Chicks With Lyxxx
Currently listening to: nothing
Currently reading: nothing
In my efforts to become more attuned to the business part of being in a band, I've read several times that, when dealing with the press, it's useful to present them with an "angle" if you want something written about your band. They're busy people. They don't have time to dig up the fascinating information about your band. You need to essentially give them the story and, if they feel it, they'll take it from there (sometimes lifting word-for-word they hype that you've fed them).
The hard part of transforming into the business woman, unabashedly making self-important claims like "We're going to be the next Sleater-Kinney!", is that I'm not a bragger or a hyper. I'm a modest, mild-mannered girl from Montana.
Unfortunately, if I don't tell these people how neat we are, it's likely they'll never find out on their own. What's our angle? I don't know. I like to write songs with f-ed up chords and cryptic lyrics. So do a lot of other bands. See? We're not that special.
So, what I've resorted to lately is playing the gender card. (And I say "resorted to" because when someone brings up gender and rock music, people instantly recoil thinking that they're going to get a verbal assault a la Bikini Kill, circa 1995.) I don't believe girls are at a technical or musical disadvantage to guys, but there is a very apparent disparity between the number of people from each gender playing rock music.
Disagree? How many popular all-female rock bands can you name? Okay, how many all-male rock bands can you name? Mmmhmmm (typed with duck lips and neck twist).
That's where I think we're special. I think that I'm a proficient guitarist (when I'm drunk, I boast to be the best chick guitarist in Seattle, but no, I won't take your challenge to a duel) and Marie is a proficient drummer. And not just "for a girl." And YES, people still say that shit....guys and chicks. Yes, I hate that I've been asked if I'm buying guitar strings to refill my cheese slicer or that music store sales people say, "wow, you can actually play," but I don't write songs about it. I write songs about love and life and things to which I hope everyone can relate. My influences span from riot grrl bands to sweaty metal. I think acting as an equal and pointing out similarities is a more powerful gesture than highlighting the differences and marginalizing people who aren't like you. The pickle is pointing out our similarity to "normal bands" (as opposed to "chick bands") while not dissing on the fact the us ladies still have to deal with some stupid submliminal sexism.
Off the rant and back to our angle...
We can equally fit in at an all-chick rock show and a all-male aggro post/punk show. I guess that's musical androgeny...but not in the 80s throw-back way.
I guess the "angle" is that we don't yet have an "angle." We're people. We play songs. That's what I really care about. I only have to concern myself with this PR business because I want to play songs for more people. It's like leasing my soul to the devil.
And yes, you did just hear me bust out some Master of Puppets riffs.
Currently reading: nothing
In my efforts to become more attuned to the business part of being in a band, I've read several times that, when dealing with the press, it's useful to present them with an "angle" if you want something written about your band. They're busy people. They don't have time to dig up the fascinating information about your band. You need to essentially give them the story and, if they feel it, they'll take it from there (sometimes lifting word-for-word they hype that you've fed them).
The hard part of transforming into the business woman, unabashedly making self-important claims like "We're going to be the next Sleater-Kinney!", is that I'm not a bragger or a hyper. I'm a modest, mild-mannered girl from Montana.
Unfortunately, if I don't tell these people how neat we are, it's likely they'll never find out on their own. What's our angle? I don't know. I like to write songs with f-ed up chords and cryptic lyrics. So do a lot of other bands. See? We're not that special.
So, what I've resorted to lately is playing the gender card. (And I say "resorted to" because when someone brings up gender and rock music, people instantly recoil thinking that they're going to get a verbal assault a la Bikini Kill, circa 1995.) I don't believe girls are at a technical or musical disadvantage to guys, but there is a very apparent disparity between the number of people from each gender playing rock music.
Disagree? How many popular all-female rock bands can you name? Okay, how many all-male rock bands can you name? Mmmhmmm (typed with duck lips and neck twist).
That's where I think we're special. I think that I'm a proficient guitarist (when I'm drunk, I boast to be the best chick guitarist in Seattle, but no, I won't take your challenge to a duel) and Marie is a proficient drummer. And not just "for a girl." And YES, people still say that shit....guys and chicks. Yes, I hate that I've been asked if I'm buying guitar strings to refill my cheese slicer or that music store sales people say, "wow, you can actually play," but I don't write songs about it. I write songs about love and life and things to which I hope everyone can relate. My influences span from riot grrl bands to sweaty metal. I think acting as an equal and pointing out similarities is a more powerful gesture than highlighting the differences and marginalizing people who aren't like you. The pickle is pointing out our similarity to "normal bands" (as opposed to "chick bands") while not dissing on the fact the us ladies still have to deal with some stupid submliminal sexism.
Off the rant and back to our angle...
We can equally fit in at an all-chick rock show and a all-male aggro post/punk show. I guess that's musical androgeny...but not in the 80s throw-back way.
I guess the "angle" is that we don't yet have an "angle." We're people. We play songs. That's what I really care about. I only have to concern myself with this PR business because I want to play songs for more people. It's like leasing my soul to the devil.
And yes, you did just hear me bust out some Master of Puppets riffs.
posted by Jamie H at 12:36 PM
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