I <3 Magneta Lane

In 1982 I was six years old and a FOB. I had been in Canada about two years. My family was broke at the time, but we had enough money for a television and basic cable. It was then that I got my first taste of girl rock.

I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll was released in 1982 and spent seven weeks at the top of the pop charts. The first time I saw Joan Jett rock out in the video, I felt an amazing surge of electricity coarse through my veins. Something about her looking like a badass and murdering the crowd with her guitar riff made me want to be just like her.

Years later, the only musical instrument I had mastered was the very un-rock ‘n’ roll flute and the only real song I had performed live was an Italian art song. Nevertheless my love of the lady rockers did not die.

The past few years have been filled with disappointment for me as girl rock was replaced with vapid chick pop. The Christinas and Jessicas of the world stripped their way into the general consciousness and girl rock had to get in the backseat. This is not to say that girl rock didn’t have representation over the past few years (I had Le Tigre among others), it just wasn’t as prominent nor as plentiful.

Then Sleater-Kinney knocked it out of the park last year with The Woods. Girl rock was beginning to awake from her slumber.

This year Magneta Lane released Dancing with Daggers and girl rock officially fluttered her lashes again.

Magneta Lane is like a better, female version of The Strokes. I am obsessed. Listen to it when you get a chance.

Viva les girl rockers.

(Notable mention to Tokyo Police Club who are not girl rockers per se, but are still fun and opening up for Magneta Lane for their April 6 show at the Horseshoe.)