By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
August 4, 2004
How much attitude do Liz Phair, Nina Persson, Charlotte Martin and Katy Rose have?
So much that they don’t mind being called chicks.
Their Chicks With Attitude tour kicks off today at the House of Blues. The press release for the tour says the artists were picked to be an inspiration to “other young women looking to find their voice.” (Pun intended, we’re sure.) But since the tour is sponsored by Maybelline, it’s likely the singers’ comely looks factored into the selection.
Still, we’re not ones to quibble about female rockers getting the chance to take center stage.
It’s 2004, but the idea of a female rock star still isn’t accepted the way it is for the men. The singles charts may be populated with musicians such as Avril, Norah and, yes, even Britney. But women aren’t considered rock stars in the way men are. Most women still have to sell their sexuality in order to sell records. When’s the last time anyone asked Dave Matthews to pose with his midriff exposed?
Phair in particular knows how to play the game. She gives the photographers what they want and then does what she likes. She’s done the indie thing. Now she’s going for the commercial thing. Aided by the hitmaking team the Matrix, Phair has a couple songs on her self-titled latest album that sound like they could be sung by Hilary Duff. Some would call her a sellout, but they would be wrong. Her record shows she hasn’t completely left Guyville. She’s just stomping around in Jimmy Choos this time around.
Katy Rose
* Touring to support: “Because I Can”
* Age: 16
* Sound: Fiona Apple by way of Joni Mitchell and the aforementioned Ms. Phair.
* Why she’s a chick with attitude: She may be a kid, but she doesn’t take any crap from anyone — least of all adults.
* Chance of being a Maybelline model: Good. Looks like she could be the love child of Elvis Presley and Sheryl Crow.
Liz Phair
* Touring to support: “Liz Phair”
* Age: 37
* Sound: Not the greatest singer. Even worse as a guitarist. But the woman can write. We’re not as enthralled with this pop thing she’s working right now but we’re not too worried. She’ll come to miss the gal who wrote “Exile in Guyville” as much as we do.
* Why she’s a chick with attitude: She’s an unapologetic feminist. She kept her maiden name after she got married. (Good thing, too, since she later got divorced). And she makes swearing sound cool. Sorry, moms, but she does.
* Chance of being a Maybelline model: Good. She’s already got the skinny, blond and cute part down pat.
Nina Persson of the Cardigans
* Touring to support: “Long Gone Before Daylight”
* Age: 30
* Sound: Baby doll rocker. No matter what other songs they record, no one will forget her chirpy pleas of “love me, love me,” in “Lovefool.”
* Why she’s a chick with attitude: She married the first groupie she ever had: Nathan Larson.
* Chance of being a Maybelline model: Excellent. This Swedish beauty has perfect skin and eyelashes out to there.
Charlotte Martin
* Touring to support: “In Parenthesis” and “On Your Shore,” which is due out Aug. 10.
* Age: 27.
* Sound: Ethereal, emotional and evocative. Think Tori Amos and PJ Harvey and you’re on the right track.
* Why she’s a chick with attitude: She’s more than just a musician. Martin started her own comic book, “766 6th Street,” which is based on all the crazy people she met in college.
* Chance of being a Maybelline model: Ding ding ding! We have a winner. This former coed at Eastern Illinois University also is a former Miss Teen Illinois and one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” this year.
