Leonie Cooper
Leonie Cooper is a music and culture journalist with over fifteen years experience writing for publications such as The Guardian and NME.
The Unsung – Fanny were the first all-female rock band
When homegrown guitar hero in the making, Aziya, name-dropped Fanny’s June Millington in a recent interview, it was all we could do not to...
The Unsung – The Donnas’ made trashy, noughties punk about your rowdy teenage years
A first for The Unsung, this week’s column features a band that, though no longer still with us, I actually saw play live. I...
The Unsung – Clara Rockmore was pioneering electronic music, 100 years ago
To be a violin virtuoso is an impressive feat, certainly, but violin virtuosos come and go (no offence to all the violin virtuosos reading...
The Unsung – Merry Clayton’s first album in 27 years tells her incredible story
A half century on from Merry Clayton’s stunning self-titled album – the cover of which sees her with her arms outstretched, mid glorious croon...
The Unsung – Peggy Seeger’s fearless folk music was always a channel for her...
Though it’s hard not to be dazzled by the talent that’s long surrounded Peggy Seeger – her mother Ruth Crawford was a ground-breaking avant-garde...
The Unsung – Anne Briggs is the uncompromising face of folk
It is notable that the forthcoming memoir by Richard Thompson – founder member of Fairport Convention and wearer of excellently natty hats – is...
The Unsung: Jackie Shane’s soul paved the way for so many after her
To hear Jackie Shane’s voice is to hear fireworks. Dazzling, breathtaking and brilliantly illuminating, the singer was the epitome of a soul sensation, except...
The Unsung: Mia Zapata revolutionised the Seattle grunge scene until her life was cut...
On the night of July 6, 1993, Mia Zapata went to Seattle’s Comet Tavern to spend the night with friends and kick back over...
The Unsung: Before bedroom pop, there was Linda Smith
As one of the pioneers of the 1980s’ lo-fi home recording micro-scene, you can’t help but think that Linda Smith might have secretly enjoyed...
The Unsung: the trailblazing defiance of Poly Styrene
Punk heralded the arrival of trailblazer upon trailblazer, but none were more groundbreaking than the young woman in a vintage twin set and strands...