LOUD WOMEN have released the stunning ‘Reclaim These Streets’ a charity single featuring 64 amazing vocalists, and raising money for Women’s Aid. It’s storming the iTunes charts, it’s a John Kennedy X-Posure Big One on Radio X, and for a very good reason - it rocks!
Spine-tingling, uplifting, thrilling, powerful, political, catchy, revealing. Only repeat listens can do this new LOUD WOMEN ‘Reclaim These Streets’ single justice.
Raising money for Women’s Aid, it’s spreading like wildfire, and has been described as a “feminist Band Aid” but better.
Written by LOUD WOMEN founder Cassie Fox, who deserves to be an honorary member of Abba for her pop skills, and the incomparable Brix Smith who slams in with a rap section, the tune features a host of amazing artists. Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama, Shakespears Sister), and Patsy Stevenson (the face of the Clapham vigil) join more than 60 female vocalists and some heavy weight instrumentalists for the charity single. Most of them feature on the vibrant video.
In the wake of the recent deaths of Blessing Olusegun and Sarah Everard, the collective behind the release, LOUD WOMEN, hopes to turn up the volume on current discussions on the issue of women’s safety. As the song says, “Until every woman is safe to walk on every street”.
Instrumentation is provided by a female and non-binary supergroup with members of My Bloody Valentine, Salad and punk band T-Bitch.
The contributing vocalists form a who’s who of women in the alternative music scene, including: Estella Adeyeri (Big Joanie), Janey Starling (ex-Dream Nails), Nadia Javed (The Tuts), Ren Aldridge (Petrol Girls), Debbie Smith (Curve/Echobelly), Jo Bevan (Desperate Journalist), Marijne ven der Vlugt (Salad) and many more - from the UK, USA, mainland Europe and Ireland.
LOUD WOMEN in the studio - by Keira-Anee Photography
Siobhan Fahey is of course familiar with the charity supergroup format – she was one of the very few women to have performed on the 1984 Band Aid single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’. Siobhan delivers the chilling and poignant final line of ‘Reclaim These Streets’ - “text me when you get home.”
Brix Smith said of the project: “When I was asked to take part I said ‘absolutely!’, because when I thought about it, not a day has gone by when I’ve not felt scared to walk down the street. And that needs to change, for all of us.”
Powerful cover art was designed by Julia Woollams of 31% Wool, using a photo by Keira-Anee Photography.
Patsy Stevenson said: “I wanted to join this project because I don’t know a single woman who hasn’t been sexually harassed or abused in her lifetime.”
Cassie Fox revealed: “I wrote this song out of rage and frustration. Two women a week are killed by men. Refuge services are having to turn away one in two survivors of violence. And yet refuge funding has been cut by one quarter since 2010. This is a song of feminist solidarity and hope – all women and gender non-conforming people have a right to walk safely on every street, and be safe in their own home.”
A live performance of the song is planned at LOUD WOMEN Fest, on 18 Sept 2021 at London’s 229 Portland Street venue. Full info and tickets at www.loudwomen.org/fest
‘Reclaim These Streets’ is out now on all platforms to buy and stream. You can also donate to Women’s Aid here.
Reclaim these streets
From the age of 13
I’ve known the fear of dark streets
I’ve known my body’s danger
Can he hear my heart beat?
Every woman’s got a story
Breaks silence with a whisper
Daring to tell her truth
Calling to her sisters
Text me you when get home
Keys between your fingers
Staying close to streetlights
Fear of shadows lingers
Till every woman’s safe from harm in her own home
Till every woman’s safe to live her truth
Till every woman’s safe to walk on every street
Ooo-aaah
Reclaim these streets! (Reclaim these streets)
Reclaim these streets! (Reclaim these streets)
Reclaim these streets! (Reclaim these streets)
Ooo-aaah
From the age of 13
Been told that it is my fault
Blamed for male violence
Better watch where I walk
We have a right to safety
She was just walking home
Too many women share a story
You are not alone
(Bridge as before)
(Chorus as before)
Text me when you get home …
Abby Werth of I, Doris and Argonaut
Amber of Hadda Be
Angela Martin of Bugeye
Bec Jevons of IDestroy
Brix Smith Start
Caroline Gilchrist of Hot Sauce Pony
Cassie Fox
Charley Stone
Debbie Googe
Debbie Smith
Dungareen Jean
Elis Sarv from Noise Noir
Ella Patenall of Naz & Ella
Emily Eagle of The Pukes
Emma Sky of Slut Magic
Erika Severyns
Estella Adeyeri of Big Joanie
Gail Something-Else of Muddy Summers & the Dirty Field Whores
Gemma Cullingford of Sink Ya Teeth
Georgie Willsher of Beverley Kills
Gilan
Harriet Doveton
Helen McCookerybook
Holly Carter of Berries
Jade Ellins
Janey Starling
Jen Macro
Jo Bevan
Joyce Raskin
Julie Riley of I Am HER
Karen of Hagar the Womb
Kat Five of Feral Five
Kel of The Empty Page
Kelly Chard
Kimmi Watson
Kristina Stazaker
Lee Friese-Greene
Lilith Ai
Liz Hayward of Ode to Sleep
Lorna Tiefholz of Rabies Babies
Marijne van der Vlugt
Michelle Marti of Girls Rock Indiana
Minni Moody
MIRI
Molly Energi
Nadia Javed
Ngaire Ruth
Nicki Mirage of Brazen Hussy/KNM
Patsy Stevenson
Paul Maps – Joyzine
Penfriend
Priya
Ren Aldridge of Petrol Girls
Ros Cairney of Deux Furieuses
Roshi Nasehi
Rowanna Chown
Sam McCann of Gender Chores
Shona MacMillan
Siân Alex of Gold Baby
Siobhan Fahey
Stevie B of T-Bitch
Suteki Hegg
The Pukes
Umbilica