Pretend We're Dead: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the ’90s

by Tanya Pearson

From the founder of the Women of Rock Oral History Project, an exploration of women in the ’90s rock scene, featuring original interviews with Liz Phair, Shirley Manson, Kristin Hersh, Donita Sparks, Tanya Donelly, members of Hole, Luscious Jackson, Veruca Salt, Babes in Toyland, and more

In 2018, during an interview with journalist Tanya Pearson, Shirley Manson lamented: “It’s a blanket fact that after September 11th, nonconformist women were taken off the radio.” This comment echoed a reality Pearson had personally witnessed as a musician and a fan, and launched her into a quest to figure out just what happened to these extraordinary female figures.

PRETEND WE’RE DEAD seeks to answer two big questions: First, where did all these wildly different, politically conscious, and supremely talented women in rock come from in the 1990s? And second, after their unprecedented breakout, why did they vanish from the mainstream by the early aughts? Along with analysis and narrative, PRETEND WE’RE DEAD is built on exclusive interviews with the unfiltered voices of legends including: Shirley Manson, Melissa Auf der Maur, Patty Schemel, Kate Schellenbach, Nina Gordon, Louise Post, Josephine Wiggs, Tanya Donelly, Kristin Hersh, Tracy Bonham, Donita Sparks, Liz Phair, Zia McCabe, Tracy Bonham, Lori Barbero, Josephine Wiggs, and Jill Emery. Through thought-provoking conversations, these women explore how they fell in love with music and started bands; fought labels, their coverage in the media, and sexism; and wrote deeply political and feminist music. Readers also learn about the effects of Woodstock ’99, the corporatization of the music industry, the rise of Clear Channel and its ties to the Bush administration, and finally the nationalist sentiment after 9/11.

While sonically diverse, these musicians all wrote fierce, socially conscious, feminist lyrics, and PRETEND WE’RE DEAD commemorates and celebrates the overlooked contributions of true trailblazers.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Feminism, History, Audiobook, Pop Culture, Art

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 2025

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some books that you see and immediately know, I’m meant to read this, and likely right away. This was one of those for me - anything about women in music, and 90s music? Yes, please!


I think this book will appeal to others like me who are already in the choir, so to speak: in my opinion, it’s perhaps more of a book for the already-indoctrinated rather than a book to learn for the first time about the music and trailblazing women artists of this decade. The book is - roughly - organized in a historical framework that summarizes and theorizes about the rise and decline of the “Women in Rock” era in the commercial and consumer marketplace of the 90s. However, much of the book comprises oral history excerpts (collected by the author, who compiled an archive) from influential musicians of the era, including Shirley Manson (Garbage), Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins), Nina Gordon and Louise Post (Veruca Salt), Patty Schemel (Hole), Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, The Breeders, Belly), Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses), Liz Phair, and more. I love these bands, women, and their songs, and I’ve already read a lot about them and their histories, so I enjoyed these excerpts a lot (and I don’t usually love reading oral histories) - but I could also visualize and hear them in context and I would imagine this was helpful.


The book is also likely to appeal more to the already-initiated in that - as those familiar with these pioneering artists would hope - it is very much a “personal is political” approach. Although the author is an historian, she’s also the nontraditional rebel you would want a fellow fan of this music to be. As a result, there is a lot of content that is strongly-worded opinion about politics, capitalism, music, pop culture, and feminism as well as a dose of autobiography. (There is also a central thesis that September 11, 2001, is what exiled these women from the Guyville of the marketplace once and for all and ended this revolutionary era.) This didn’t bother me, but may not be what other readers are expecting or seeking.


Despite some factors that I think could pose a challenge, I hope this book does manage to reach a new, wider audience. I would love for more women who are into music, including younger women, to understand how different the music scene was back then, how these way-way-ahead-of-their-time women transformed it for a time (and I would say, paved the way for many women artists of today), and how difficult it all was given the barriers present then. A lot of this music is popular again - and rightfully so, as these songs are still bangers, and many of the experiences, sentiments, and values are things contemporary women are also expressing and appreciating in their music across genres.

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard of this book via the great Shirley Manson’s Instagram account. I have been a devoted fan of this wonderful lady since the first Garbage record came out; it was actually one of the first records I bought with my own money, thank you very much! To say that I am the ideal target demographic for this book is an understatement: 90s alt rock was basically mana for me during my formative years, if my recent pile of non-fiction reads has not made that extremely and painfully obvious.

And yeah, I thought I could not love Shirley Manson more, and then I read this book.

I was too young to articulate the cultural shift this book discusses when it happened, but I remember being aware that something really odd had happened to the music that was on the radio. 90s music was often quite weird in ways that I struggle to explain to my younger colleagues (yes, Sabrina, that’s you, who adorably thinks Nirvana is classic rock - I still love you!). Weird was good, weird was cool. And weird women with articulate things to say, including though not limited to expressing anger and frustration, was not just cool – it was also briefly mainstreamed. And then it wasn’t. Then it was oversexualized and vacuous pop, bland rock and roll and… shudder… EDM. I kept looking for the next Courtney Love, the next Liz Phair, the next Alanis Morrisette, and there was nothing comparable for what feels like an eternity. It sucked (and yes, I realize I am ageing myself by declaring that the music that came out when I was a tween was better; if it’s any consolation, my actual favorite music came out before I was born, I’m weirdly out of time like that). But I didn’t understand what happened.

