Female Musicians Unite! (and rant)

[Nyx]

A thread for us girls to complain and rightfully call out sexist bs and trends that continue to annoy us on a regular basis.

While I could sit here and just begin to rant about the trouble in general we face, and proceed to go on for a fortnight, let's deal with the 'eye candy' thing as a light topic starter. Let's be honest, some male fans should be immediately run over with a lorry, and everyone would benefit from all genders. However, I notice many guys don't do the 'eye candy' thing with any real intended creepiness. They just don't know any damn better. The record companies in how they portray us though, well thats the complete opposite. They should be fed through a wood-chipper feet first. But for the decent dude, it's more societally-ingrained garbage of gender roles, or, as us girls know it, the daily status quo. -___- I myself noticed the difference when I switched from guitar to drums. I had gone from sometimes hearing 'Wow, you're hot, and you can play' to hearing 'Wow, you can play... and you're hot, if thats alright to say.' Maybe its because many fans (rightfully) fear us drummers for our awesome strength and endless insanity! Mwahahaha! No, jk. Though you really should fear us for that I think it's first contact and biased impressions. If they only see my head, and me beating the snot out of my drum kit, versus me front stage and them looking up at my thigh-highs and skirt shorts, well, yeah. Still, it shouldnt make them react all f&$%ing creepy to me if they're decent guys to begin with, but I can see where this sadly leads psychologically. Holy s41t do we have a lot of work ahead of us in deprogramming men, girls.

The other difference besides initial impression? The first dude would sometimes try to keep conversation going focusing on me as a girl. As if they didnt even hear what I was playing...The second would try to keep conversation going by focusing on me as a musician and commenting on stuff like my snare snaps. I tend to talk with the latter variant a bit. Either way, I'm punk as f§$k, so, while I like to be nice, I know how to make them go away. Usually, if its the first type, interrupting them with something like this fixes the situation pretty quick, lol. 'You know, I bet it would only take about 7kgs of pressure for me to put this vic firth straight through your eye and into your brain. You want to make that bet with me? I got 100 that says I can do it.' Or if necessary, breaking a bone or two works wonders.

But yes, I like a nice compliment. As long as its not creepy, or the far-too-common aggressive and assumptively self-inviting trash. If I can tell they mean well, I thank people enthusiastically. There's all kinds of people at shows, so I try not to punish the decent guys for the behavior of the common neanderthals.

Thankfully, most of my shows these days (before covid anyways, heres hoping theres an after) are LGBTQI and women, since I do a lot of feminist rebel girl metal and riot girl punk/thrash stuff. And that is typically an amazing crowd! Most guys there are pretty woke, and I haven't dealt with many idiots since about early 2016.

 

[Brigantium]

Music industry marketing bods have a lot to answer for. There must be so many good musicians out there who have their own style, own identity, but the industry only sees an asset that can be shoehorned into a currently profitable trend. Or they sideline them for not fitting their preferred marketing formula.

Where female members of bands are concerned, I think it's gradually becoming commoner to have a female musician other than a singer in a signed band, but bands are still expected to conform to stereotypes if they want to get marketing muscle behind them. The same likely goes for any musician who doesn't fit a particular formula stereotype that the record company sees potential in. Don't see myself getting in on the Viking Metal scene any time soon, even if I work on the beer belly.

I tend to think a lot of punk and metal fans think for themselves. If a musician is good, they respect that.

 

[Nyx]

Music industry marketing bods have a lot to answer for. There must be so many good musicians out there who have their own style, own identity, but the industry only sees an asset that can be shoehorned into a currently profitable trend. Or they sideline them for not fitting their preferred marketing formula.

Where female members of bands are concerned, I think it's gradually becoming commoner to have a female musician other than a singer in a signed band, but bands are still expected to conform to stereotypes if they want to get marketing muscle behind them. The same likely goes for any musician who doesn't fit a particular formula stereotype that the record company sees potential in. Don't see myself getting in on the Viking Metal scene any time soon, even if I work on the beer belly.

I tend to think a lot of punk and metal fans think for themselves. If a musician is good, they respect that.

I'm with ya girl! And too true! I've always been of the mind thats its better to be anti-industry and anti-corporate all around. I feel that being a part of it just validates and further encourages the behavior with women. They're a lot of skeezy money-worshipping business pillocks, and none of them with any respect for the music they distribute and produce, or the musicians making it. Talking with any of them after shows makes that clear pretty fast for the quicker wit. I have a golden rule in life, with people as a whole, and in music. The very moment someone puts profit before principles, they've lost any respect I might have had for them. (assuming there was any to begin with, of course)

And honestly, I §$%&ing love being in a few different bands and just touring local and mainland areas on our own schedule and rocking the house down. No industry rubbish in my face messing up my vibes. And definitely no demeaning capitalist nonsense. Plus, you get to know local and regional promoters. You can get invited to some pretty nice stuff when you have a good reputation for delivering in your gigs and making venues happy. Might be twenty five people in a cozy little dive bar, might be hundreds or something at a festival. Either way, way better life in my opinion. You're free as a bird, and you can just focus on your passion for music and performance rather than the stress of being someone else's paycheck b1+34.

I'd rather be known for my drummer skills and badass stage presence by less, than known by many simply for my sleek euro-asian deliciousness. Thats reserved for who I see fit, thank you very much.

I think for many girls this is the case since its sadly one of the most sexist industries in the world. All the best female musicians I've ever known are not signed to any corporate or big label, and never have been. They blaze their own path inspiring other girls to live their own lives, and not become the toys of greedy and nasty blokes. Girls that once influenced a young aspiring drummer that is the Nyx before you here today.

I would encourage any young girls out there who are into metal, punk, and the like to do the same. Hell, any style really.

Don't get me wrong, I respect immensely the girls that have trod that ground in the past in hopes of breaking barriers in the industry. Their efforts have been well-intentioned, but its a losing battle, and nothing can come from playing any of their games. I think we have to claim our place the old-fashioned way, ourselves.

You need to be a little business saavy with promoters when you're independent, but they're far easier to deal with. The key is to be diplomatic and fair, and assert that they're getting a kick ass act with minimal hassle for a good price, which is something every promoter and small venue owner wants if they're interested.