Sharon Signs to Cherry Red review - a window to a oft-concealed area of female pop representation

Subtitled Independent Women 1979-1985, this superbly curated collection is named after an obscure song on an obscure UK indie label by an obscure UK indie act, The Kamikaze Pilots.

Referencing post-punk’s DIY ethic, the two-disc compilation gathers selections from the “demo cassette generation”.

Inevitably, very few nudged their way onto the pages of the era’s mainstream music press, and those that did (including Mari Wilson, Strawberry Switchblade, Tracey Thorn, The Modettes) soon retreated.

Eclecticism is the key feature here, indicative (perhaps) of the gender’s non-linear mindset. Many forgotten names (whither Grab Grab the Haddock?) compete with acts as fondly recalled as Marine Girls, Dolly Mixture, and Tracie, resulting in a window to a oft-concealed area of female pop representation.

cherryred.co.uk