That shift obviously has multiple and complex factors, but Pearson focuses on how changes in post-9/11 social values, deregulations that impacted the recording industry and power of indie labels and the aggressive corporatization and ultimately marketing (ergo, defanging and watering down) of feminism pushed unconventional female artists to the very fringes or forced them to adapt to the new music industry landscape in order to keep working. She talked with many women who were at the heart of the alt rock scene, and most of the book is done in an oral history kind of format, which reads breezily and is very interesting, as you get the direct experience of people who lived this cultural shift.

There is definitely a wave of 90s nostalgia going on these days, and I am not the only one who turns back towards that decade and reflects on how things were back then and how much they have shifted – sometimes for the best, though not always. We look back at the way we treated women like Pamela Anderson and Monica Lewinsky and we are rightfully horrified. Anniversary editions (groan) of landmark records are bringing that music to a brand new audience who are loving it. Women my age are raising daughters and making them listen to Babes in Toyland and Hole and then these girls go and make their own music and it’s amazing (Olivia Rodrigo’s mom FTW, but I also love young artists like Blondshell, who are reclaiming Liz Phair and PJ Harvey for Gen Z). If that’s the sort of stuff that interests you, and if these women’s music were a part of your life, I highly recommend you check out this book, though it will probably make you angry (and make you scour your local record shops for used Breeders CDs…).

The book is occasionally slightly repetitive. Pearson writes in an academic style but also isn’t afraid to express personal opinions; I don’t mind, but if that bothers you, that may be something to watch out for. I know she was preaching to the choir with me, and that my familiarity with the artists she refers to made the reading easier: if you are not familiar with 90s alt rock, you may be a bit lost, but a little YouTube-ing should solve that problem quickly. I docked a star for those minor quibbles, and because I wish this book had been even longer, more fleshed out and that Pearson had managed o talk to even more artists. I understand why she focused her scope on the alt rock scene specifically, but how wonderful would it have been to have a section also dedicated to the riot grrls, the Lilith Fair crowd, and the anti-folk movement. Oh well…

[Teo · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very basic look into this era of music that is rarely talked about. This book enlightened me on how 9/11 was a proponent of this era dying thanks to the US government silencing anyone who was out of the norm so they could promote nationalism. But that's pretty much where my enjoyment of the analysis ended. Writing a whole book with the end point being white male capitalism is what killed this kind of music and actively oppresses women, but also saying, "I'm hesitant to say I'm anti-capitalist because I can't think of a viable alternative," is very ???? I think that one sentence encompasses why this felt so surface-level.

Aside from that, something with the layout was not working for me. I can't tell if this would've benefited from being longer or an article instead. Even with there being multiple women featured here in an oral history format (which I typically like), it felt like we barely got anything. I think there were too many offshoots to this topic that the author wished to include but didn't have sufficient oral history inserts to support their arguments, in turn making this feel all over the place and rather undercooked. Also, it would've been useful to have the bands in parentheses next to names because I had a hard time keeping up with who is who with everyone being all jumbled together.

One specific thing I wish to comment on is Courtney Love. Yes, a lot of hate directed at her is because of misogyny, but pretending like she hasn't said several awful comments over the years that make her very unlikable is odd. You can acknowledge the importance of someone for an era while also not removing their own responsibility for the backlash they receive. Also, writing about how one of Olivia Rodrigo's promo images for her album is a direct reference to Hole's Live Through This , but not writing about how Courtney was very sour (badum ts) about it and accused her of stealing (it's almost like the movie Carrie never existed and totally not what Hole was inspired by!) is something else I found funny.

One last final note. Why is Tori Amos not even worth a mention in here? Not including a female artist whose first-ever solo single was an acappella about rape is sad to say the least. Her outspokenness politically—especially about misogyny and ageism in the music industry—makes any think piece about women in music that doesn't include her feel like something is sorely missing.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun trip down memory lane and an interesting look behind the scenes of the record industry in the 90s. I know the book focuses on “rock” bands, but it could have used a few more voices, especially from solo women in alternative music like Tori Amos, DiFranco, PJ Harvey, etc. it also felt like the drug use and and infighting that was so prevalent at the time was largely pushed aside as a reason that a lot of these bands aren’t around. Small criticisms though for a book that remains an interesting read throughout and offers up lots of discussions for fans. Slightly scholarly, Pearson does a really good job of never being too dry and keeps the pace going and pages flying.

Thanks to he publisher and Netgalley for an early peek.

