There are a few personal high points for me on this week’s B Side. One is a career-best conflict-of-interest disclaimer in my Three Beats item on DJ, party promoter, and Magic: The Gathering aficionado Johnny Love. The other is finally making an opportunity to discuss the heinous sexism that permeates so much of the dialogue surrounding female pop musicians, in particular the dialogue issuing from the indie scene and the critical community. Predictably some of the reaction to my column reflects the same refusal to believe that sexism—or racism, homophobia, et cetera—could even exist in the relatively progressive indie-rock world, a belief that only serves to give such prejudices a nice cover under which they can continue to flourish. If you don’t believe me, I’d suggest starting by reading this interview with Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek and then maybe moving on to actually talking to a female performer who’s earned any significant amount of popular and/or critical attention. Or, you know, you could just take this week’s cover image as a personal message from myself and the many people, not all female, who disagree with you.
Elsewhere on the B Side, Three Beats tells you about a “blasphemous and blackened Chicago metal event” and Sally Timms’s bizarre early recordings, which have recently been reissued. Gossip Wolf continues its Pitchfork festival predictions, and the Soundboard recommends shows by Lunice, Juan Atkins, Atlas Sound, Wet Hair, Hate Eternal, Torche, and more.