Female rock/punk bands in Ireland? (1 Viewer)

[Green Goblin]

I think it was pretty obvious I was talking about alternative/indie bands with "Token" female members who don't really have much of a say in the overall band. I'm not the ones relegating them to that and I really hate when people try and turn an argument like that around on the person who obviously cares about the subject in hand. I want to see more female musicians coming out of the woodwork, become more prominent in existing bands, and the dumb libertarian logic that not pointing out a problem will somehow help doesn't work. It's really bothersome when people act like talking about a problem is somehow creating it when often the reverse is true. If it gets any stupider I'm just going to drop it.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Your assuming they have little say.

Anyway,token female bass player,reads the same as token bass player to me.

 

[ann post]

are these paying gigs?? is punk an ethic or genre in this case?

 

[Green Goblin]

Your assuming they have little say.

Anyway,token female bass player,reads the same as token bass player to me.

I'm not "assuming" anything since I'm referring to examples where that's the case in the first place.

You know what I'm talking about, and if you don't then please stop either way.

 

[Green Goblin]

are these paying gigs?? is punk an ethic or genre in this case?

It's going to be mixed genre. I'm still not sure on the paying front, most likely it'll be a percentage of the door, can't really afford guarantees for the first gig anyway. If I get enough punk bands for the first night too, it'll double as a Pussy Riot fundraiser.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

I'm not "assuming" anything since I'm referring to examples where that's the case in the first place.

You know what I'm talking about, and if you don't then please stop either way.

I just think you're belittling the involvement of many female band members who happen to play bass. I don't get why you'd want to do that.

 

[Green Goblin]

I just think you're belittling the involvement of many female band members who happen to play bass. I don't get why you'd want to do that.

I'm not? That's what you're saying, but isn't consistent with what I've been trying to say at all? I know a couple of great girl bassists as it happens. But there's been a thing since the 90s(Smashing Pumpkins influence etc., though I happen to be a bit of a D'Arcy fan) in a lot of alternative bands of having a stock female bassist. That's not a rag on bassists in general, though a lot of rock bands don't really use bassists to their full potential in general. In some cases, it's a keyboardist; or sometimes something like a violinist, who are more the "+1" of the band - again, this is not attacking keyboardists, since I play keys on some of my stuff myself, and would love to play Violin - I'm referring to when these members are often there just for the sake of having a girl member/keyboardist/instrumentalist when it's not really figured into the band's overall direction all that much at all.

I knew some of keyboardists from forums online where the band pretty much just want them to follow everything with strings to fill out the sound, and hate when they do the widdly woo thing that keyboardists love to do. Though in the case of girl bassists, it's more the problem that it seems like there are a disproportionate amount compared to girl guitarists, drummers and vocalists for most rock bands at the moment. A girl bassist is more of a safe bet, because again it's archetype that throws back to acts like the Pumpkins.

I'm just saying most of those bands probably aren't all that suitable for this night as it's showcasing female musicians; so they need to be more at the forefront. I've made it as clear as I can what I'm referring to and you're twisting around completely into me being racist against bassists. That's nothing against the girls who are bassists, it just seems unfair that in the Irish rock scene, they're largely relegated to it for whatever reason.

I want to see more of this:

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As for female bassists:

(amazing live)

As opposed to this article, which is more what I'm talking about -

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/colu...bassist_that_a_lot_of_bands_seem_to_have.html

So why is it that when bands have a female member, it's safe to assume that she's the bassist?

Again, nothing against bassists, or female bassists. Just that it feels like women are relegated to it, and often come across as being there as the +1 gimmick to the band rather than being genuinely appreciated(though most bands I know personally aren't like this).

 

[shower another shower]

though a lot of rock bands don't really use bassists to their full potential in general

Your're a crazy sexist promoter @Green Goblin;
Anyway, Female Hercules.

 

[Green Goblin]

Your're a crazy sexist promoter @Green Goblin;
Anyway, Female Hercules.

Sexist how?

Do you think putting on a night showcasing female musicians is inherently sexist? Whereas the strong lack of female artists in general is perfectly OK because it wasn't the direct result of some night someone put on?

I don't think you really understand how sexism works. Or am I sexist against Bassists?

 

[shower another shower]

z00ps. I meant sexy.
in any case, I like your style. More chicks on stage.

 

[shower another shower]

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[Green Goblin]

z00ps. I meant sexy.
in any case, I like your style. More chicks on stage.

I was hoping it'd be sexist against bassists, to be honest. Though racist against bassists rhymes better.

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[hugh]

I have to jump in here and say, as a bassist, I've encountered this racism and sexism, actually let's just call it discrimination, on an almost constant basis right through my whole playing career. It manifests itself in numerous ways. For example, the way the sound engineer makes you use a DI rather than a mic on your amp like guitarists. The way you are not allowed to do solos. The way you are supposed to restrict yourself to playing just one note at a time. I could go on but I think we all know what I'm talking about here.

What I'm trying to say here is that if youre thinking of organising some sort of night where bassists can stand up proud and get the respect they deserve ...well, you can count me in.

 

[Green Goblin]

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When I said "Female" I meant bands with female members.