[Brian Shevory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Tanya Pearson’s excellent book Pretend We’re Dead: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the ’90s, documenting the rise, fall, and re-emergence of women in alternative rock. I really enjoyed this book because I not only remember listening to a lot of the artists and bands that Pearson interviews for the Women of Rock Oral History Project, but Pearson’s analysis of the trajectory of Women in Rock really challenged my thinking about music, the music industry, and how styles and trends in music emerge and go away. Furthermore, she intersperses her interviews and analysis with her own experiences as a fan, musician and scholar who seeks to document and champion the many influential women in rock (especially from the 90s) who have somewhat been forgotten or pushed away as music trends have changed.
Pearson’s book is divided into two parts- one documenting the rise of women in alternative music, and looks at some specific artists and bands, including Liz Phair, L7, Babes in Toyland, Hole, Veruca Salt and Throwing Muses. Her introduction outlines her own experiences with 90s alternative music and her reasons for championing the women of this often misrepresented and undocumented time period that has proven to be incredibly influential to many current musical artists, styles and trends. She also clearly defines grunge/alternative music, which is great because I feel like there is no real consistent definition, and while many of the artists and bands who participated in the book are often lumped into this amorphous category, Pearson makes it clear that the bands and artists are very different. It’s especially important when Pearson raises concerns about why women were shut out of radio play in the late 90s and post 9/11. The second part of the book details that period of decline, which Pearson attributes to various factors like the backlash against feminism, the development of a more corporate type of feminism that has been marketed and sold as an ideal, changes in the music industry with promotion of pop music and boy bands, and the promotion of masculine, jingoistic music after 9/11.
I loved learning about the background of these bands and artists because it is so interesting to see how many of them turned to music in difficult times, either to escape or as an outlet for emotions, or that some of them, like Tracy Bonham, came from musical families. Furthermore, Pearson also discussed how the “grunge” trend helped to usher in a new kind of feminism that wasn’t necessarily part of the mainstream music nor part of its industry. She largely credits this with bands like Nirvana (especially Kurt Cobain) and Sonic Youth (especially Kim Gordon); although the book doesn’t focus on the Riot Girl scene, Pearson does connect this musical scene with the increased focus on feminism and inclusion of women. Other chapters discuss some of the challenges that women in rock faced. I found this fascinating since I didn’t necessarily question the press’s portrayal of women in rock. However, hearing their words and experiences made me realize the kind of double standard they faced, and if they challenged perceptions or tried to correct the narrative, they were often labeled. In fact, no matter what they did, it seemed like the press had labels already for these artists to fit into, whether it was Liz Phair, L7, or Courtney Love. They all seemed to fit stereotypes and categories of different types of women, even though they were trying to be authentic or possibly challenge these stereotypes. Furthermore, because these artists did not fit into the more conventional (or conservative) roles for women, they were often criticized or faced unfair accusations; some like Kristin Hersh or Courtney Love even lost custody of their children due to interviews they conducted. I forgot about that incident with Courtney Love, and it was pretty shocking to look back and realize this kind of double standard. Other chapters in the first half of the book detail the rise of women in rock in the ’90s, and tie their increasing popularity to upliftment of women from that year and the kind of advocacy and awareness that women brought to rock music. It’s really interesting to read these chapters as we approach another presidency that seems regressive to women’s rights and ideals, and the kind of culture war that seems to reignite around conservative handwringing as differences emerge and progress is made. I forgot how much happened in the 90s to advance women’s rights and prominence in areas like music and politics, but it is also kind of depressing to see that there’s just this continued need to raise awareness and challenge the changes brought about by the Dobbs’ decision. However, it’s good to know that there are artists who continue to push boundaries and challenge assumptions, and that music, even though it may not always be welcoming to women, does provide an outlet and a voice for many women artists. Furthermore, it seems like many of the women in rock from the ’90s have influenced today’s artists who have more opportunities to record and self-release or share their music with others.
The second half of the book was both disheartening and interesting to read—I actually can’t think of another word, but I do want to mention that many of Pearson’s hypotheses about the reduced role that women in rock had in the early 2000s really challenged my assumptions about music and society, and many of the factors that can potentially influence their participation in popular music. And like most events, there’s no one clear event or factor that led to this reduction, but rather many different events in society ranging from changing tastes in music to the attacks of 9/11 that all altered women’s roles in rock music. Even though I continued to listen to artists like Liz Phair and Hole, I didn’t actively seek them out, and I also didn’t listen to the radio as much at this point, especially as the iPod made its way into my life. Regardless, I can see how many of these events probably did lead to the gradual decline of women in rock, to the point where some artists complained about labels just telling them to stay low. Liz Phair’s experience of being moved from label to label, despite having a critical success with whitechocolatespacegg kind of shows the level of disrespect and disregard that female artists faced. Other events like Woodstock ’99 were representative of the sad shift towards rap-rock and the kind of influence this had on music. I really don’t remember hearing much about Woodstock ’99, and I haven’t seen the recent documentaries, but it was pretty crazy to read about what happened. As Pearson notes, only a few women were asked to participate. While there’s not really a direct correlation, this kind of event and the participants involved mirrored a lot of what was happening on the radio and in the industry, moving from a slightly more egalitarian music genre like grunge, towards more of a hegemonic cockrock that was popular in the 70s and 80s. This also forced artists like Liz Phair to recalculate their approach, and with pressure from their labels, find other genres and sounds that their fans might retaliate against. I think Pearson helps to promote empathy for these artists, showing that those who didn’t really conform to the popular styles were often dropped from their labels, and those who did often faced backlash from their fans. It’s a kind of dilemma that all artists face, especially those who might try to find a different style or approach to their art. For me, the biggest revelation was the idea that after 9/11, there was this need for masculinity in music. I definitely remember the post 9/11 patriotism, and I found much of my escape in CDs and iTunes, as well as searching out indie and punk rock in Kazaa and Limewire. While I wasn’t paying much attention to what was on the radio, I can totally see how this was the case. It was just shocking to hear execs and others mention that there were too many female artists being played or on a label. Despite presenting some sour notes, Pearson does end with some hope, sharing how there’s been a resurgence of ’90s music, and especially with women in music. She cites artists like Miley Cyrus and Olivia Rodrigo, who had the Breeders open for her, who have covered or incorporated ’90s female artists into their work. I’ve noticed the influence in other artists like Soccer Mommy, Japanese Breakfast, and Beabadoobee who have this kind of really great rock and pop sound that takes me back. I also loved learning more about the Women of Rock Oral History Project, and the continuing effort to reshape the narrative of women in rock.
Some of the more powerful writing in this last section was saved for the critiques of capitalism, corporations, and the kind of limited choices we have in politics. This was especially true in the ’90s, when there wasn’t too much of a difference between Democrats and Republicans. Pearson emphasized how some bills that Clinton signed led to deregulation in the media, allowing corporations like Clear Channel to buy up radio stations and concert venues, pretty much eliminating choice for many people. She also explores how this kind of corporatization and limited choice selection has created a kind of watered down version of feminism that really is more like surface level advocacy than anything that might affect change. It reminded me of Jia Tolentino’s writing in Trick Mirror and how the ideal woman is really like a corporate/media creation. This last section is really powerful and critical, and it was some of my favorite parts of the book. Not necessarily because it was uplifting, but rather because it is a reminder of the need to continue to fight and challenge, and how music can be a force and art to convey those messages.
While this was an exciting and fun read, one thing I noticed was that some of the quotes were reused in certain parts. It wasn’t a big deal, but I came across this a few times and was wondering if I had re-read a certain part. The other part that I wish this book had was more analysis between the quotes. It was great to hear from the artists for extended periods, and the sections were organized according to themes in music, but I felt like this book would have benefitted from some additional analysis of the points that the artists made and the concerns they raised. There is some analysis in many of the chapters, and some chapters were mainly analytical or reflective based on Pearson’s experiences (which were also cool to learn about—she has a really amazing and empowering story). However, I would have liked to see more of that analysis evenly distributed. Maybe that will be in her dissertation. One final point about Pearson’s experience in higher education, I hope that after she finishes her dissertation and continues on with research, she considers developing a kind of book of pedagogy or some kind of teaching guide about using feminist music in the classroom. I’m not sure that there are many books about this topic, but it would be a really cool book to read and use for teaching. In any event, this is a great book, and if you are a fan of music, especially ’90s music, this is a must read.

[CatReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanya Pearson is a history PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst whose dissertation project stems from her lifelong interest in female-fronted '90s rock (she was a teen music aficionado and musician during the '90s and followed many of these bands closely). Pearson founded the Women of Rock oral history project in 2014 to collect the stories of many of the prominent female rock musicians of that era -- many of which can be found in video form online here. This book largely stems out of these interviews, and for me, who grew up slightly later during the pop and pop/rock era of the late '90s/early-to-mid '00s, I recognized a lot of familiar names but was more accustomed to, for instance, Nina Gordon's post-Veruca Salt solo album (Tonight and the Rest of My Life still hits 25 years later) and the time mainstreamized Liz Phair, Skye Sweetnam and Hilary Duff all got sold very similar video treatments for their songs Why Can't I? (2003), Tangled Up in Me (2004) and Beat of My Heart (2005), respectively (all three videos were directed by Phil Harder...who really needed to try harder).

This was a fun listen -- as other reviewers mention, Pearson's thesis is that 9/11 killed the rock girl (or at least defanged her for a while -- or in the case of pop/rock, favored teenage/early 20-something solo artists or girl bands whose lyrics and subject matter were more sanitized/age-appropriate and less threatening -- see Skye Sweetnam, Fefe Dobson, Lillix, and Paramore's first few albums).

My statistics:
Book 91 for 2025
Book 2017 cumulatively

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book was made for me. I spend hours reading archived interviews and news articles about all the bands/artists mentioned, always wanting to know more about what it was like for a woman making music in the 90s. This book is a great balance of personal narrative that really brings the reader back to feeling like an awkward tween/teen in a non-traumatizing way. I felt like I grew with the author, navigating the highs and lows of being a queer alt kid: from being the cool big sister to detox and sobriety. This coupled with interviews from some of the coolest and ceiling-shattering women artists, I felt the pages coming to life, in a beautiful fiery display of powerful women against a dark political and misogynist society. Pearson’s thesis, that 9/11 resulted in the demise and erasure of alternative women in music, is a compelling argument filled with first-hand accounts supporting her argument. This book is very important to preserving 90s rock history— too often women are erased and their stories negated or disregarded.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction in this details what topics the book will cover, but also focused a lot on what it isn’t going to cover. Some things made sense in that context, but I was a bit perplexed by how narrow she set the focus as it left me feeling like I was getting a small sliver of the overall story.

