While few ideas terrify me more than my earliest music writings being discovered by anyone, let alone being housed at one of our nation's finest learning institutions, this is still very exciting news nonetheless.

ROCKRGRL magazine (whose slogan was at one glorious point "no beauty tips or guilt trips"), is having the archives of its ten-year history stored at Harvard University.

According to the press release:

Carla DeSantis, founder and editor of ROCKRGRL Magazine (1995-2005) and director of the ROCKRGRL Music Conference (2000, 2005), is pleased to announce the acquisition of ROCKRGRL’s papers and archives by the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, at Radcliffe Institute / Harvard University. The collection includes original correspondence, cassette-taped artist interviews, posters, news clippings, awards, photos, conference footage, magazine proofs, video and other artifacts.

ROCKRGRL Magazine was started in 1995 by DeSantis as an independent black-and white, 16-paged photocopied ‘zine, and eventually blossomed into a full-color, glossy magazine. It was the only music publication strictly devoted to inspiring and creating community for the growing number of women in rock. Its eclectic mix of advertisers included record labels from Sony to Sub Pop, and instrument manufacturers from Fender Guitars to Smitten Kitten sex toys.

I couldn't be happier or more excited. ROCKRGRL an excellent publication and proud champion of female musicians (and other artists); I say that, though, not lacking any bias because I was a writer for the magazine for the final two and a half years. I have many fond memories of that time, including the improbability of interviewing someone from my favorite band for my very first feature (Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney) and subsequent interviews with other artists I admire like Tammy Ealom of Dressy Bessy, Sally Timms of The Mekons and Annie.

Of course, very necessary congratulations are in order to Carla DeSantis for creating the magazine, giving necessary attention to deserving female artists and ensuring the legacy she started lives on.