Unwoman's Journal

My tribute homies at Du Nord tonite

Fri, 16 May 2008 22:17:47 GMT

buz and I can't make it but it's sure to be a blast. The last time TCB played Du Nord (and I was a special guest) it sold out so you want to get there reasonably early. Also don't forget Sunday May 18 is Ian Curtis Death Day -- celebrate it with Ghost of Curtis, opening tonight, who do an amazing job.

Thank you CA supreme court

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:06:03 GMT

Nothing makes me cry with glee more than gay weddings. I cry at normal weddings too, but show me two ladies or two dudes kissing and I'm all "awww, they overcame such obstacles!" I am prepared to see some backlash but hope the hate will be so ugly it repulses any "swing" voters.

--

Sunday afternoon after band practice I might make my way out to the beach by my house post-Bay to Breakers. Then the Dresden Dolls concert where I expect to see lots of people I know, including my mom, and my cousin and all her teenage friends. If you see me at either of those events say hi to me, I'm the one with the Unwoman tattoo. :)

AT LAST

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:44:28 GMT

In progress:

The artist is Mary Joy.

Finished, the Unwoman symbol:

This was delayed for a month due to illness and I missed having it during that whole time. Which means I'm very glad I got it. I don't know if I'll get more. It barely hurt at all, and I like how good tattoos look on most people, so I'll certainly consider getting more ink, but I enjoy being a style chameleon so I don't want anything that will prevent me from convincingly dressing as a mermaid or as Siouxsie Sioux when I feel like it.

I have to get some shirts with medium-low backs for maximum flatteringness. The shirt I'm wearing here is a little too low and the symbol looks a little lonely. :)

Upcoming appearances

Wed, 07 May 2008 17:33:42 GMT

Neither as Unwoman, both at the DNA, and for both I recommend wearing your best & blackest clothes.

Unwoman fronts the Siouxsie and the Banshees tribute band Spellbound
		Black & Black Ball Saturday, June 7 (midnight) At the DNA Lounge for New Wave City 21+, $7/$12
Unwoman will also join Jill Tracy as part of the Malcontent Orchestra
		Release party for The Bittersweet Constrain Wednesday, June 11 At the DNA Lounge 21+, $15-$25

This is a public display of affection

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:06:07 GMT

I LOVE YOU buz!!! I'm so glad we're married. It means so much to have such a Sure Thing in my life. The flowers you brought to my office are lovely, they'll make me smile all the time. And this weekend is gonna be all jacuzzi/champagne/sweets/movie/cuddle/hang out/sleep/repeat! :D

I WORK HARD FOR THE MONEY SO YOU BETTER TREAT ME RIGHT

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:47:59 GMT

Unwoman + Push Dance

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:32:22 GMT

Buried Alive & Knowledge Scars -- Original choreography by Raissa Simpson (Push Dance):

For more Push Dance + Unwoman here's my "unwoman-related" youtube playlist:

What's especially cool about these performances is that I'm playing live onstage with the dancers (in the Buried Alive video I'm at the back). When I first saw them dancing to my pieces at a rehearsal, it seriously brought tears to my eyes.

Live webcast in 6 hours

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:58:25 GMT

At http://live.yahoo.com/unwoman
8:00 pm PDT
Login to the chat to say hi or make requests. :)

Listen to my stream

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:27:06 GMT

There is very little photographic evidence that I played at the DNA last night, but my audio performance was one of my best. You can listen to the stream here April 10 9:00 (that link won't work forever.) About 3 minutes in you'll here me come in. The mix takes a little getting used to because the vocals are always extra loud in the streams, they're also dry compared to what you hear in the cavernous club, therefore unforgiving on any flaws. Also the cello is way too quiet for my taste. But it's good as a historical document, and I was really pleased with my performance. The audience was small but I heard good feedback from lots of people. They were really quiet and polite listening to me.

Kaura was brilliant. They put on a great show, and have an excellent sound. It's interesting music that ROCKS. I wished I could hear Yosh a bit better, but that's what happens when "real" instruments compete with rock instruments. The aerial performance during one of the songs was amazing.

Gamelan X were really interesting. They were not what I expected based on the myspace selections. They had live clarinet, sax, and trombone, 1-3 people playing gamelan (they switched around), some percussionists including 1 person on a rock kit, and a guy a played basslines on the keyboard. I definitely wished he would change up the keyboard sound a bit as the throbbing was getting to me at the end of the night. But still, definitely a cool band with a great, if truly weird, sound, and stoners were dancing to them all through their set so they achieved their goal I think. We left around 1:00 because we were dead tired so we didn't see all the dancers come out with costumes as I assume they were going to do at the end of the set.

Hey hey hey! Come to the DNA!