 

[Green Goblin]

I have to jump in here and say, as a bassist, I've encountered this racism and sexism, actually let's just call it discrimination, on an almost constant basis right through my whole playing career. It manifests itself in numerous ways. For example, the way the sound engineer makes you use a DI rather than a mic on your amp like guitarists. The way you are not allowed to do solos. The way you are supposed to restrict yourself to playing just one note at a time. I could go on but I think we all know what I'm talking about here.

What I'm trying to say here is that if youre thinking of organising some sort of night where bassists can stand up proud and get the respect they deserve ...well, you can count me in.

You're thinking of BassFest. This is FemFest.

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[east hastings]

Your're a crazy sexist promoter @Green Goblin;
Anyway, Female Hercules.

That should be the production companies name, "crazy sexist promoter"

 

[washingcattle]

I'm not? That's what you're saying, but isn't consistent with what I've been trying to say at all? I know a couple of great girl bassists as it happens. But there's been a thing since the 90s(Smashing Pumpkins influence etc., though I happen to be a bit of a D'Arcy fan) in a lot of alternative bands of having a stock female bassist. That's not a rag on bassists in general, though a lot of rock bands don't really use bassists to their full potential in general. In some cases, it's a keyboardist; or sometimes something like a violinist, who are more the "+1" of the band - again, this is not attacking keyboardists, since I play keys on some of my stuff myself, and would love to play Violin - I'm referring to when these members are often there just for the sake of having a girl member/keyboardist/instrumentalist when it's not really figured into the band's overall direction all that much at all.

I knew some of keyboardists from forums online where the band pretty much just want them to follow everything with strings to fill out the sound, and hate when they do the widdly woo thing that keyboardists love to do. Though in the case of girl bassists, it's more the problem that it seems like there are a disproportionate amount compared to girl guitarists, drummers and vocalists for most rock bands at the moment. A girl bassist is more of a safe bet, because again it's archetype that throws back to acts like the Pumpkins.

I'm just saying most of those bands probably aren't all that suitable for this night as it's showcasing female musicians; so they need to be more at the forefront. I've made it as clear as I can what I'm referring to and you're twisting around completely into me being racist against bassists. That's nothing against the girls who are bassists, it just seems unfair that in the Irish rock scene, they're largely relegated to it for whatever reason.

Again, nothing against bassists, or female bassists. Just that it feels like women are relegated to it, and often come across as being there as the +1 gimmick to the band rather than being genuinely appreciated(though most bands I know personally aren't like this).

First of all the Smashing Pumpkins were always +3 to a complete megalomaniac to begin with. Secondly the 80s had Kim Deal and Kim Gordon, Debbie Googe, Tina Weymouth, Kira Roessler and I'm sure shit loads of other amazing female bass players and so young women took up bass to emulate them and so in the 90s there was an abundance of female bass players. Of course yes there is a male aspect to it, the vast majority of people in bands are men. Why? I couldn't tell you but it could have something to do with the fact teenage boys have team sports shoved down their necks from the time they can walk and have absolutely no problem with behaving like neanderthalls, being unpleasant to each other and making absolute fools of themselves in public.

So three lads start band, three lads love the bands of the aforementioned bass players and ask the local hottie to be in the band, that's the theory? that's the cycle repeated for another generation ? But for every JJ72 there are 10 bands where the woman who joins the band could actually fucking play and could actually play for the same reason she was more than likely asked in the first place. She liked the Pixies, Sonic Youth et al and wanted to emulate her heros. Sorry if that comes across as a bit gender specific but seriously it can't have been anything but mind blowing to be a teenage girl in the 80s and see all these class bands with women in them.

I took up bass because a mate told me "there are always shitloads of guitarists they're mostly shit, so if you want to actually be in a band be really good at bass. It's too late to be a drummer they all started when they were 4 years old or something." That and Krist Novoselic seemed like the coolest motherfucker on the planet especially if you're a big lanky bastard. Bands are mostly started by teenagers and that is how fickle teenagers are remember ? Anyway best piece of advise I ever got actually. I joined my first band as soon as I got a working amp and never looked ....eh ..... forward.

Anyway for every Marnie Stern (who by the way I don't particularly like) there'll be 10 female guitarists in 5 years time who either A. start their own bands or B. are so good at their instrument that they get asked to be in a band by every knob on the block. Or maybe not but that's down to lads being A. dicks B. too nervous to talk to a girl. And sorry, but that is not going to change.

What's sexist about the way your looking at this is that you're being purely male about it. Man gets woman to be in band thus fulfilling vague fantasy, or fashion statement. What you should be looking at is woman joins band thereby fulfilling very real ambition and it's not fair in any way to say that she's "just the bassist" seriously try walking up to anyone and telling them they're the "token" whatever. Let me know how that goes.

Then what the fuck do I know I've got a dick so I'm sure someone's going to point out that I'm wrong any second.

Right ladies ?

 

[hermie]

As a bassist, and also the most beautiful member of every band I happen to be in, I was deeply hurt by what you said. I get objectified enough without having my choice of instrument used as a stick to belittle me with.

Oh and if you haven't contacted Fag Enablerz yet, do it:
www.facebook.com/pages/Fag-Enablerz/138758602872261

 

[shower another shower]

Part Weirdo still going?

 

[hermie]

Party Weirdo? Don't think so