Jenocide's girl talk
Jen Clarke's alter-ego brings feminism a cheeky, electro post-punk sound.
by Mike LandryOn tour with new-wave synth-pop outfit Windom Earle last week, Jen Clarke left her alter-ego, Jenocide, back in Halifax. As the lone female in all-dude bands for almost five years, she knows some things can't be addressed playing with guys.
But her bottled-up feminism explodes 10-fold when assuming the exaggerated electro-synth-fuelled Jenocide persona, first felt in the EP bikerides.barrettes.bruises, and now her first full-length, Machines to Make Us Wet. Her signature heart-shaped sunglasses may replace the barrettes of the EP on the cover, but, understand, such girly things are only accessories in the truest sense.
"Cutesy? That makes me want to throw up," says Clarke. "One can be feminine without being described as cutesy. These are objects a girl would use, but not necessarily definitive of who she is."
Machines isn't so easily pigeonholed either. Down-tempo tracks mix with riotous electro, while pop presides over the EP's earlier thrash, reflecting the diversity of sounds found in Clarke's favourite female-centric post-punk acts. It's a softer side of Jenocide, and Clarke enjoys exploring the personality of the alter-ego that once only existed in her notebooks.
Like her musical influences, even Clarke's feminism is complex. She'll tell an audience "If your boyfriend sucks, dump him!" but on Machines it's easier to get lost in the thumping bass and bacchanalian rhythms. It's feminism that's devilishly fun and aware, without being didactic. "People get scared off by the word feminist," she says. "But I just wanted to create a character that is strong, and not completely alienating. I have a message for those who identify with it, and if you're about it, that's awesome."
Beat master Ed Renzi embraces Clarke's excitement and ideology. He programs beats after situations, like breaking onto a downtown office roof, intoxicated by booze and adrenaline. In Renzi's heart is his mother who escaped an abusive marriage and raised him on her own, while getting a PhD. "These are issues we all have," he says. "Feminism isn't just for women."
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Hmmm..... Clearly doesn't matter what she calls her self, Jenocide, Jennypie, Mr.Clarke...... doesn't seems like there is much there really. "If your boyfriend sucks, dump him!", profound (yawn). Now if she said "If your boyfriend sucks, force him to watch you with his sister, then beat him senseless with a phone book" I'd say she may be on the right track or may she just needs a good ole fashioned rusty trombone to crank things up. Come back when your 20 with some real wisdom to spread.
Checked her out on youtube. I don't know about the sound, sounds kinda like 8-bit atari demos out of Poland in the late 80s-mid90s but she's easy on the eyes so I might have to check her out at Gus's.
Hey "halifax home." Jenocide is a joke... just like Genocide is a joke. And it clearly hasn't occurred since 1948 when the CPPCG took place and we resolved to never call anything genocide again. Otherwise us cozy North Americans would have had to do something about it... right?
Now "Ethnic Jensing"... that's just not funny at all. Sounds cleaner though.
"Jenicide"? How monsterously ignorant, using this name. Jen Clarke, every time I see your stage name, "Jenocide" I think about what a vast lack of life experience you must have to think a word play with 'genocide' would be funny or cool.
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