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:08:10 GMT

I'm opening, going on around 8:45, which is less than 9 meager hours from now. My voice is actually almost normal, which I consider amazing after being ass-up-sick only a week ago, so I congratulate myself on my prescience (or recklessness) when I accepted the gig knowing I was getting sick.

You can watch the webcast at www.dnalounge.com if you can't make it to San Francisco, but I assure you, it will not be the same. I'm very very into seeing Kaura and Gamelan X!

Opening for Kaura, Gamelan X at DNA April 10th

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:48:38 GMT

Hey! I just got invited to open for Gamelan X & Kaura at the DNA, next Thursday April 10th! I am very excited as I love Kaura, I hadn't heard of Gamelan X but they look super cool too! I'm looking forward to seeing them live. Also there will be aerial acts, so awesome!

April 14: live webcast

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:37:25 GMT

Hey everyone,

I'd originally planning to do this tomorrow night but I'm coming down with a flu that promises to be nasty so it's been postponed to April 14 (Monday) at 8:00 PDT, at live.yahoo.com/unwoman. Please join in the chat if you want to say hi, heckle me, or request something.

Instant Bootleg

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:59:44 GMT

This is my new song, as played last night. Note the loud crowd noise -- especially appropriate as the song is basically about taking the fact that people don't listen to/like me personally (or not). What you can't hear on the recording (though a giggle near the recording device was probably inspired by it) was the opening act Dark Oz and his girlfriend dangerously approaching having Mad Hippie Sex on the dancefloor right in front of me. Not what my music is intended to inspire, but I'm glad when people are having a good time. Thanks to buz for coming to the gig & helping even though he was sick, buying me the recorder for Xmas, and recording the set! Also to MY MOM katmulkey (welcome to LJ Mom!) for helping with the merch and being the best.

Five people came to see me, including my mom and Buz. I never thought it was possible that my draw would actually decrease as I became a better performer, but that's life.

The new song has been called "All Over Now" as I've been working on it, since that's the first line I wrote for it, which begins the chorus. I think that title is cheesy so don't be surprised if it changes. Or suggest a new one based on the lyrics (which are also not final.)

All Over Now (Title tentative)

I only wanted to make something better than myself
I never resisted being criticized
No I believed every word anyone has said
But some things are not meant to be analyzed

Chorus:
It's all over now
I've grown so tired of listening
To all the doubt
The fear so consuming I will never get out
I still have the choice
To ignore that voice inside my head that says
Whatever I do, it's not success -
-I've had enough of this!

With every glance new cracks, new flaws are exposed
We all carry a thousand mistakes
Someday this pandora's box will be closed
Until then, I'll do whatever it takes

I look to the past and the future to come
Relying on daydreams that I might have won
One day...

It's all over now
I've grown so tired of listening
To all the doubt
The fear so consuming I will never get out
I still have the choice
To kill that awful voice inside my head that says
Whatever I do, it's not success -

I'm too soft, I'm too hard
I'm too brave, I'm too scared
I'm trivial, I'm serious
Is anyone even hearing this?

I hear the absence of your cheers
Loud and clear

Updated info for Thursday's show!

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:58:04 GMT

March, 27 2008 at Beale Street Bar & Grill
133 Beale Street, San Francisco, California 94105
Cost: 5

Unwoman (Erica Mulkey) cello, electronics & voice (8:30). Also Lindsay Erin http://www.myspace.com/lindsayerinmusic (9:15), Dark Oz http://www.myspace.com/acidbarrettblues (8:00

If you get there after 8:30 you will miss me. Hope to see some of you there! Consider this a second chance to see what still may be the last show with electronics. If less than 15 people are there to see me, it really will be the last, I promise.

Obama's speech

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:56:01 GMT

This is possibly the most honest, insightful, and necessary speech I've ever heard from a modern politician.

It's 37 minutes long -- but completely worth it for all Americans -- when you have time to watch it, please do.

Also, Arthur C. Clarke died. :(

New music happenings

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:56:34 GMT

I'm not sure whether the covers project I've been talking about for years will come next, because I'm actually full of new songs. Surprisingly, I'm gravitating toward writing these on cello instead of piano.

I do kinda want to record demo versions of two songs for the covers project (probably "Hurt" and "Open Your Heart") -- so I can shop them to labels. I mainly want a label for this project because I'm sooo not looking forward to handling all the licensing for 13-16 songs on my own. I hope to have the demos done in a month or so, and then maybe wait until I hear back from someone before I work too much more on the project. It'll be a guaranteed good seller but still definitely my own interpretations.

