Damn the Man

"You have good taste in music. For a girl." I've heard that one too many times. Next guy who says it to me is liable to wind up with a black eye. I often find that discussions arise regarding women and music, women in music. I'm always inordinately pleased when a male respects my taste in music, who looks at me as someone knowledgeable. Why should that be, though?

Any female who is very into music winds up in these discussions. I've rounded it down to the fact that male attitudes towards females regarding music—whether it’s as a music fan or as a musician, whether in the press, the industry, or as a listener—is one of the last remaining sexisms.

Men are comfortable stating their beliefs—vociferously, as fact. Women? Not so much. We tend not to speak up for fear of sounding stupid, and worsening our case. Even when we know what we’re talking about. And even when we do speak up, men who disagree with us think we’re silly and wrong because we have different opinions than they do. Opinions are not fact, they’re opinions. But expressing ours opens us up to being torn down in a way men never have to worry about.

We're criticized for squeeing over cute band members, looked down on as groupies and fangirls, but men never have to answer for admiring attractive female musicians.

We pay more for haircuts and dry cleaning. Yet we are increasingly gaining top positions in companies. But if you look at the music industry, it’s sorely lacking females. Whether it be journalists, executives, or real, proper, good bands.

A while ago, I noticed how the majority of the newly successful female or female-fronted bands have reverted to old-fashioned sounding music, or even just a bit retro. The Pipettes, The Chalets, The Long Blondes. They’re all reminiscent of the female bands of yore. (Well, it seems like it’s been that long.) Why is that? Why can’t females be successful playing contemporary music? Why are there no dark-electro female bands, for example? There are very few female bands that are actually rock bands. Leila from The Duke Spirit is a fledgling. Karen O is our goddess and leader. Is it that we’re only capable of singing girly music well? Or is that we’ll only be accepted if we play that feminine, Supremes-shimmying type music?

I’ve had this rant in me for a while, but what inspired me to put it into words now? Lily Allen. A musician I have not supported because she makes more headlines tearing down people than she does making music (this case included). To me, her music just isn’t good enough to make up for it. Lily Allen was named as #3 on the annual NME cool list, a list which, this year, has an unprecedented number of female musicians. Which I thought, at first, could only be a good thing.

Then I read this. Lily’s latest infamous myspace blog entry. But I really respected and related to what she had to say. This is it in its entirety:

I probably shouldn't be writing this , but I have to get it off my chest . I am not a big fan of the NME , as they sold me down the river when I last talked to them , I did and interview and made a sarcastic joke using the word "gak" which is slang for cocaine . They glorified my joke and used it out of context , then their public relations dept , contacted the tabloids in a shameful attempt to sell more copies . And , I have ever since been known as " Lily Allen , Pint sized potty mouth popstar who once admitted she would celebrate her no 1 single by taking cocaine ! " .
Thanks NME . Now , I have read many articles in the NME , where male band members freely admit to, or associate themselves with the taking of drugs , and I havent seen many of them ending up in the tabloids . Take Klaxons for example, and the ongoing MDMA references. " MDMAZING " I believe was the title of a recent article ( how responsible! ) .
The only reason I can think of , for recieving such a different form of treatment , is because I am a woman . I did recieve a written apology from Conor Mcnicholas ( the editor) . But i vowed never to work with the NME agian . As I thought, if there was one publication I could trust and be frank with , it would be the theirs .

Anyway , I was aproached by them again , with regards to the "Cool List Issue 2006" , five women had made it into the top 10 and , subsequently we (the women) were asked to pose for photos to be the main feature for the cover . As I said before , I vowed not to work with them again , but as the context was so important ie; a a strong female presence in music . I thought i might aswell put aside my differences and do it . Now i don't care for " the cool list " , and I said this to them in the interview , which is probably why they didn't print it . I don't really think the NME are in any position to tell us who is cool and who isn't , personally I don't think a bunch of people sitting in an office drinking tea , inventing musical genres , and watching Nathan Barley DVD's are leading any kind of cool brigade , do you ?
But i did find it interesting that they wanted to put five women on the cover , and wanted to name 2006 , our year .

I went to get a copy yesterday , and this is what we ( the women ) got . Another fuckin MUSE cover . I like Muse , infact , Black Holes and Revelations , is one of my favourite albums of this year . But the NME have covered them so much this year already .

Now usually you might expect a call , just out of courtousy telling us we had been pulled off the cover , but we recieved nothing .

This is Conors ( the editors) comments on this issue , He has obviusly put out some press release , stating how supportive the NME is to women in music

Conor McNicholas, the editor of NME, said he was pleased that the Cool List was full of women who had brought "new energy" to the music world.

