Vivien Goldman (Photo by Alexesie Pinnock)

Our friend Rick Taylor likes to say he follows in the footsteps of legendary radio host John Peel in creating the traditions of his monthly DC post-punk, garage, and indie left-of-the-dial night, We Fought the Big One.

Well, Rick and his collaborator Brandon Grover add another layer to their storied party when they host punk professor Vivien Goldman, a true indie-rock original, at Marx Cafe on Friday, April 1, in honor of the 18th anniversary of We Fought the Big One.

Vivien Goldman released a debut solo album, Next Is Now only last year via Youth Sounds / Cadiz Entertainment. Said Goldman, “Quite a turn-up to be making my first album now, specially with my dear bred’ren Youth at the controls. I found I had lots to sing about and my voice has improved!”

The eagerly awaited Next Is Now was recorded and produced by Youth (Killing Joke, The Orb, Paul McCartney) and features 10 brand new tracks.

Of the single “I Have A Voice,” Goldman said: “The music scene is not the boystown cockocracy it was when I recorded ‘Launderette’ in the early 1980s post-punk days. Punk had already started to shift things. Though the struggles continue, I am glad to be among those feeling the benefits of women being heard more loudly. The issues I sang about back then still concern us now, but now all the isms are pumped up like they’re on steroids and the stakes feel even higher. So it could not have been a better time for me to make my first ever album, especially as Youth and I do share that punky reggae dub-matic aesthetic, for life.”

Stream “I Have a Voice” by Vivien Goldman on YouTube:

Stream “Laundrette” by Vivien Goldman on YouTube:

Vivien Goldman is of course renowned as a groundbreaking ’80s post-punk artist, whether solo or collaborating with bands.

Musician, journalist, and reggae scholar, Goldman’s celebrated post-punk output of the early 1980s found her acclaimed for the social comment on tracks such as “Private Armies” — voted a top feminist punk song by Pitchfork. The accolade led to the release of Goldman’s seventh book, the award-winning Revenge of the She-Punks, which is appearing in seven international editions.

Her musical renaissance was prompted by the global popularity of “Resolutionary,” the 2016 compilation of her early 1980s music recorded with people from PiL, The Raincoats, The Slits, Aswad, Robert Wyatt, and of her own first band, The Flying Lizards. Goldman’s post-punk classic “Launderette” was featured in HBO’s The Deuce, and she has been sampled by the likes of rappers Madlib and The Roots, among others.

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Vivien Goldman
We Fought the Big One
Marx Cafe
Friday, April 1
Show @ 10pm
Donations welcome
All ages