate Zambreno

Currently Reading: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy; Cecil and Jordan in New York by Gabrielle Bell

FREE KTEEO!

This young woman works as a waitress at my favorite diner in Olympia. I had no idea she had been in prison for two weeks for refusing to testify in a Grand Jury Trial. I believe that these folks are innocent. I believe that this trial is a witch-hunt. Please take a moment to read about what they are up against.

You can write to KTEEO here:

Katherine Olejnik #42592-086

FDC SeaTac,

P.O. Box 13900

Seattle, WA 98198

Because We Must - Statement From A Resister - Leah-Lynn Plante

Statement From A Resister - Leah-Lynn Plante from Because We Must on Vimeo.

“Today is October 10th, 2012 and I am ready to go to prison.” -Leah-Lynn Plante

Local "anarchists" are being targeted for their political affiliations and beliefs.

Some of them, like Leah-Lynn Plante, are refusing to co-operate with authorities in what they consider to be a "witch-hunt".

Sound familiar?

Death to Prison, Freedom to Protest! Free All Political Prisoners!

For Immediate Release: "Free Pussy Riot" MP3 by Tobi Vail

PRESS RELEASE:

Tobi Vail has released a song called Free Pussy Riot in solidarity with Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, the three jailed members of Pussy Riot who are currently serving two years in prison for performing an anti-Putin song in a Moscow church. Pussy Riot is an anonymous feminist punk collective who play unsanctioned concerts as a means of political protest. Pussy Riot started in Moscow but chapters are forming internationally in solidarity with group members'unjust imprisonment and continued state harassment.

Inspired by Free John Sinclair by John and Yoko, Free Pussy Riot was written for Tobi's recent performance at Primera Persona at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. Tobi continues to play Free Pussy Riot in her solo set, recently performing it live backed by The Pussy Riot Olympia Solidarity Band at Kitzel's Deli in Olympia, WA as part of an event held to rally international awareness and support for the Russian group. Pussy Riot Olympia videos can be viewed via Tobi's youtube channel

Upon the arrest of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, members of Bikini Kill made statements in solidarity with the group. Tobi's statement is an MP3 edited together with paintings of the group made by Billy Karren and posted on youtube. Tobi also wrote an article about Pussy Riot for eMusic and continues to speak out about their unjust imprisonment via social media. Kathleen Hanna video-taped a statement of support for her blog and has spoken to the music press about the group.

On October 10 Pussy Riot's appeal will be heard by a Russian court. To quote from Tobi's solidarity statement she reads at the end of her song:

Pussy Riot is organizing in Moscow but the struggle for self-determination of women, LGBTQ rights, gender justice and political transparency is an international one. 'Death to Prison, Freedom to Protest' Free Pussy Riot!

Lyrics available upon request. Please share the FREE MP3.

Photo by Sara Peté taken Live at Kitzel's Deli on Friday September 14, 2012

Free Pussy Riot was written by Tobi Vail in collaboration with Pussy Riot Olympia agitator Henri Riot & New York based artist Amy Yao. Tobi Vail plays lead guitar & sings, Henri Riot plays bass & sings, Wild Man James (Spider and the Webs) plays guitar, Kanako Pooknyw (Broken Water) plays drums & sings and Bongo Randy (Spider and the Webs, The Family Stoned) plays percussion. The song was recorded by Dave Harvey.