Women Making History: Hannah Rad aka Sheena Beaston
Hannah Rad aka Sheena Beaston has been called “the raddest girl in the game.”
The game? The “blogging-about-music” game….oh, but this isn’t just another music blogger, folks! If she was, we wouldn’t be honoring her as today’s Women Making History, now would we?
With an adventurous attitude and a thirst for discovery, Hannah is absolutely dedicated. Her love for “rad” music, mp3s, interviews, album and show reviews has made her a musical BEAST!
Sheenabeaston.com has quickly become one of NYC’s premier music blogs, giving Hannah the opportunity to work with some of the best in the industry, including East Village Radio and the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival. Plus, as of March 4th (yep, today!), she will be contributing to EastVillageRadio.com in a new weekly installment appropriately titled, Belly of the Beast. Not bad for a girl who enjoys the simple pleasures of chocolate milk and The Golden Girls.
Check out Hannah on hosting duty for Authentic Sh*t with Mark Ronson with Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen as he performs “Think I Need It Too” on East Village Radio.
A great photo of Lady Rad by Victor Catro of Wet Paint Photography.
Hannah had the opportunity to sit and talk with electroclash queen, Peaches, before her show at NYC’s Terminal 5 on Saturday, November 14, 2009 and if you’re a true fan, this is THE interview to bookmark!
Hannah properly handled the M.I.S.S. survey below:
And she quotes Nietzsche, too! Swoon!
Now let’s get into some Q&A!
Our Senior Video Producer, Gee—aka “the raddest girl in the video game” (yeah, I said it!)—dropped the questions:
M.I.S.S.: What woman, besides your mom or grandmother, do you find inspirational?
Janice Dickinson…never shy to speak what’s on her mind. Little known fact: I was PAINFULLY shy up until 6th grade or so. Literally, I would not speak to people. Then I read J-Dick’s autobiography, and now you can’t shut me up.
M.I.S.S.: How did you get your start?
I always knew I wanted to be in music somehow…ever since the youngest days of singing along to Erasure’s POP! The First 20 Hits with my dad on long car rides. But it took a while to figure out exactly how I fit in. Fast forward to February 2008…one day I was bored at work…and behold, BEASTONIA! I’m just thankful people keep coming back to read my blabbering words.
The Mayor of BEASTONIA!
M.I.S.S.: What has been one of your most memorable interviews to date?
Juliette Lewis. On a whim, I requested to interview her before a show she had at the Fillmore last year. Didn’t get confirmation until a few hours before the scheduled meet-up time, so I had no chance to really get nervous. She’s long been an icon of mine, in terms not only of her acting and musical abilities, but her unashamed individuality. And she loves high fives too…so win!
M.I.S.S.: Who do you want to interview or work more in depth with in the future?
I mean, there are a ton of people I’d kill to chat with: Tina Turner, Bowie, Snoop, etc…but I’m still working my way up. Can we make this happen? Here’s to hoping!
Don't let the intense look on her face fool you, Hannah is a serial high-fiver!
M.I.S.S.: What part of maintaining a music blog is the most challenging and do you dislike the most?
There’s nothing I hate about what I do. The biggest challenge is holding down a day job too. Like, take this for example: when hot shit hits my inbox, I like to be on top of it and get it posted right away, but sometimes I’m in meetings or on deadline, and can’t get around to it. Then, I forget about it, and by time I circle back, it may have lost its relevancy. Do I hate that I have day job? I wouldn’t go that far…bills gotta get paid somehow.
M.I.S.S.: Any advice for ladies who are just starting out in a career path similar to yours?
Hang in there and stay true to yourself. If you’re starting a site, those initial months are gonna suck. Don’t try to write what you think people want to hear. I write and speak honestly…often times making up words or descriptors, but people get it and respect it, cause that’s just me. Case in point, when I first started writing the site, I was big into really housey dancey tunes, so it was all the really big roomfiller remixes I would write about. Every comment or email I got from a reader would always inquire if I was a gay dude who wrote the site. Whatever!
If you're ever in NYC and you see a girl dancing her way down the street, it's just might be Hannah...being rad!
M.I.S.S.: Which women in the realm of music do you think are poised to make an impact in 2010?
Laugh it up, but Nicki Minaj is running ish right now! I think the Hole comeback is gonna be huge so long as Courtney keeps her wits about her. I still hold out hope for a Garbage or Shirley Manson revival every day. She is THE last great rock star we’ve had and that we may ever see.
M.I.S.S.: Thanks Hannah!
The "alt" fashionista is known for rockin' safety pins as earrings...a true fashionista is always prepared!
Stay up with Hannah via the links below:
http://sheenabeaston.com
www.twitter.com/sheenabeaston
www.eastvillageradio.com
