Drumroll please as we can finally announce the full 22 track listing for the hotly-anticipated LOUD WOMEN Volume Two compilation album, which will be launched 14 September 2019 at LOUD WOMEN Fest 4!
1
The Franklys
Not Guilty
2
The Txlips
The Lost One
3
I, Doris
The Girl From Clapham
4
The Menstrual Cramps
No Means No
5
The Cleopatras
Forty
6
LIINES
Never Wanted This
7
Pussyliquor
My Body My Choice
8
Pleasure Venom
Hive
9
ARXX
Iron Lung
10
Ms Mohammed
Never Again
11
The Baby Seals
It’s Not About the Money, Honey
12
Peach Club
Not Your Girl
13
T-Bitch
Frighty Nighty
14
Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something
Someone Else to Blame
15
Jelly Cleaver
Yarl’s Wood
16
Secondhand Underpants
The Anthem
17
Gaptooth
Post-Patriarchy Disco
18
Vaginas, What Else?
Loose Tile
19
GGAllan Partridge
I Feel Lobe
20
Hurtling
Don’t Know Us
21
Personal Best
Radio
22
Bridget Hart
Let Loose Lucy
The CD is available to pre-order now for just £5 from our Bandcamp page – and as a thank you for pre-ordering, when the CD releases after 14 Sept we’ll also send you a copy of Volume One! So that’s 42 of the loudest of loud women, all for a cheeky fiver.
“Scabrous riffs, inventive songcraft and full force in-your-face woman power from all bands involved. Loud Women festival shows up the mainstream by exhibiting the very best of women in rock.”
– Paula Frost, Vive Le Rock
“LOUD WOMEN are inspiring social change”
– Kerrang!
“At a time of toxic masculinity in the industry, platforms like Loud Women are a brilliant, and brazen, beacon of hope shining a floodlight on marginalised musicians. Turn it up LOUD.“
The Franklys are our favourite Anglo-Swedish garage-rock band, and we’re super-excited for the launch of their brand new EP ‘Framed’, out April 5th – check out the awesome video for lead single ‘Not Guilty’ and pre-order your copy here. The band tell us that “lyrically, the record takes a look at the current state of the world’s affairs, whether that be on a small scale, such as in ‘Small Town, Small Talk’, or on much wider reaching issues. For example, ‘Mayday’ takes a swipe at the massive mess of the Brexit vote and its subsequent fallout. The songs deal with an increasing obsession with gossip, news and a lack of empathy fuelled by portrayals of unobtainable perfection found on some social media.”
Their distinctive, driving pop-rock sound wins them instant superfans, so we asked them for a sneaky peek in their gig arsenal … We talked tech specs with guitarist Fanny Broberg and bassist Zoë Biggs.
Fanny’s Höfner Verythin 1965
Fanny: My main guitar is a semi acoustic vintage Höfner Verythin 1965. I play it live at every show and use it to record most of our songs. The tone is distinctive and has a great feel and vibe to it. With its big body it is ridiculously oversized on me as I’m very short but it’s super light and has a thin neck so it’s very comfortable to play. A lot of songs have been written on this one! Hollow body guitars can often feedback quite a bit so my mate Kev from the repair shop Stairway to Kevin filled in the hollow parts with foam and that did the trick beautifully. It was in mint condish when I purchased it but is now looking a bit worn and rugged as I flail about quite a bit onstage. In a way I feel bad that it kept so well for so long until I got my hands on it, but a guitar is meant to be played and every scratch gives it more character I reckon.
My go-to amp is Fender Blues Jr and is the best gig amp in my opinion. Sometimes when you need to borrow someone else’s amp and have to do a quick linecheck I find those amps with loads of knobs too annoying to work with, and all I really need is a clean channel anyway so the Blues Jr is perfect with just a few basic knobs. It’s also fairly light and small enough for me to carry to gigs. I crank up the master to 12 and use the volume button to adjust volume to get the cleanest sound out of the amp and use pedals for effects.
Pedal wise I have a pretty standard set up. I use Boss Distortion DS-1 on absolutely all songs and I love it. For some reason it has a reputation for being a shit pedal for teenagers but that is so wrong. It sounds awesome with my guitar and amp and I can’t tell you how many guitar geeks have complimented on my tone and asked what I use and get surprised for not using a ‘fancy’ pedal. The reason why they ask is because all my pedals have been painted red to match my guitar so unless you check closely you wouldn’t know what’s on the board. Except for the DigiTech Whammy pitch shifter which is already red of course!