"This year's Cool List is a testament to the raft of hugely talented women who have taken hold of the music scene in 2006," he said. "From Beth to Lily to Karen, they've brought new energy to a scene dominated by men. They're also living proof that you can still rock a crowd when you're wearing stilettos."

I mean how fucking patronising " you can still rock a crowd wearing stilletos "
Is that all we are , stilleto wearing people , is that all he could say ,that we brought a " new energy" to the music scene . Don't make me sick , wev'e always been here you arrogant prick , this was your chance to actually show you meant it . And instead you put Muse on the cover . Cause you thought that your readers might not buy a magazine with an overweight lesbian and a not particularly attractive looking me , on the front . Wankers .

You should take your heads out of you New Rave arses , and actually think about your responsibilities to youth culture , and to women in general .

Oh and by the way , theres not enough RAVE in New Rave .

And all along, I thought it was breasts and vaginas that prevented us from rocking a crowd. Who knew it was just stilettos??

Let’s try and end this off on a more positive note. How long did it take women to get the vote? To become CEOs in companies? To be able to use birth control? Do you foresee things changing any time soon? And what has to be done to effect this change? Will it take decades, centuries? And should we just get off our righteous indignation and stop caring so much, and maybe then things will change?

It's written on the wall that you're sexy in Sheffield

Ey up! There was one band in town this CMJ season that seems to have eluded the blogosphere. It mystifies me, since this is a band that I discovered over the internet, and they're all much more up on things than I am.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Little Man Tate (myspace). I can hear you ask, "Isn't that a Jodie Foster movie?" Well, yes. It's that too. Dare I say that the band is better than the movie? It's certainly a lot more fun.

Hailing from the hamlet of Sheffield, most notably home of the Arctic Monkeys, though some of us prefer to think of it as the place that spawned Def Leppard, the band in its present incarnation sings raucous, raunchy, irreverent songs about the things they know best: drinking, parties, girls, relationships, sex, flirting, cross-dressing, lesbianism, texting, drinking, oh, and boobs. The irony is that if you have the good fortune to get a chance to speak to the guys in the band, singer Jon Windle, guitarist Maz (don't you love the one word names?), bassist Ben Surtees, and drummer Dan Fields, they are just like their songs.

The first song of theirs I ever heard was "Sexy in Latin," and it's still probably my favorite. I still wonder what "It's written on the wall that your sexy in Latin" means exactly, but who cares when the songs is so much fun to sing along to. Live, it takes on a whole new dimension, as you can't help but dance, and are treated to singer Jon Windle's acting out the song with hand motions. "Man I Hate Your Band" has one of the best sing-along-choruses in a long time, with every person sympathizing with the sentiment and thinking of their own pet peeve band. "What? What You Got" features one of those perfect musical moments--you know what I'm talking about--when the guitar joins into the bass intro. It's magic, I tell you. "Down On Marie" is a dance fest with an almost Southern Rock feel to it. "Hello Miss Lovely (So You Like My Jeans)" is a sweet homage to the misinformation and miscommunication that goes on between the sexes. "Just Can't Take It" has the loveliest jangly guitars, almost sounding a wee bit bluegrass. "House Party At Boothy's" memorializes the parties thrown by a mate of theirs back in Sheffield.

They played three shows in New York, and I nearly made it to all of them, but best laid plans and all. The first thing that struck me when they took the stage was, "Hey, they're a lot more dressed up then the last time I saw them." Though they profess not to care about being cool and all that, I suppose when you come to a place like NYC you want to put your best foot forward. And they did. Sometimes literally, stepping out onto a table, or into the crowd. We were treated to two new songs (or at least ones I hadn't heard before), "Little Big Man" and standout "European Lover." (I would love the lyrics to that one. Actually, to all of them.)

As if their stage performance and music wasn't entertaining enough, chatting with them after was worth the price of admission. They're famous for being extremely fan-friendly, and very hands-on with their internet following, including the names of all members who had joined their forum by 2005 on the back of the single, "The Agent." You can see why they inspire so much devotion. They'll buy you a drink. There's good-natured ribbing. They have genuine interest in you, where you're from, what you have to say. They'll give you a back rub. Maybe go do karaoke with you. And it doesn't stop with them; their crew is the nicest you could ever hope to encounter, even remembering you and greeting you like old friends the next time you see them.

So check them out. Listen to the songs. Go see them when they're back here. (I've got it on good authority they'll be back in March for SXSW.) You might even get a massage.

Trust me, though, this is one bandwagon you want to get on. It's too bad you can't rent them on dvd, like the Jodie Foster version.