ROCKRGRL
The magazine ran for eleven years, and the strength of its message inspired two pioneering ROCKRGRL conferences that showcased, celebrated, and addressed the state of the music industry for female artists.
In December 2008, the ROCKRGRL Magazine and conference archives were acquired by Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, to be included in their collection of American Women's History artifacts.
[1] Commenting on the magazine's founding, DeSantis recalled, “One issue of Rolling Stone was about Women Who Rock, and the writer asked everyone what their favorite perfume was, not music.
Its first issue, which hit stands in 1995, featured Gretchen Seager on the cover along with articles about that dog., the Go-Go's, Queen Latifah, and Au Pairs.
[3] Throughout its lifespan, many famous and influential women appeared on the cover, including Justine Frischmann, Shirley Manson, Veruca Salt, Tori Amos, Johnette Napolitano, Courtney Love, Kathleen Hanna, Joan Jett, Kat Bjelland, Samantha Maloney, Tegan and Sara, Jessicka, Aimee Mann, Sleater-Kinney and Marianne Faithfull.
However, full sets, all 57 issues of ROCKRGRL are now part of the collection at The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and other colleges and institutions including Harvard, Duke, Cornell, UCLA, University of Washington, Radcliffe Institute, Smith, Oberlin, Rutgers, University of Texas Austin, and the New York Public Library.
ROCKRGRL billed itself as, "a real departure from the condescending and patronizing tone found in other "women in music" magazines and web sites.
Here is an example from Gretchen Seager of Mary's Danish who appeared on the magazine's first cover: I don’t want to be qualified as a female singer.
[2]DeSantis, one of the nation's leading advocates for women in rock,[1][5] has also produced two highly successful and critically acclaimed ROCKRGRL Music Conferences which took place in Seattle in 2000 and 2005 respectively.
[2] The diverse line-up of speakers and performers at the ROCKRGRL Music Conference included such musical luminaries as Patti Smith, Bonnie Raitt, Courtney Love, Ronnie Spector (The Ronettes), Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Ann Wilson, Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde), Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's), Wanda Jackson, The Gossip, Jessicka (Scarling.
/ Jack Off Jill), Exene Cervenka, Eliza Gilkyson, Rosie Flores, Carol Kaye, Wanda Jackson and hundreds more.
[9] During the 2005 conference, keynote speaker Patti Smith received the Woman of Valor award on the 30th anniversary of the release of her debut album, Horses.
