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Olivia at 15
OLIVIA
RECORDS
Olivia is turning fifteen.
Now when you turn fifteen, people want
to know all kinds of things about you. They
want to know where you come from and
who you hang out with. They want to know
why you do the things you do. (Although,
let's face it, these questions never end.)
Her full name is Olivia Records. Like
most fifteen-year-olds she likes to say she is
independent and like most fifteen-year-olds
her voice can fade when questioned by
"authority." (This has been known to occur
at any age with little documentation after
age ninety-seven.)
As a record label she is most like us
when it comes to dealing with questions.
She answers some for herself, some for
others and she doesn't answer the rest.
The difference between us is that she has
made herself an institution. An institution
that is supported and talented solely by
women. An institution that answers
questions as if she is going to stay that way.
An institution that asks for and accepts our
time, our money and our talent to stay that
way.
The difference is in the answers she gives
today. The answers that waver in the 32
albums in circulation, answers that waver in
total sales of more than one million.
Olivia's answers come primarily through
press releases, as with most national
organizations. Judy Dlugacz is her primary
spokesperson, her president, her only owner.
If you read a press release for gay and
lesbian readers you will learn that Olivia
was an idea created by ten lesbians in 1973.
The Furies, a Washington D.C. radical
feminist lesbian newspaper collective,
including Ginny Berson, Charlotte Bunch
and Rita Mae Brown, had disbanded that
year. Several women from that collective
were looking for a way to continue working
together.
At this same time, another group that had
been a part of Radical Lesbians of Ann
Arbor moved to D.C. This group with
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Dlugacz as a member, was also looking for
some on-going political venture.
These two groups met, and from this
meeting came a commitment to create a
politically conscious institution.
This same year Meg Christian (former
recording artist with Olivia), met Cris
Williamson and persuaded her to do a radio
interview. Ginny Berson and Christian
questioned Williamson on the difficulty
women had breaking into the recording
industry. Williamson answered, "Maybe
you should start a women's record
company." (The amazing power of
questions and answers.)
Olivia was formed. Her name came
from a '40's lesbian novelette Christian was
reading at the time.
The ten women from The Furies and the
Radical Lesbians of Ann Arbor formed a
corporation, Olivia Records, and tried to run
it collectively. After the first year they were
down to five members who decided they
had to move to the West Coast if Olivia was
to survive. Christian, Berson, Dlugacz,
Jennifer Woohul and Kate Winter moved to
Los Angeles in 1974.
That year Olivia recorded Christian's "I
Know You Know" and in 1975 recorded
Williamson's "The Changer and the
Changed." The success of these two albums
was like a "tremendous explosion"
according to Dlugacz.
The explosion, according to Dlugacz was
because "the music helped to create a
completely new environment, where you'd
go to a concert and see lots of other women,
i.e., other lesbians. We were pushing
women-only events.... One of the reasons
we were doing this record company in the
first place was that we saw a really strong
opportunity to create community... Olivia
helped to create community and at the same
time community helped to build Olivia."
From Dlugacz's press releases to gay and
lesbian publications you can learn of the
album "Lesbian Concentrate" made during
the time Anita Bryant was running an anti
gay campaign in Dade County, Florida.
Dlugacz says, "If people didn't know yet
what we were all about, they sure knew
then. The press' response in particular made
it very clear who Olivia Records was, even
if they didn't bother ever to listen to the
music. That reputation in the media has
lasted to this day, and that has just been fine
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The founders of Olivia Records. Clockwise from top: Jennifer Woodhul, Kate
Winter, Judy Dlugacz, Ginny Berson, and Meg Christian
with us."
Those words were for gay and lesbian
ears.
Press releases in the Los Angeles Times
read differently.
Olivia Records is called a record
company for "feminist artists." Dlugacz
says, "the women-only stereotype was
frustrating.... Because we had two artists
who were very successful in the
singer/songwriter genre, we were always
seen as 'that feminist folk label.'"
In the article dated May 14,1988,
Dlugacz said she hopes to lure more men
(lure, the reporter's word) to Olivia concerts.
She said, "In the beginning the company
was more directed toward reaching and
taking care of a community (not named) that
was just beginning to evolve. Now we want
to reach a more diverse group of people."
And it's understandable that Olivia
wants as large an audience as possible.
After all, she is a business - one that wants
and needs to grow. One that continues to
strive, even with past and present criticism
of her politics, to encourage and promote
woman-talent.
So who is Olivia? Where does she come
from and who does she hang out with? And
why does she do the things she does?
The November 19th concert at Center
Stage in Atlanta is not billed as a women-
only event, which seems to be her trend.
According to Dlugacz, criticism comes no
matter which way the shows are billed.
"When we were doing women-only,
there were those who attacked that. When
we were doing concerts that were open to
everyone, we were clearly and definitely
Cont'd. page 11
SAME
proudly
presents the
next chapter
of Atlanta's
continuing hit
play about
who we are,
why we're
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and how we
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A Holiday Gift
from Gay and Lesbian
Atlanta
December 1-December 18
Thursday-Saturday 8pm., Sunday 5pm
At Onstage Atlanta 420 Courtland Street
Tickets $ 10 at Charis Books
Reservations and Information 584-2104