This could have used a firmer editing hand, there are a lot of repetitive aspects and the way it’s organized isn’t the easiest to follow. There is some interesting information, and I always appreciate an oral narrative style and there are quite a few women interviewed from the 90s rock scene. I definitely learned some new things, but overall it left me wanting a deeper dive for a more complete picture vs the very specific focus covered by this book.

[julieta · Rating 3 out of 5]

how is sleater kinney not mentioned even once?

[Z]

Tanya Pearson is pretty similar to me. We’re born the same year (1981) and therefore had our pivotal youth cultural experiences at the same times.

Tanya talks about coming of age to the grunge, indie rock and alternative scenes and how, our age bracket just missed the scenes middle stages - when bands like Hole, The Breeders, Veruca Salt, Belly, Liz Phair and L7 were still playing smaller venues and bars. We were there for the explosion of amazing bands coming into the mainstream, though. And our experiences were particular because it was pre-internet, and MTV/Much Music were huge influences back then. You knew what songs were big because you saw the videos play, over and over again. You also tuned in to various radio stations to tape your favourite songs if you hadn’t bought the tape or CD yet.

Tanya joined bands and recreated some of the female 90s rock sounds in doing so — something I might have badly attempted only a couple times before dodging out. And though I dreamed of being a rock journalist, too much had changed by the time I finished high school.

Suffice to say, something really interesting was happening with mainstream music in the 90s and contrary to what seems to be the belief now, this was not a rock scene dominated by men. Unconventional women, in fact, were everywhere and 90s grunge, indie rock and alternative rock was really female heavy.

And then over night all the women had vanished.

I remember all of this so well, but I didn’t have the knowledge back then to understand why women suddenly disappeared from radio and TV seemingly over night when just before it there was a huge emergence of female centred and female led alt rock bands, and even bands that weren’t indie/alt rock but fuelled this kind of rebellious energy.

Some blame a backlash within the culture, that record labels that were predominantly indie started consolidating and buying each other out, and that meant these bands were no longer being headed by people with a love for the art they were distributing, now it was record execs whose only interest were dollar signs and who were stifling after the initial wave. Some blame 9/11, that men became paternalistic and thought these strong, unapologetic women made them seem weaker to “enemies”. This book explores all the pivotal bands from this era and how these scenes started and ended.

This is my first completed ARC and admittedly the way its put together is pretty questionable. I wanted to put my editor cap on and fix a lot of how the book is laid out. I guess its not the finished copy so maybe they’ll move some things around and better organize it to highlight certain quotes and separate Tanya’s passages better from the bands she interviews, remove the repetitive statements, etc.

Apart from that I enjoyed reading so many of these people I grew up on speak about their experiences from back then. It made me miss that era and remember how amazing it was. I’ve been playing Belly’s Star nonstop for days and just discovered Kim Deal’s solo album from November(?). Also I’ve made a playlist for those who don’t know what that sound was like and for those who do & miss them (it's linked in bio)!
Rating: 3.5

Out January 28th!!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEPK6UaODHo/

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about much more than women in 90s rock. It is about feminism, how women are showed into roles expected as they break out of said roles, and about how the struggle continues. Very worth a read.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tanya Pearson spotlights women who fronted or filled out alternative rock bands throughout the 90's and goes on to explore how politics and society removed these counterculture women from pop culture after 9/11. Some unnecessary repetition keeps the book from taking this important topic to a more energizing read, but still well researched with some great interview by such 90's icons as Shirley Manson, Tanya Donnelly, Liz Phair, and Kristin Hersh.

[Elizabeth Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's interesting how things from my childhood are now history. I appreciated reading about women in 90s rock as I wasn't exposed to much of it then. Wish this book was around 9 years ago when I still listened to rock.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

90's music is my jam, especially female! This was wonderfully done!

[M Allegra Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subject matter right up my alley (I’m only 2 years younger than Pearson and was obsessed with many of the artists during high school and beyond), but this felt perplexingly unfinished. Could have been a great article in its current form, putting forth Pearson’s thesis with supporting oral history interview quotes.
I would love to see this expanded after more interviews and analysis are completed, because what a fantastic oral history project! Just felt incomplete and a little thin. Also, the book jacket copy seems like it was written by AI… clearly the behemoth Hachette did not spend the time they should have on this release.
Anyhoo, I did enjoy the book for the most part, and thank you to Tanya Pearson for writing!

[Book Club of One · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing on the extensive work of the Women of Rock Oral History Project, its founder, Tanya Pearson's Pretend We're Dead: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the '90s revisits 90s rock, rightfully pointing out the many women musicians who found success or inspired other artists. Pearson covers the formation of many important groups or musicians and traces their careers through their formation and the indie and grunge boom until the societal shift fueled by the consolidation of media, blatantly misogynistic nu-metal and 9/11 paternalistic nationalism forced many to break up or take time away from music.

Pearson frames and supplements the narrative with her own experience and research, centering the book on two questions. Where did these very different musicians come from and why did the vanish in the early 221st century? Much of the narrative is told through the direct experience of many of the artists. We hear from Shirley Manson (Garbage), Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins), Liz Phair and many others.

The chapters are arranged chronologically, going from the early days of learning instruments, playing together the milestones of the first band sticker or song or 7 in through to success, major label life to their silencing and erasure.

