The presence of women in music - is it just a boy's club?

[Guest Young Adolesent]

If it involves me yes. But not all the time, if it involves people slagging my spelling i ignore

[MikeyEB]

I'm concerned now. I maybe be (nominally) a man but I'm easily as pretty as most girls. I hope I'm not getting treated differently because of that. We do have a rule that I always have to play in short shorts and shave my legs and baws, but I thought was to cut down on wind resistance when I'm pedal stomping.

Edited August 11, 2013 by MikeyEB

[Monster Zero]

By the way, can we please stop this whole calling women "females" thing? It sounds ridiculous. I've never heard anyone who isn't at least a little bit sexist refer to women in that manner.

You sound more ridiculous getting bent out of shape about it TBH....why do they use the term feminist then?

[kirsten]

By the way, can we please stop this whole calling women "females" thing? It sounds ridiculous. I've never heard anyone who isn't at least a little bit sexist refer to women in that manner.

 

There's a female at my work who does it. It's not so much the word itself, it's the creepy way in which she says it and it's just baffling, as she doesn't refer to men as 'male'. If she's telling a story that involves an altercation, she'll use it as if it's a dirty word "Then this female came up to me..." and the way she says it sounds so fucking sinister. Imagine a 60 year old "woo, ladies, let's get a stripper! Och, we've embarrassed the IT guys by being filthy!" type saying it and it just adds to the weirdness.

 

In terms of attending gigs, the majority of ones I go to now are local gigs put on by people on here and generally, it's quite a good split. I don't feel uncomfortable when it isn't, because usually I know most of the people there, but maybe it would be different for people who aren't familiar with the crowd. When I was about 15/16, me and my friends would go to see any indie band who bothered to come up to Aberdeen and I felt a bit uncomfortable then, as rapey bastards would use crowd movement as an excuse to try and grope you. It's probably the same now because objectifying cunts still exist and it probably does put a lot of women off going to gigs, but I'm too auld to be down the front in the middle of it these days so don't know how prevalent that kind of thing is.

 

I'd still bloody love to be in a band, but the only thing stopping me is a lack of belief in my musical abilities, rather than the pressures of not having a Y chromosome. That being said, though, it shouldn't be necessary, but I think I'd keep a note of possible put-downs in response to any sexist heckles.

Edited August 11, 2013 by kirsten

[kirsten]

Gah, it won't let me edit that post anymore and it sounds like I'm saying "if you don't want to get groped, don't be at the front!" which obviously isn't what I mean at all because I cannot abide victim-blaming. This is how I was trying to phrase it:
"When I was about 15/16, me and my friends would go to see any indie band who bothered to come up to Aberdeen and I felt a bit uncomfortable then, as rapey bastards would use crowd movement as an excuse to try and grope you. I don't go to many of those types of gigs these days and if I do, I'm too auld to be down the front in the middle of it, so am not sure how prevalent that kind of thing is, but I imagine it's similar because objectifying cunts still exist and it might put women off going to gigs."

[ca_gere]

I've genuinely never considered the topic before. I don't think I look at a band and think 'oh that's a girl on drums'. I think that's maybe one of the great things about music - it really doesnt matter what the band looks like or who they are gender/race/whatever-wise.

 

Now that I think of it, there was one occasion where gender interfered with my view of a band. I was at some really trendy show and the opening act was a 'band' comprised of 3 really good looking girls who barely played their instruments and couldnt sing. It was like pre-school indie or something, they pulled these cutesy faces the whole time and it quickly became clear it was all an act. They were filling some 'girl next door gone rawk' role. Really terrible. I honestly think if it were a group of guys doing the same thing they'd have gotten booed off. 

[Soda Jerk]

flights. Out of curiousity, were their relation ship rules in cielo rosso? I meen am i the only one to admit nadia was fit? But anyone else is there rules when a female is in the band?

 

Thats brilliant! is it only allowed to be like a one night stand though or a relationship? I was thinking if it all ended it could wreck the band

 

im more on about relationship rules. Because our bassist admited shed go with any of us but i was wondering if there was any rules behind it all but unfortunately our singer is a male model so i think we all know who shes choosing

 

Our bassist is the same in two of my bands she is literally one off the ladz i think most off females who play in indie, rock and punk bands are one of the ladz apart from girl anachorism she just sounds like a groupie or hovever its spelt. And can someone tell me the definition of a groupie?

 

I dont mind going nude to ladies

 

Edited August 11, 2013 by Joda Serk

[Stroopy121]

Speaking as someone who is not a female, I'd say that, along with the rapey groping mentioned by Kirsten, the hyper-sexualisation of any woman in a band must be a bit off-putting, too? Hearing some guys say things like "I can't stand her music but she's FITTT PHWOAR!" etc. It irritates me a tad, don't know how much of a pain-in-the-ass it must be for the victims of this kind of chauvinistic shite.

 

Patricia Day gets a lot of that kinda shit because she's "TOTES A FATTIE, SHE'D BE HOT AS FUCK IF SHE LOST A FEW POUNDS AMIRITE LADDSSS?!?!?". Horrible cuntery.

 

xx

[Jaaakkkeee]

Speaking as someone who is not a female, I'd say that, along with the rapey groping mentioned by Kirsten, the hyper-sexualisation of any woman in a band must be a bit off-putting, too? Hearing some guys say things like "I can't stand her music but she's FITTT PHWOAR!" etc. It irritates me a tad, don't know how much of a pain-in-the-ass it must be for the victims of this kind of chauvinistic shite.

 

Patricia Day gets a lot of that kinda shit because she's "TOTES A FATTIE, SHE'D BE HOT AS FUCK IF SHE LOST A FEW POUNDS AMIRITE LADDSSS?!?!?". Horrible cuntery.

