Jenny Woolworth’s Women in Punk Blog

Here is a band called Congregation - Victoria Yeulet on vocals and percussion and Benjamin Prosser on guitar and percussion. They are two people making a big bluesy rock sound that knocks me right over. Genuine, intellegent and straight out of South London. Download and listen to their track “Whole Night Long” included here for a small taste of their magnificance. I tracked Victoria down in a dark smokey basement bar one morning and here’s what she told me.

JW: What is one of your favorite sounds and what does it mean to you?
VY: the sound of a singing voice never fails to move me. i like all kinds of voices, i tend to like those who don’t quite sing perfect, but it really varies. it took me a long time to be able to sing in front of others, i sang solos when i was young in school, but not again for many years. to finally get fully engaged with my own singing voice again, and without self consciousness was very exciting and relaxing. i guess the sound of a singing voice reminds me of this every time too. i am fascinated by singing and what it means historically and politically, particularly for women, so the sounds of someone i never heard sing before, or someone who’s voice is very familiar to me, still fills me with a wonder and inspiration that is very strong and powerful.

JW: Tell me about one of your most cherished records and why it is so important to you.
VY: It is extremely hard for me to pick just one record, i am an immense record collector and researcher, so i cherish music more than most other things. a number of recordings that really sit deep in my heart and to which i always return are those by bertha lee, cleoma breaux, and memphis minnie. these three women influence me heavily, all with vocal styles that completely astound me, bertha lee and cleoma breaux have very few recordings, but those that exist have such intensity, and a very primitive sense of energy and voice that is what appeals to me most. finding musicians like these completely felt like having my heart warmed. there are many other recordings and artists that i cherish too like charley patton, blind willie mctell, ruby glaze, geeshie wiley, loretta lynn, vera ward hall, wanda jackson and bettye lavette. Particularly in my field of vocal interest, all these people have created things that are the basics for me.

JW: What is the stupidest, most ridiculous, most sexist comment/joke you have ever heard?
VY: God, this could go on forever, unfortunately every day is full of this kind of bullshit and disappointment. In relation to music I am never surprised, but always disheartened and bored, by the coverage of, and attention to female musicians. Particularly historically, which is my main passion, the biggest and most ridiculous joke is the complete absence of women in the definitive ‘histories’ created of western music. The involvement of women in creating and shaping western musical forms is immense, yet almost entirely overlooked and unremarked upon. To me, this is the saddest, i’m just glad to be able to have some forums through which to highlight those who i feel are important and i never hear anything about, even from record collectors or decent music publications, as the reality of these histories is much wider than they would have you believe, and they are the ones missing out!