No Unwoman performance March 10

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:02:15 GMT

I was going to be performing with Toxicat Serena for her book release party at the upstairs of Death Guild next Monday, March 10. However, we found out just last night that our time would be restricted to 20 minutes for the event, which would have included me playing songs & Serena doing readings -- and I would have had to do my own sound for the event and bring a fair amount of equipment in addition to my self and my cello. I'm willing to do a lot to facilitate a performance and I never, ever ask to be paid for local gigs -- but this is just ridiculous. To split 20 minutes in the upstairs. I try (try!) to avoid musician-as-2nd-class-citizen situations like the plague, and this was shaping up to be one of them.Yes, I know Death Guild is the most popular goth club EVAR, but I still refuse to grovel for exposure there, or anywhere. (But, I still really appreciate that Serena wanted me to play at her release party!)

The show is still showing up on my profile even though I canceled it -- sorry about that.

I do really hope that some people will show up on March 27 at the Beale St Bar & Grill! I've just gotten more info on that -- it's only $4, and basically 21+ (talk to me if you're under 21 and want to come -- they'll make some exceptions if I can vouch for you, I think.)

Tattoo

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:01:34 GMT

I'm going to get a tattoo of the Unwoman symbol on the back of my neck. The unwoman symbol, for those of you who've never seen the way I sign CDs, is a venus (woman) symbol with a line through the round part, like this (but with no gap between the plus and the circle):

Ø
+

When I was approaching 18 my mom, who is extremely liberal where it counts, told me she'd disown me if I got a tattoo. I wouldn't really have let that stop me, but I was smart enough to know that, at the time, I was not ready to make any permanent decisions for myself. I got a lip and septum piercing instead, neither of which stayed in for more than two years. Really bad placement for someone with constant sinus infections and mouth sores (that were caused by eating gluten, and haven't come back since I figured that out and went gluten-free, but the holes healed up before I knew it and I realized I liked my face better without them.)

Ten years have passed and I couldn't have know it then, but I really know who I am now. And the unwoman identity has been with me since 2001 and it should be a part of my body forever, whatever else happens.

Not sure when I'll get it and the exact details of how it will look, but I'll probably go to Tattoo City.

Blossoms is on Pandora

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:12:43 GMT

I'm not sure how long it's been on there, but I just did a search for "The Little Mermaid" and it found only me, so I'm feeling pretty darn special! http://www.pandora.com/

On a startlingly more positive note

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:24:29 GMT

Jill Tracy has announced title, tracklisting, and cover image for her upcoming album!

I can say one thing for sure -- the 6 demo tracks that I heard (I played on four) are just amazingly gorgeous. I guarantee fans will be tickled by all this new material -- I personally can hardly contain myself!!

I'm way overdue to post a big post

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:45:52 GMT

About a ton of things, I'm afraid I don't have time to make it detailed or shiny.

- Trip to Hawaii was a great success, the show went fabulously and I was very well treated by the folks over there. To my friends in bands -- DJ Nocturna is a great promoter and you should definitely talk to her about playing out there, she has a weekly club on 1st Saturdays I believe. http://www.myspace.com/djnocturna

- The new Attrition album, All Mine enemys Whispers, is the top seller on Projekt apparently. My cello, sounding very spooky, is on three of its six tracks. http://www.projekt.com/projekt/product.asp?sku=PRO00209

- Spellbound show in Santa Cruz at the Blue Lagoon tonight -- opening is an all-girl Misfits tribute, then us, then Ghost of Curtis, then The Here as Devo. Should be tons of fun!

- I'm performing at Toxicat Serena's book release party on March 10 at Death Guild in the upstairs at about 11:45. Not sure exactly how it will be structured but there will be some book reading & some Unwoman songs.

- I've got a show at the Beale Street Bar & Grill March 27, I go on about 8:30.

- I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately, because I've been very happy lately, and I didn't use to be. I'm on the verge of writing a self-help book about how to be happy. (Just kidding.)

- Every time I blink there's a new song running through my head. Coming up with ideas for songs is extremely easy for me but having the time and focus to finish them is challenging these days. But I've got one almost done, writing-wise.

Hey girl-geeks in SF

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:23:34 GMT

Especially icis_machine, I thought of you, though you're busy with other stuff and I don't know how you feel about being on camera.

Tech Savvy Woman Wanted to Host Technology Show

Live Webcast

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:24:59 GMT

I'm live on Yahoo. Sound quality is probably poor, but it's a live webcast thing that, in the future, will be the way you watch people perform.

Interviewed on Cyber Angels website

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:47:13 GMT

Not the Cyber Angels devoted to protecting kids from internet pr0n, but rather, a site devoted to women in electronic music. You can read a fresh new interview of me on their site here.

Spellbound tonight in SF!

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:59:36 GMT

Reposted by request.

We're not expecting a huge turnout for this show, as it was booked too late for flyering, and can use all the help we can get.

The spellbound website exceeded bandwidth for the month (this is entirely buz's fault for not listening to me) so I basically have no choice but to send you to our myspace page if you want to hear samples.