I recently conducted a short email interview with Sheila Hardy, the producer of the forthcoming film,  ”Nice and Rough,” an exploration of the contributions of black women to rock and roll. (Visit the website if you are interested in learning more about her project, or would like to contribute to its completion.)

Beaudoin: How did you get interested in this project?

Hardy: Next to the amazingly complex and wild women, and their powerful music, the biggest thing that interests me about this project is the fact that this history is little known.  I am a champion of the untold story.  And this is an aspect of music history that has yet to be examined and shared.

B: What are you finding about religion and/or spirituality through your work on “Nice and Rough”?

H: In many of my interviews, these women say they did not choose rock, but the music “chose” them.  These women have made a connection to this music that goes beyond mere preference.  It’s spiritual.  Some even refer to it as “a calling.”

B: Where is rock and roll by African American women headed?

H: Nice & Rough is a project with a global platform.  I believe rock and roll by not only African American women, but of women of African descent throughout the Diaspora will only become more popular, as more fans connect with the music of these artists.  And the fans are connecting to music through the media — social networks, Internet downloads, through films like Pariah, which featured performances by Tamar Kali and Carol ‘Honeychild’ Coleman, and now through niceandrough.com, a website I recently launched to connect black women in rock and the fans who love them.  My goal is that it will ultimately reach a point where black women in rock are not seen as an unusual occurrence.

B: What, if anything, can those who are interested in theology, religion and spirituality do to help more women of color succeed in rock culture?

H: I believe the challenge of contemporary theologians is to create an environment of tolerance that transcends religious preferences, in the communities they serve.  We are in need of a more humanistic society.  Tolerance goes a long way toward fostering self-acceptance and freedom to not be limited by race, gender, or choice of music — very important concepts that this project explores.

1 Comment »

1. 

   Tommy, this is great–thanks for posting! Did she mention anything about Electric Purgatory?

   Comment by Dave Nantais — March 31, 2012 @ 11:23 am

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