Fanny’s red pedal board, and Lucia the dog.
On my board is also DigiTech Digital Reverb, Boss Chromatic Tuner, Electro-Harmonix Micro Pog, TC Electronic Flashback which I use for delay (and loop for home practice) as well as Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy for slapback. My favourite pedal of all time though is Electro-Harmonix Big Muff which I use for solos and whenever the songs need a fuzz boost.
Also on the photo is my dog Lucia.
Zoë: My bass set up is a Höfner Ignition Club Bass, EHX bass metaphors pedal, EHX Nano Bass Big Muff Pi pedal, and Ashdown Rootmaster 2×10″ 500W combo amplifier.
Zoë’s Höfner Ignition Club Bass – photo by Christopher Ryan James
The Höfner club bass is my ideal bass; great deep tone, reliable and doesn’t break your shoulders or the bank.
I invested in the EHX bass metaphors pedal last year and for me it’s an all in one dream. It serves as a compressor and distortion pedal, while also having a DI. The Nano Bass Big Muff Pi comes with me when I want to boost the distortion level even more.
Zoë’s Ashdown RootMaster
The Ashdown RootMaster 500W 2×10″ amp is a proper workhorse and has served me well. Super powerful combo, and compact enough that you can move it around fairly easily. Lightweight for a bass amp at 17kg! Lots of options with both passive and active inputs, 5 band EQ control, shape control, compressor and sub harmonics control.
When recording I use my club bass, Höfner Verythin HCT or a Fender P bass.
I don’t have a dog in my pictures, which is upsetting on so many levels.
It’s hard not to love The Franklys. As Anglo-Swedish all-woman garage-rock bands go, they’re the top – awesome, catchy songs, killer guitar riffs, heaps of charisma. (Check out our radio session with them!) When they played the first Loud Women Fest in 2016 I came away feeling like I’d seen a band destined to fill stadiums. Selfishly, I’m thrilled that I was able to book them again for this year’s Loud Women Fest (15 September at London’s The Dome), but it can’t be long, surely, before this band ascends from DIY scene to global hugeness.
In the meantime, I’m making the most of being able to watch the band locally, and chat to their supernice members: Jennifer, (vox and guitar), Fanny (lead guitar), Zoe (bass) and Lexi (drums).
The Franklys! I am SO looking forward to welcoming you back to Loud Women Fest! What’s changed for you in the two years that’s passed since our first Fest?
Thanks so much for having us back! We’ve been really fortunate to play a lot of great shows around the UK and Europe since, and meet a lot of lovely and supportive people along the way. I think that our group dynamic has only become stronger, and we are now having more fun than ever together, which can only be a good thing! Our style of music is still very similar, but we are writing songs that seem to have an extra edge to them and we are all very excited!
And of course you’ve released your album ‘Are You Listening’ since then …
It’s a debut album that we are all really proud of, there’s a good variety of songs on there; some pure garage rock, some heavier and some more mellow ones too. We always want to try and push ourselves to get the most out of song and add in quirks that make them a bit more interesting. We recorded with a great producer and engineer called Sean Douglas at Fish Factory Studios & Juno Studios, who we had worked with before so we already had a lot of confidence in him.
What’s next for The Franklys?
We’re heading into the studio at the end of August for a week to record four new songs, which we can’t wait to do. We’re super excited about this new material, so to finally get it recorded and out there will be great. As part of the world domination plan we will be heading back to Europe in September and October for some gigs, mainly in Germany but also a couple in France, Switzerland and anywhere else that wants us!
Who are you looking forward to seeing play at Loud Women Fest?
It’s such a strong line up, we want to do the impossible and see everyone really, but we would have to bend time and space for that I guess. So, we are especially looking forward to seeing Petrol Girls, Ms. Mohammed, Dream Nails, Sister Ghost, GUTTFULL and The Baby Seals.
What’s the most important thing for us to know about your music?
We just want people to have a good time when we play, dance and be happy!