 

xx

That's horrible. Hate folk like that. 

 

But on your first point, if it's not said in a LADS LADS LADS way, and someone says, "don't like her music, but she's v. pretty". Would it irritate you? What if a woman said that about a bloke? Or if a gay person said it about a man or woman? Surely it's not sexist to think someone's tidy... right? I'm agreeing with you, but to an extent. Hyper-sexualisation is never good, but surely it can't be a crime to think someone is pretty. I know a few girls who went to see bands at download, and some of them was "just because he was fit. the music isn't that good though".

 

And to be honest, the opposite is just as bad to be honest. "she's ugly, but what a voice". why are looks even coming in to this? SuBo is a prime example. She is not exactly what I'd describe as, to many peoples tastes. And that's what was so horrible about her audition. It was basically them saying "check this munter oot. bet she's shite. oh no she isn't. that's so surprising, ugly people can function too."

[Cabbage]

 

 

I feel the same, the dudes on my ignore list and I still can't escape his chat... 

[Stroopy121]

That's horrible. Hate folk like that. 

 

But on your first point, if it's not said in a LADS LADS LADS way, and someone says, "don't like her music, but she's v. pretty". Would it irritate you? What if a woman said that about a bloke? Or if a gay person said it about a man or woman? Surely it's not sexist to think someone's tidy... right? I'm agreeing with you, but to an extent. Hyper-sexualisation is never good, but surely it can't be a crime to think someone is pretty. I know a few girls who went to see bands at download, and some of them was "just because he was fit. the music isn't that good though".

 

And to be honest, the opposite is just as bad to be honest. "she's ugly, but what a voice". why are looks even coming in to this? SuBo is a prime example. She is not exactly what I'd describe as, to many peoples tastes. And that's what was so horrible about her audition. It was basically them saying "check this munter oot. bet she's shite. oh no she isn't. that's so surprising, ugly people can function too."

 

It's one thing to have an opinion about someone's sexual appeal, it's another to completely disregard their worth as an artist and compiling an opinion about them based solely on their looks.

 

xx

[Jaaakkkeee]

But what if dat pussy game is ridiculous?

[Guest E.C]

you should all listen to Rape Revenge. their singer is a girl (woah, right?!?!) and they are the absolute business:

 

http://raperevenge.bandcamp.com/

[Flights]

Jee this escalated quickly.

To clear up I never meant to cause offense by saying girls sat in shopping centre entrances. Poor word choice by me. What I was meaning was that from my experiences growing up in my home town it was the lads who were more into making music and the lassies were more into listening to music. Again that may be due to gender stereotypes. 

 

Also relationship rules? What's that all about? We were in a band. Not some kind of dating circle. We were too busy bringing the rock to think about that sort of thing. 

[Alkaline]

Jee this escalated quickly.

To clear up I never meant to cause offense by saying girls sat in shopping centre entrances. Poor word choice by me. What I was meaning was that from my experiences growing up in my home town it was the lads who were more into making music and the lassies were more into listening to music. Again that may be due to gender stereotypes. 

 

Also relationship rules? What's that all about? We were in a band. Not some kind of dating circle. We were too busy bringing the rock to think about that sort of thing.

Plus, everyone knew you were gobbling Milners rod behind the scenes at every available opportunity!

[The Milner]

Its all about interband cock. 

 

This is such a meh subject, surely the only important thing is the band member, not their sex. The only time it should ever be a consideration is if you want a female (if i can say that) vocal in the band, the rest of the time its a ridiculous thought. "oh i want a female drummer" absolute bullshit, you want a drummer, doesnt matter if they have a set of tits or not. 

 

The whole "oh she is in a band she is fit" works both ways for men and women, its no big deal, its just life, people in bands seem sexier, christ i even got my end away a few times purely off the back of being in a few bands. This has happened for a very long time, and will probably always be part of it. Sex sells stuff, especially music. Cliff Richard made a career out of being good looking, nevermind how terrible his music is, he looked good, and women loved him for it, im pretty sure he wouldnt be overly concerned with the pitty folk are offering for that. 

[Guest E.C]

THIS JUST IN: Cliff Richard isn't bothered about women.

[fatboy]

we can all see what interband relationships can have on a band ala fleetwood mac

 

Jan/Girl how does being in a relationship effect the workings of a band, ever been in a bitter mood with each other and took it to the practice room?

 

does being in a relationship make your project stronger for certain things, like being able to communicate better?  

 

 

before anyone throws in shite funny answers about shaggin or what not about "communicating" FUCK OFF

 

genuine questions 

[Jaaakkkeee]

I want a female drummer. But that's because I want female vocals and want to keep my project a two piece. Is that against the rules?

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

we can all see what interband relationships can have on a band ala fleetwood mac

 

Jan/Girl how does being in a relationship effect the workings of a band, ever been in a bitter mood with each other and took it to the practice room?

 

does being in a relationship make your project stronger for certain things, like being able to communicate better?  

 

 

before anyone throws in shite funny answers about shaggin or what not about "communicating" FUCK OFF

 

genuine questions 

I think some of this question is better answered by members of Das McManus/Seas, Starry.

 

Personally, I've not seen a difference in band workings compared to other bands which I've been in. I suppose the main difference is that "Girl" and I have many opportunties to work on ideas at home and we are obviously on the same wave length - so that can mean a stronger musical project as we are very good at bouncing ideas off each other. It's a chemistry thing, just like when you find musicians who can second guess where you are going, when you jam out ideas. I don't think that there has been any occasions where our relationship has entered into either band dynamic.