 |
All Female, All Original Rock and Roll Band |
2021 Interview about SoftwareListen to a two-part interview I did with Kyle Long for his on-air program and podcast, Cultural Manifesto. |
|
Back in 1983 Kara Barnard, Lē Weaver (then known as Marg Herder), and Dianne Steinmetz
started playing in a band together. Kara played guitars,
Lē played synths and guitars, and Dianne played drums.
(Julie Huffaker later joined them on bass). The sound
was rock and roll. The music was all original. Though
venues that booked all original acts were few and far
between at this time in Central Indiana, they managed
to play quite a bit at Indianapolis clubs like Labyris,
The Hummingbird and Second Story in Bloomington. The Go-Gos
were just topping the charts, but even so all girl rock
and roll bands were even more unusual than they are today. |
1983 - 1986
|
Tammy Decker joined the band in 1984, replacing Julie,
playing bass and guitar. Their first cassette release, Software, was the first project recorded at Hit
City recording studio in Indianapolis (released in 1984).
The cassette featured ten guitar and synth tracks written
by the three founding members. |
|
|
In 1984 Software was selected to appear on the Performer Showcase at the National Women's Music Festival. It would be an understatement to say there was little interest in rock and roll in Women's music at the time. Even so, they packed the room and played a great set.
|
|
|
When Kara Barnard left the band late in 1984, the music became more synthesizer focused, and early in 1985 Susan Lowell (now Susan Colin) was added to the band as a vocalist. While the instrumental focus of the music changed, the quality of musicianship stayed excellent. Their second and final cassette release Future Is Now was released in 1985. |
|
|
|
|||
Software playing their last gig live at The Vogue in Indianapolis, during the summer of 1985. |
Late in 1985 the band performed their last live gig. Some recording work continued in the next year or two, but nothing else was released.
|
|
Listen to Software Music
Listen to music using the player below, or scroll down for downloads.
Download Software Music
The music available for download is offered for a suggested donation of $0.50 per tune. If you can afford to make this small donation to help pay for hosting and bandwidth, it will be greatly appreciated!
Click here to download "Trust
In Me" from their 1985 release
Future is Now.
Sound recording (c) 1985 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1985 by Lē Weaver, additional lyrics
by Dianne Steinmetz.
Click here to download "Haven't You Had Enough" also from their 1985 release Future is
Now.
Sound recording (c) 1985 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1985 by Lē Weaver.
Click here to download "Someone
is Waiting" also from their 1985 release Future is
Now.
Sound recording (c) 1985 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1985 by Lē Weaver.
Click here to download "Paradise" also from their 1985 release
Future is
Now.
Sound recording (c) 1985 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1985 by Lē Weaver.
Click here to download
"You Are Everywhere" from the
1984 release Software.
Sound recording (c) 1984 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1985 by Lē Weaver.
Click here to download "Plastic
World" from the
1984 release Software.
Sound recording (c) 1984 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1983 by Dianne Steinmetz, Lē Weaver,
and Kara Barnard.
Click here to download
"Lonely Child" from the
1984 release Software.
Sound recording (c) 1984 by Softsound.
Words and Music (c) 1985 by Lē Weaver.
All of the above sound recordings are made available
for personal use only. Please do not duplicate or distribute
these recordings without permission.
Click here for permission inquiry.