Punk (and for our current purposes, new wave) began as a centralized phenomenon, you were either from New York or London or you moved your sorry-ass there toute fuckin' suite. However as that 'new music' spread, the phenomenon of the regional scene (like Liverpool or Detroit once were) re-ignited. An early example of such localized hype, would be the city of Akron, Ohio. When that city's weird-punks Devo, signed to Stiff Records circa 1978 (forever confuzzling the course of rock history) it led to a locust-like descent of A & R men upon the rubber capital of the world. Other than the Rubber City Rebels, what they found there was a whole lotta estrogen.
Rachel Sweet
Rachel Sweet, pushed as a sex object by her different record labels starting at the tender age of fifteen, is the missing link between Tanya Tucker and Brittany Spears ('course neither of them were backed by power-pop titans, the Records!) She moved from a country-ish sound, to a more slick rock style before joining teen idol Rex Smith in mush-land. (Two of MRML's favourites pop-punk bands have given props to Rachel; Berkley's Mr. T. Experience covered "Whats' in the Cuckoo Clock"and Victoria's Bum, in the song "O Cookie" asked, "Whatever happened to Rachel Sweet/Oh man, she sure was pretty/I miss her singing a country song - yes I do").
Another Akron belter signed to Stiff was Jane Aire, was again backed by a group of British boys, the Belvederes later called the Edge (no connection to the U2 effects-whiz).
The Pretenders (Chrissie Hynde)
In 1979 when this buzz about Akron was peaking, an ex-Akronite (and then London rock scribe) Chrissie Hynde was putting together a tough-as-nails (British) band called the Pretenders, While she never signed to Stiff, her band's first single was produced by Stiff's early guiding light, Mr. Nick Lowe. Chrissie's career has some dizzying ascents and some steep downslides and but she's survived and is still rocking damn hard.Download Chrissie + Co.'s Stop Yer Sobbin' 7"
45 Revolutions and MRML began a brief and ill-advised feud on the identity of Akron's finest female vocalist. 45 argued for Jane first, followed by Rachel with Chrissie taking up the rear, while MRML argued that it was Chrissie numero uno, with Jane in the middle of the pack and Rachel taking home the bronze medal. (Neither of us mentioned Patty Donahue of the Waitresses - go figure!)
{So now MRML Readers, make your vote for Akron's finest female vocalist - just click 'comment' and type in your first choice - and second and third if your are so inclined.}
Turns out it's Chrissie, no matter how you tot up the votes but it's actually Rachel in second and Jane taking home the bronze. You never know how these things will turn out. Thanks for your wry, amusing ballots.
(The first and last pictures were the best available images of Lori Petty in the Stiff shirt she wore in the movie version of Tank - Girl - sharper images would be welcome.)
