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Post by carlita on Oct 25, 2003 2:22:16 GMT -5
KM - check your private messages.
C
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Post by konzertmeister on Oct 25, 2003 2:26:45 GMT -5
I am based in New York City (East Village) . Yeah the internal female attacking is too common, thing is there are only so many "places" sometimes and they start at each other. When one label signs a band, you know they'll pull a thing Joan Jett ranted about, on the rest of the bands out there and say "Hey we already have our GIRL (led or all) band" So it gets very fierce feeling. In the end, if you aren't doing music for your soul, then you'll always have trouble, but yeah its always like a fight to the death for those few spots. Then you see the ones who get signed still get depressed and struggle because even under the umbrella of a label and all its money you STILL face prejudice. Some women feel like they are fighting alone because its not like "we'll sign more bands" its "if you don't tow the line BABE you'll be replaced". I can't go on more about this at this hour- its really not so late here but I have been up for 2 days straight so if this message is actually incoherent, even though it makes sense to me, just ignore it. I think we need another smiley face with some kind of sleepy face this one is half asleep.. Well put, Christian Merry. I've been working with "The Artists's Way" and author Julia Cameron has some very insightful views about what you and Carla were just discussing. In particular, fame and competition. These are not the healthiest things for artists. Fame is addictive, fleeting, and has more to do with the tastes, times and fads than with the artists and their art, regardless of the medium. And I underscore what Carla said about being supportive (even if you don't like their gig) rather than trashing eachother. Not only does it dilute our focus, but it's just bad juju all around. I remember when I was younger and almost afraid to admit to my contemporaries that I liked a particular artist, until one of my singing, strumming goddesses, my shero-not-hero, said she totally was digging on their tunes. Somehow it safe for me to admit enjoying something so vastly different and smacking of corporate-music-industry-hore-dom. Ever read about somebody going further than you, faster than you, in your art field of choice and then somehow feel that maybe your work was somehow not as worthwhile as theirs? This is the "fame" battering ram hard at work. As for competition, it can be, and I believe is, a very good thing, but in the hands of corporate slobs, it gets too ugly, too unweildy, and fatalistic. They over simplify our artistic lives into a live or die situation. You get the gigs/reviews/slots or you don't. And it is in those instances, our brilliance is often snuffed out before its spark had a chance to catch fire. As for you, Christian Merry, I hope you just blow their everlovin doors off, and don't look back.
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Post by Esmirelda on Oct 26, 2003 16:00:32 GMT -5
Roussan wrote, "It's safe, and comfortable for them to see a female fronted band, if all she does is sing or roll around on top of a piano. " +++ When I was 8 months pregnant, I sang on top of a piano at the Phadelphia Music Conference. (It was sooo much fun!) It was very difficult to hold my guitar over my belly. I play and sing because its what I like to do. I also put down the guitar for other instruments; or just to sing. It totally depends on the song.
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Post by konzertmeister on Oct 27, 2003 1:42:01 GMT -5
Konzertmeister, you rock my world!!!!!! xoxoxo Carla Backatcha, tiger.
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Post by cheeseburger on Dec 7, 2003 20:36:55 GMT -5
I know there are several bands that have one female singer backed up by guys, but has anyone heard of the opposite? Male singer with a fully female band?
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Rousian
Junior Member
'Love is the Arrow!!'
Posts: 35
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Post by Rousian on Dec 8, 2003 3:31:39 GMT -5
THe Beautiful Robert Palmer did that for a week at the Ritz in NY! It was incredible & a real all female band [it was the Kit McClure Band! full lady horns, the deal !] I just wish someone had gotten that on film!! He was the only one with the balls to do that! He was the greatest!