It is a swift, but compelling read. If anything it invites the reader to explore the full interviews available online through . Pearson is quite clear in the introduction that the book is not going to discuss the Riot Grrrl bands as those are outside the focus, and the artists featured found mainstream success. As time passes, events and important figures get compressed until only a small, most successful few remain, this book corrects and expands that perception.

Recommended to readers of NPR's , 90s music or the dual struggle of artistic creation with mainstream success.

I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Erin Logan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this one despite being so excited about it. I do not like the format of the book at all.

[Wendi Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not a fan of being told what I’m not going to read by an author. It sets a tone of not being told a full story. This author starts by saying “I’m not interested in sex, drugs, and rock and roll”, this is a look at the feminist culture. As much as it’s not what she’s interested in, the full story of women in rock includes sex, drugs, and rock and roll. I wasn’t looking for gossip or dirt, I just wanted the full picture.

This isn’t the worst oral history I’ve read, but it seems to follow a stricter narrative than most others. I didn’t hate it, but I just felt like the author was trying to prove a point rather than letting the story be the story.

I’d recommend this to certain people.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for an advanced copy of this book that offers a history of the 90's music scene from the women artists who the charts, and how much of their contributions have been erased and ignored, but not from the ears and hearts of fans.

At one time Goddesses strode the earth, sharing air time with male bands, adorning covers of various magazines, with MTV showing videos and record labels fighting to find the next female band. The big thing about women in rock was that they did this mainly by themselves. Starting small, gaining a following, working their songs, and working together. And the music was great, and eclectic in ways that following the nineties was astonishing. These women rock stars had a mix of styles, a mix of tastes, even a mix or professionalism. Some were trained musicians, and some had picked up instruments the day of their first show. Their was an honesty to their music, again something that is rare today, and to their sound. A mix of again professional, and in some cases directly into a tape recorder. Working in a music store I was amazed by the different people who came in looking for these bands, people we hadn't seen before, buying singles, buying imports and bootlegs. And then suddenly the music didn't die, it just faded away, as America went through some stuff, and suddenly Disney princesses became the music of choice, along with bro rock and nu metal. Even the way to get music changed, and the challenge of finding a band could begin and end with a few types of a keyboard. Women in rock went from shouting out loud, to an echoing silence, one that still confuses those involved in music at the time. Into this silence comes Pretend We're Dead: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the ’90s by Tanya Pearson, who offers an oral history told by the people who played, of music in the 90's what it was like, what the music industry made of it, and what was taken away.

The book begins with a little personal history about the author, describing her bona fides as a lover of music. Pearson discusses growing up in the era, how Pearson found music, and how in many ways this kind of music made changed Pearson's life. After a long time of being lost, Pearson founded the Women of Rock Oral History Project, starting as just discussions but becoming a repository of knowledge about the music of the 90's and the people involved in it. Starting slowly the project has grown, and by discussing the musical careers of different key players Pearson has come to a lot of interesting theories about why these musicians have been both maligned, and ignored. Pearson has interviewed many famous names, Liz Phair, Shirley Manson, Tanya Donelly, Kristen Hersch, and others and found that while their music was different in many ways, their stories all seemed to share a common theme. Journalists who were angry that girls were rocking. That various media groups made more money on feuding girl rockers that female bands sharing tours. Record label indifference, even when albums were selling out of the stores. And of course stories that only seem to happen in the world of rock n roll.

A book that is a bit memoir, musical history and study of feminism. The book was set up well, following almost the rise and fall, and the nostalgia wave that seems to be the music industry now. I loved hearing about and from bands that I used to love, and even more loved sharing when I worked in the music store. Many happy memories of listening to these bands, though i wish they had more happy memories. The entertainment industry is a savage place, and some of their stories can be disturbing. I have long given up on rock journalists, and I have to say the way the media covered these bands was just awful. However anyone who read Rolling Stone in the 90's would know this.

Pearson has done a really good job in brining this all together. The stories are all interesting, and the mix of Pearson's life with what was going on a music gives the narrative a nice personal feel. One can understand how this music changed lives, maybe even saved them. A book fans will like, something music historians can argue about on their podcasts, with a lot of good memories tossed in.

[MB KARAPCIK · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you were a fan of 1990s alternative music, you may have come across and loved bands like Hole, Throwing Muses, the Breeders, Juliana Hatfield Three, Veruca Salt, and many others. In Pretend We're Dead by Tanya Pearson, you'll get a glimpse of these female-fronted bands and their rise to fame and subsequent disappearance. The author interviews many principal band members and gives her own perspective on what may have happened.

Since I loved listening to Throwing Muses and their spin-off band Belly as well as Juliana Hatfield back in the 1990s, I was excited to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't the oral history I was hoping to read. A lot of the book was devoted to the author's own thoughts about these "women in rock," a designation she despises. She pontificated about politics and how the patriarchy was to blame. While I agree to a point, it was exhausting to read her opinions and her anger. Eventually, I skipped over most of her thoughts, many of which were her own anecdotes and history. I felt that the words of the band members should speak for themselves like many other oral histories. Nothin' But a Good Time comes to mind, and I know that's the absolute antithesis, even foe, of the genre this author covers.

