Now We Are Five • Happy birthday to us!

Join us this week in celebrating five years of wearing the trousers for women in music as we look back over our greatest hits of the past half-decade.

Wears The Trousers was ‘launched’ at the start of July 2005 with the aim of providing an alternative to the mainstream music press and its constant recycling of the same old hero worship puff pieces and relentless perpetuation of the myth that credible music was, is and always will be the preserve of the male. The idea was to form an independent community of critics who would actively promote women in music from a UK perspective – something which simply did not exist at the time, at least not at an editorially governed level – and, incredibly, people really responded to that.

Over the past five years we’ve reviewed thousands of albums, interviewed hundreds of musicians, been to countless gigs, and generally stuck our oar in whenever we see blatant misogyny and gender imbalance in the music industry. Along the way we’ve met some of the world’s nicest people and blushed at the kind words of some of our idols; we’ve seen people we’ve supported from grass roots level make it bigger than they ever dreamed; we’ve curated and promoted our own live showcases; we’ve  set up a record label and released a wonderful album we couldn’t be more proud of; we’ve only just begun!

Each day this week we’ll be giving away some exclusive prizes and looking back at some of our favourite interviewees. We’ll also be throwing in some brand new chit chats to whet your appetite for a whole new wave of interview-focused content coming your way throughout the rest of the year, and beyond!

Thanks to the amazing Anika In London for the birthday card!

* * *

Monday

• our greatest hits #1 – neko case
• our greatest hits #2 – kristin hersh
• win nina nastasia goodies
• win handmade silje nes CDs

Tuesday
• our greatest hits #3 – katiejane garside
• our greatest hits #4 – robyn
• win a mint records care package
• win albums from the tiny

Wednesday
• our greatest hits #5 – broadcast
• our greatest hits #6 – bat for lashes
• win nettwerk records prize package
• win first LP pressing of new this is the kit album

Thursday
• our greatest hits #7 – amanda palmer
• our greatest hits #8 – tune-yards

Friday
• our greatest hits #9 – rickie lee jones
• our greatest hits #10 – anaïs mitchell

Tagged kristin hersh, neko case, nina nastasia, silje nes, theme week