Episode 6 of the LOUD WOMEN Show on the Women’s Radio Station is available to download now from our Mixcloud, hosted by Cassie Fox and featuring live performance and chat about allsorts with The Franklys, who are LOVELY! Tracks played on the show:
Dream Nails – Merkury
The Franklys – Don’t Kill Your Friends
Sister Ghost – Emily
The Franklys – Puppet (live)
You Want Fox – Dirty Little Damsel
Guttfull – Keyboard Warrior
The Franklys – Weasel (live)
Nova Twins – Lose Your Head
Jemma Freeman – Heaven on a Plate
Wolf Girl – Toast for Dinner
Drunken Butterfly – Sister
She Makes War – Devastate Me
This year’s final line-up for LOUD WOMEN Fest has just been announced, and now includes worldclass artists She Makes War and Efa Supertramp! Here’s a taster of how it’s going to look …
This, the 3rd annual LOUD WOMEN Fest will showcase 21 punk and indie acts in 1 day, over 2 neighbouring stages – The Dome and the Boston Music Room, Tufnell Park, London. Last year’s festival massively sold out, so early ticket-buying is advised!
Plus DJs including Mammory Tapes AND cake stall from Ladies of the Lock – The WI group for Camden, Kentish Town…
This year, we’re taking over The Dome, Tufnell Park and Boston Music Room. Using these two amazing, world-class neighbouring venues we can keep the music constant throughout the day, and make our Fest bigger and better than ever!
Expect:
* Delicious hot food and cakes.
* Stalls with zines and goodies.
* The best damn day/night out of the year.
Applications from stallholders and zine sellers, other kinds of performers that we haven’t even thought of yet, and any other enquiries to loudwomenclub@gmail.com
LOUD WOMEN Fest is back in 2018 – bigger and louder than ever! Building on the massive success of our last two Festivals, we’re expanding to two much larger venues: The Dome, Tufnell Park, and Boston Music Room
Applications from stallholders and zine sellers, other kinds of performers that we haven’t even thought of yet, and any other enquiries to loudwomenclub@gmail.com
ZAND
Outspoken non-binary alt popstar from Blackpool.
The Franklys
Swedish-British indie-rock. “In-your-face and awesome” – DIVA.
Grace Savage
4 x UK Beatbox Champion.
Jesus & his Judgemental Father
Queer punx from Leeds.
The Twistettes
Scottish sister duo: “DIY, punk, riot grrrl, real-deal indie with a touch of psychobilly”.
Pussyliquor
All girl punk band from Brighton. “Pure uncensored female rage.”
Crumbs
A post-punk pop party pack from Yorkshire.
Ms. Mohammed
“Powerful, Feminist, Brilliant, Goddess-like with raging guitars & tribal drums!” – BBC Asian Network
GET YOUR £15 TICKET NOW!
Sister Ghost
Noisy, spectral art-rock with a pop heart.
The Menstrual Cramps
The band that made Oi cry! Winners of the 2017 LOUD WOMEN Hercury Prize.
WOLF GIRL
Noisy pop four-piece based in South London who write about sexuality, gender and anxiety.
Sam Amant
Brilliant, bold, controversial, French one-woman hurricane.
The Baby Seals
Our favourite empowerpop trio from Cambridge.
Art Trip & the Static Sound
Stunning London powerpunx led by the famazing Melodie Holliday.
Jemma Freeman & the Cosmic Something
Expect high energy performances and compositions of cosmic content.
PLUS DJs including MAMMORY TAPES and more bands TBA!
Keep an eye on your inbox for a full ezine coming soon, with news of a whole heap of new regular gigs at the Hope & Anchor. In the meantime, if you want to get in touch drop us a line on loudwomenclub@gmail.com, like our FB page or join our FB group.
Good morning! Time to open the LOUD WOMEN Advent Galendar window number 18, and who’s that swishing all that beautiful hair about …?
It’s The Franklys!
The Franklys won a lot of new fans when they first played for us, at the first LOUD WOMEN Fest in 2015. Since then they’ve played again for us at The Lexington, and they will be contributing to our second compilation album – more about that in the new year!
This awesome garage pop band are so clearly destined for huge things – maybe 2018 will be the year they’ll get to rock out on the enormous stages they deserve!
For this – the very first LOUD WOMEN ‘Her’cury Music Award – we’ve honoured most of the criteria of our rival, the so-called “Mercury” prize: that is, albums by British-based musicians released between30th July 2016and21st July 2017 (sorry to Deux Furieuses and Crumbs, respectively).
With TWO differences: our ‘Her’cury prize doesn’t care about record formats or industry distribution, and these artists are all LOUD, all female-fronted or female-driven, or just plain all-female. From a pool of thirty options, our scientific poll of the LOUD WOMEN Team has produced this shortlist of 12, given below in alphabetical order.The winner of the ‘Her’cury Music Award will be announced at lunchtime on Thursday 14 September.