I found it surprising that Tori Amos was missing from the discussion. It didn't even occur to me because I wasn't a fan of Tori, but she was monumentally influential at the time. Another reviewer brought this up, and I couldn't agree more with this observation. I remember my best friend bought the tape of her Little Earthquakes while we were out at a rock fair, and it was very powerful even though it wasn't my taste. She was all over the place, including on MTV, and the radio, so you'd think she'd be a part of this book.

Although I wasn't surprised that Courtney Love wasn't interviewed (I feel like that would have been a challenge to get her to participate for almost anyone), I can't be one hundred percent on her side. Listen, I love her songs and her attitude even though she scares me a little, but she's a very controversial figure and hasn't been depicted in the best light. That could be media or it could be her. I'm willing to bet it's a little of both.

I hate to rag on this book because it had value in promoting these female-fronted bands, some of which I spent significant time listening to, but it wasn't what I expected. I also felt that some of the bands like L7 weren't as influential as stated in the book. As much as I loved Throwing Muses, which an old boyfriend introduced me to, I don't remember that many people listening to them either. I wish I could have liked this book better.

Thank you, Hachette Books | Da Capo, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!

[Chris Jaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a decent oral history of women in alternative rock in the 1990s. Well, it's mostly an oral history. There's a weird stretch of 40 or so pages around the middle of the book without any oral history testimonies. Instead it's just author Pearson giving her own takes on the situation. Her opinions are fine, but it's just a weird fit. Before it, the book is oral history. After it, the book is oral history. It's like she couldn't get the exact right quotes to fit her points, so just explicitly made her points herself.

The main narrative is that women played a key role in '90s alternative rock and were later shoved aside and written out. Women had been active in bands like Throwing Muses and Babes in Toyland as alternative percolated under the national radar. When Nirvana broke, with Cobain clearly not into any traditational rock Frat Boy culture, there was more room for women in rock to move forward.

It receded for various reasons, ranging from the rise of angrier, more hostile and mysognist Nu Metal, the corporoate consolidation of the radio and media landscape flattening of what was allowable in the musical realm. The most interesting point made comes from Garbage singer Shirley Manson: after 9/11, any sort of dissident female voice was shoved aside. It reminds me of something I heard from a very different genre of music: country. The 1990s were huge for female stars, and then they disintegrated after 9/11. With the Dixie Chicks, it was due to a political statement, but Faith Hill and Shania Twain - the biggets stars in country in the 1990s - also had their careers go topside. Country became all about the 'bros moving forward. I'm getting a little off this book, but that connection came to mind.

The book is pretty good. Pearson has a tendecny to repeat herself a bit. I don't mean repeating her themes; I mean she'll mention a fact once and three pages later, mention it again, as if we hadn't just heard it a few minutes prior.

This makes me want to listen to Belly and some other bands from the day.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a teen/young adult in the 90s, deeply, deeply immersed in the alt scene and a fan of nearly every band featured in this book. Working at a few major labels from the late ’90s into the mid-2000s, I witnessed that depressing shift from a “relatively” female-friendly industry to something far more cynical, exclusionary, and soooo bitterly misogynist. So while nothing Shirley Manson, Tanya Donnelly, Donita Sparks, or the others shared in this book really shocked me, it was still gutting to read how the alt-rock boom & later implosion affected them.

That being said, while the book offers a solid snapshot of the era, I found myself wishing the author had widened the lens just a little bit. Where were Skunk Anansie, Tori Amos, Lush, or Letters to Cleo? Their omission felt noticeable to me. And while I understand the choice to leave out the Riot Grrrl movement, since at the time it felt like its own separate universe, it still felt odd not to acknowledge the impact of bands like Bikini Kill, Huggy Bear, or Bratmobile, especially when considering the broader indie and feminist rock scenes of the era.

As an aside, every artist and band interviewed in the book deserves to be remembered for their importance to rock history, on equal footing with Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, and Weezer. I truly believe that. Their influence, while maybe not as in-your-face as Courtney Love’s, was huge and it’s long past time they got their due.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick, engaging read, and it sent me down a welcome rabbit hole: digging through my old CDs (yes, I still have them - all 2000+ of them) and rediscovering a few bands I hadn’t thought about in a while.

[Stephanie ✨]

**I do not rate NF books.**

Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you so much to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy of the book!

If you know me, you know that I am a huge of not only music but learning all about the behind the scenes of groups and artists. I grew up indulging in Behind the Music, E True Hollywood Story, MTV's Diary and so forth. And learning about the Women in Rock of the 90s was just in my wheelhouse.

I will be honest. I have never really listened to the female rock groups. They were just not something I grew up around. Even as I grew older and was finding my own music, I can't say I really gravitated towards them. I was much more familiar with the singers featured towards the end of the 90s and into the early aughts. But this made me want to go back and to listen to the singers featured in this book. And perhaps there is a reason why I wasn't familiar with the music, a re=occuring theme throughout the book is how the females were not taken seriously and if there was already someone who sounded like them, radio wouldn't play them.

It was nice how the book came full circle to current artists who praise and look up to these women from the 90s as inspiration and introducing their audience to these bands.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and really informative read/listen.

