We’re only three months into 1980, but the fad of the year is already here—women!

What? They’ve been around for years? Sure, ex-hippie dope, but not coming through your FM headphones.

1980, and it’s Pat Benatar snappin’ her spandex at one end of the dial, and Chrissie Hynde fingering her leather chappies at the other.

Out of the arid stretch of the 70’s, the decade of big boys wonging power chords off each other’s heads, we finally get to.. .big GIRLS wonging power chords off each other’s heads?

Yes and no. In discussing this amongst ourselves, we tried to pin down why now— what set the stage for such a renaissance, who cares, etc.,, and decided to foist our thoughts, as always, on you, the hapless reader.

We talked to a motley assortment of women making rock music today—putting the same basic questions to them: How did they explain the current upswing of women in rock; how did they feel about their treatment as females by the business, etc.