The legendary Genya Ravan first helped kick the doors down in the mid 1960s for women in rock music with her group Goldie and the Gingerbreads. This was first all-woman rock band, after which she also pioneered one of the first Rock’N Roll horn bands—Ten Wheel Drive—in 1969. In 1972 Genya left the band and released her self titled solo debut. Four more albums followed in the ‘70s including two she self produced 1978’s Urban Desire and 1979’s …And I Meant It!. Starting in the 1980s Ms. Ravan spent the next few decades producing bands like The Dead Boys as well as other Rock icons like Ronnie Spector. Now those two late 1970s recordings have been reissued. Both feature Ravan’s raw, powerful vocals, backed with a hard-rocking, Punk Blues edge and Soulful groove. Urban Desire features a perfectly matched duet with Lou Reed on “Aye Co’lorado” and also a rollicking Rolling Stones style cover of The Supremes’ “Back In My Arms Again.” While it’s follow up record …And I Meant It! contains a stellar duet with Glam Rock Icon Mott The Hoople’s Ian Hunter with former David Bowie bandmate, Mick Ronson on lead guitar.
Both albums are available on black vinyl, and CD as well as Urban Desire on red vinyl and …And I Mean It on pink vinyl. Ravan can also be heard as a DJ on Sirius/XM’s Stevie Van Zandt’s “Underground Garage.” Ms. Ravan hosts two shows, “Chicks and Broads,” spotlighting forgotten female musicians of previous generations, and “Goldie’s Garage” featuring today’s up’n’coming ones. For more information about this crazy talented, bad-ass, woman please visit her website genyaravan.com.
Photo credit: Russ Rowland