Actual Crimes – ‘Ceramic Cat Traces‘
Swansong album from Kirsty (Cat Apostrophe) Fife, Aaron Batley and Ruth Mair. Tense post-hardcore melodies in the music and subtle political undertones in the words, topped with the prolific perzine-ster’s borderline-breakdown vocals.
Desperate Journalist – ‘Grow Up’
Second album from the runaway success story of the London indie scene, pushing all your Britpop/postpunk/pop-goth/80s-indie buttons at once. Soaring vocals, chiming guitars, proper songs and all’s right/wrong with the world.
Brilliant hook-laden grunge pop from this Glasgow duo, with every song a winner; proving that the ‘difficult second album’ is just a problem for other people.
The Menstrual Cramps – ‘We’re Not Ovaryacting’
The Menstruals (well, we can’t really nickname them ‘The Cramps’) hit the ground running earlier this year with this impressive digital debut and a ridiculously-confident live debut on International Womens’ Day for Who Runs the World/LOUD WOMEN.
Nolay – ‘This Woman’
Latest album from the Unorthodox Daughter, and impossible to number because so many of Nolay’s releases have been mixtapes straight from the underground. No pop-grime crossover, no compromise, and no holds barred. Nolay’s definitive feminist statement.
Oh! Gunquit – ‘Lightning Likes Me’
Second album from criminally-underrated, slightly-uncategorisable (although we’re about to have a go), new-wave surf-garage trash-punks!
Pet Crow – A Simple Guide to Small and Medium Pond Life
Impressively-tuneful debut album from Derby male/female 4-piece, released on vinyl by LIINES’ label Reckless Yes. Dancey, surfy, garagey indie punk fronted by Danielle Cotterill’s powerful vocals. https://petcrow.bandcamp.com/releases
Petrol Girls – ‘Talk of Violence’
Debut full-length release from probably the most powerful feminist band in the UK, known to leave audiences genuinely shocked-and-awed with a combination of rock hooks, hardcore assault and uncompromising lyrics. One of two shortlisted bands with a track on the LOUD WOMEN Volume One compilation album.
Sacred Paws – ‘Strike a Match’
Definitive musical statement from Rachel Aggs (Trash Kit, Golden Grrrls, Covergirl, Shopping) – possibly the UK’s greatest guitarist – combining what used to be called ‘world music’ with Postcard Records-esque post-punk funk. Scottish Album of the Year, and now LOUD WOMEN ‘Her’cury shortlist!
The Tuts – ‘Update Your Brain’
Widely-acclaimed and long-awaited debut from one of the hardest-working DIY bands in the business, released a decade after they first formed at school. Standout newer tracks ‘Con Man’ and ‘1982’ bring the best punk-pop hooks and ‘Give Us Something Worth Voting For’ delivers the clearest message.
The Wharves – ‘Electa’
Second album from this all-female melodic post-everything powerhouse follows 2014’s ‘At Bay’, showcasing more of their tightly rhythmic and skilfully harmonic repertoire. https://gringorecords.bandcamp.com/album/electa
Last autumn The Franklys. played the first LOUD WOMEN Fest and they were outstanding: mesmeric, energetic, playing a kind of danceable garage rock.
Are You Listening? is superb! It starts off with ‘Castaway’, a good, straightforward rock track elevated by Fanny Broberg’s superb guitar work.
Complex, catchy, energetic, nimble rock that, yeah, fulfills some of the criteria for being ‘classic old school rock’ but is far too light on its feet to be compared to the more lumpen bands that term can conjure up. The Franklys might cite Led Zeppelin as an influence but their music is much more agile, much more interesting.
The songs deal with relationships, growth and development, war and democracy: in short, they explore the darker side of the human condition.
On this album Jennifer Ahikvist proves herself to be a very sophisticated vocalist, able to emote without ever being melodramatic. Fanny Broberg excels on lead guitar, and Zoe Biggs and Lexi Clark are a tight, creative, equally talented rhythm section.
Stand out songs for me at the moment are ‘Keeper’, ‘Don’t Kill Your Friends’ and ‘Imaginarium’ but the whole album is overflowing with talent, craft, energy and danceable, catchy rock.
The Franklys have successfully captured the excitement and energy of their live performances on this release and if you like rock in any of its various forms then you should check this out.
It’s hard not to love The Franklys. As Anglo-Swedish all-woman garage-rock bands go, they’re the top – awesome, catchy songs, killer guitar riffs, heaps of charisma. 
Last autumn The Franklys. played the first LOUD WOMEN Fest and they were outstanding: mesmeric, energetic, playing a kind of danceable garage rock.