Rousian
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 19, 2004 3:36:03 GMT -5
wow, it's fantastic to hear what other women have to say about being a female in a band. i have been in an all girl band and am currently in a band with all men. my voice is decent and probably not the greatest. i do not play an instrument, though i can play melodies on a piano. i never thought that i would be involved in a band, let alone be the front person for a band. yet, i've always felt strongly about music in a way that sends orgasmic shivers down my spine. i consider myself a very passionate person. when i was involved with an all female band, we dealt with constant critisism and of course the aspect of not being taken seriously. it wasn't until after we played, that we commanded the respect of our audience and anyone else involved. the thing that i always found interesting was that in every review we got, i was never compared to a female front person. Iggy Pop and Jim Morrison were the main comparisons. I found this to be somewhat sad, that there wasn't any women to compare me with. but then later i used it as a muse. i found that men feared me because they weren't used to a woman performing in an organic, truthful, uninhibited way, that had nothing to do with them. at that point, i knew what i needed to do. i knew that i didn't have to have the perfect singing voice, but to reveal the vulnerable parts of my soul was the one way to encourage other women to play music or create with out caring what others thought. some of the best compliments i ever received was when young women or young men would come up to me and say that they've seen my band several times and that it was because of us that they started a band. my band became somewhat successful, and was recognized with complete respect. but unfortunately, i think that my band members had forgotten our purpose within our potential success. i eventually got kicked out of the all girl band and it was devastating at first, but now i feel that i can have an even bigger "voice". like i said, i'm currently in an all male band. they definitly don't have to struggle as much, and they somehow understand the idea of "rocking out". but i still am the front woman, and there are still people that feel uncomfortable watching me. what i mean by uncomfortable, is that my audience is still surprised by my intensity. my band members are completely supportive of me and respect what i have to say. i by no means want to just be the next "britney spears". i want to be that person that has encouraged woman to not fear themselves, but to be able to express themselves in a way that they never thought they could: to be organic and truthful, to reveal themselves from the gut, whether it's with a guitar or something else, that is where the true passion lies. and hey if passion helped women earn the right to vote, just imagine what it can do for our music. support, is the key and respecting someone for just getting out there on the stage is the only way that we can overcome just being the "female" in a band. the judgement is what hurts us. but being supportive of female artists and respecting their ambition, is what will give us a voice, whether it be britney or p.j. harvey. we may not always agree with what they do, but they are paving the way for female artists and opening up the doors for us to express ourselves.
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Post by christian merry on Jan 19, 2004 4:30:21 GMT -5
seriously going to print this thread out, your words are inspiring- all of you that have posted on this thread have given so much to ponder and think about and feel. Sometimes its just hard to express certain feelings and you have put so much into words.. thanks.
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xearphoriax
New Member
Musician, poet, artist. I take my occupations very seriously.
Posts: 21
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Post by xearphoriax on Sept 24, 2004 23:02:47 GMT -5
I want to go there badly. I only have a year before I become noneligible. I would love to be at something of the like. But alas, rock n rol is the evil devil in my house. I guess I'll just keep everything underground like I always do.
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Post by kvrgirl1 on Apr 14, 2005 16:16:28 GMT -5
Excellent has been this day when i found this site and i can't quit reading alll the posts and getting excited and inspired so THANK you all very much, all who have taken time to contribute thoughts, feelings and experiences. My feeling regarding the instrument/voice question earlier posed is that I don't give my strongest performance on either one when i try to do BOTH. I am a competent guitar player (ever hear "Hey you play pretty good for a girl...)? and my voice is pretty good, but I am a "package" entertainer and I need to use my whole self to put on a show i feel good about. Once in awhile I will step back and JUST play rhythm guitar, if it's useful to the performance, but I feel awkward and uncoordinated when i try to sing lead and play at the same time. Please understand that this is JUST ME having come to terms with my given strengths! Also, playing guitar is not as important to me as singing. In my own head I identify myself as a singing entertainer, so screamin' guitar riffs are not my chosen avenue of expression. I LOVE hearing other musicians play 'em, though! Specially GIRLS!! lol molly
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