Born in 1985, I'm a little young to have experience the genius of a lot of the women discussed in this book in real time, but 90's rock is my favorite era of music, so I was somewhat familiar with some of the bands/musicians discussed/interviewed (L7, Liz Phair, Throwing Muses) and more familiar with others (Shirley Manson, Veruca Salt).

As a female rock musician and feminist, I was deeply interested in the content of this book. It's well researched and organized. Pearson pieced together interviews from some of the biggest women in 90's rock, and to hear them talk about their experiences in their own words was really powerful.

Initially the book felt a little repetitive, but about 1/4th in it found its flow. The listening experience was great - there are a few different narrators (none of whom are the women being interviewed) but they did a great job bringing their stories to life. Except for Shirley Manson narrator - idk what she was doing. It was kind of a mix of formal American newscaster meets Londoner despite the fact that Manson is Scottish. That was weird.

I highly recommend this to female musicians, fans of 90's rock and music history.

[Elena Woontner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. It is absolutely necessary for those who wonder what happened to female artists after 9/11. The 90s were a magic period for female expression and creativity. Even male artists showed support and understanding for female performers and bands, and for women in general.
Alas, the planes hit the towers and the war on terror, the patriotism and conservative attitude during the early 2000 brought back male-dominating culture everywhere. Slowly but surely the presence of female artists in the media shrunk and artists were dropped by the record companies. This is a prelude of what happened to women's rights in general, as you know, and it has been downhill from there.

It is also a very important book to learn about the creative process of some of the protagonists and understand the business side that often thwarted music created and performed by women during that decade. Tanya Pearson has posted YouTube interviews with some of the artists in this book. Some of the material is selected from the interviews.

If you belong to Gen X and love that time in music, this book is indispensable. But it is also important for people that are interested in the music business in general.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about women in ‘90s alternative rock who enjoyed success during that decade but seemed to disappear or lose prominence after the decade was over. The first part of the book features interview excerpts, while the second part features a mix of analysis and interview excerpts. I listened to the audiobook.

I really liked part one of this book. I was a fan of a lot of these bands and artists, and it’s good to see this recent history being recorded. It’s interesting to learn about how bands formed, how musicians were involved with different bands before and after making it big, and more. I could have listened to hours of those stories.

I felt like part two was a tad weaker. The thesis seemed to be that women lost prominence due to the cultural shift that happened after 9/11, but that gets muddied by mention of changing musical trends years earlier and consolidation of radio stations and labels, along with a bizarre “blame both sides” political tangent. I felt like there were some claims that were not supported, though perhaps there were footnotes or citations that the audiobook version didn’t include.

[Susan Scribner · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I suppose all authors pick and choose the factors that explain their theories, but I couldn't get past the author's admission that she omitted Bikini Kill and the rest of the "riot grrrl" musicians from her account of 1990s women in rock because they're rich white girls who already get enough attention. Also, Pearson leaps from her approved women in rock's oral histories to an indictment of capitalism without bothering to connect the dots along the way.

Honestly, I would have preferred to read a memoir of Pearson's about her own turbulent life, which included substance use, homelessness, attempted suicide, arrest, and detox at age 26. She eventually became a non-traditional student at Smith College and a lecturer in women's gender and African American studies at Ball State University. Pretend We're Dead reads like an extended dissertation, worthy of a doctorate, but maybe not quite ready for a wide release.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was 8 years old, I idolized Heart and The Bangles. I wanted to grow up and be in a rock band. I took started taking guitar and piano lessons, which I continued for years, and considered performing arts school for college. But what changed my mind was the fact that I was convinced I couldn't make a career out of it, and I needed to stay in my lane and do something "responsible" instead.

This book contains everything my younger self suspected but didn't know enough to articulate about the music industry and how it has historically treated women. So much makes sense to me now. This book is an aha moment for every woman who was once a little girl that felt confused as to why there were no female bands in her line of vision, and why women playing guitar was considered a joke in most circles.

Great read for women's history month!

[Nancy Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tanya Pearson is only seven years my senior, so I can certainly relate to her perspective and narrative voice here. The introduction is a bit lengthy, but it effectively explains the significance of this particular era in rock music, and highlights how the music and culture influenced Pearson personally and creatively. Each chapter in Part One begins with a short explanation of what was occurring in the industry as a whole. Then related excerpts from interviews follow. Pearson interviewed several artists for this project, including Melissa Auf Der Mar, Donita Sparks, Louise Post, Patty Schemel, Shirley Manson and more. The result is eye-opening! As a longtime fan of many of these bands, I found this to be fascinating and well-constructed!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women rockers frequently graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Spin, and other American music magazines throughout the 1990s — Liz Phair, Courtney Love and Melissa Auf der Maur of Hole, Tanya Donelly of Belly, Kim Deal of The Pixies and The Breeders, Ani DiFranco, Shirley Manson of Garbage, all of L7, the list goes on. They snarled, crooned, belted, warbled, serenaded, and harmonized out of boombox speakers and car radios as alternative and college stations put them on constant rotation. And then, as if someone yanked out an amp power cord, they were … gone.

Please check out the rest of my review at Louder Than War: https://louderthanwar.com/pretend-wer...