By DJ Monk
If ever an album is appropriately titled it is this one, as Genya Ravan is one of the true icons of rock ‘n’ roll. For those unfamiliar with her back story, she broke the mould in the early Sixties when she formed Goldie And The Gingerbreads – not only regarded as the world’s first ever all female rock ‘n’ roll band but also early innovators of the garage punk sound. In the Seventies, she changed tack to again break new ground, first as the first independent female producer, helming one of THE seminal punk albums in the shape of Dead Boys’ iconic ‘Young Loud and Snotty’ debut among many others, before taking up Hilly Crystal’s invitation to head up his newly formed CBGB Records label. Now, she has turned her career full circle with this, her latest solo album.
‘Icon’ is a turning of the wheel in many different ways, extrapolating the breadth of Ravan’s six-decade long career, showcasing the wide variety of influences she brought to bear while simultaneously breaking down walls for her fellow females in the music business. From the big band pump of opener ‘Comin’ Up The Hard Way’ (casting minds back to her time with Ten Wheel Drive) to the acerbic garage agit-pop of second single ‘Don’t Go In The Bathroom’, the hip sway of the doo-wop infused ‘Enough Is Enough’, the torch bearing yearning of ‘Hard Way Out’, the über cool rockabilly cheekiness of ‘He Got Me (When He Got His Pants On)’, the dark gospel of ‘Kisses In The Dark’, the proto-punk challenge of ‘Mean It’ and the swaggering blues of ‘Fool For A Pretty Face’, the cross-generational influence of Ravan is evident in every groove.
Where Ravan genius really comes to the fore, however, is in her extremely clever lyricism. Each and every word is ripped from the darkest recesses of her rock ‘n’ roll soul, and feels like it, coming across with an unbridled honesty that emanates from every pore and syllable, right from the louche opening line of “I was a jukebox kid/a rock ‘n’ roll junkie at heart”, which sets the tone for the autobiographical nature of each and every word sung or spoken over the course of the next 13 songs and 50 minutes.
As a musician, songwriter, force for change and role model (and not just for women), she has broken so many boundaries that the UN have a peacekeeping force permanently camped on her doorstep. A genuinely innovative force in 20th Century music, it is very obvious listening to this highly relevant collection that, without the woman born Genyusha Zelkovicz in Poland 74 years ago, there would have been no Marianne Faithfull, Chrissie Hind, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry or Janis Joplin… and that is not to pay half as much tribute to her legacy as she deserves.
‘Icon’ is released on Friday (26 June). You can get your copy HERE.
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