Why aren't there more all-girl bands?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 08 May 03 - 03:45 PM

Check out this American/Canadian folk trio, named in honor of Malvina Reynolds:

www.themalvinas.com

(Sorry -- can't make a proper hyperlink that reaches outside modcat.org.)

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 08 May 03 - 09:18 AM

Well, of course I'm old enough to remember Ivy Benson and her All-girl Orchestra, which went on, though often reduced in size, until Ivy passed on.
Today in Jazz there are groups led by Annie Whitehead and Deidre Cartwright.

RtS

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Rob Wright
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:50 AM

forgot to give their web site www.sky-web.net/taggartandwright/ where you can see and hear for yourself.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Rob Wright
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:48 AM

Well there is the tremendous TAGGART and WRIGHT. Now thats a duo with attitude, most of it bad.

The do have the strongest roadie in the folk world...twice World Champion Powerlifter? So if they girls dont get the hecklers the roadie will.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Bagpuss
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:45 AM

Sisters Unlimited, as well as other all female singing groups that I can't think of the names of at just this moment.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:33 AM

I remember large all-girl orchestras from the 1940s. They got quite a bit of play back then. Don't shoot, girls! My language is from that time period as well.
Freddy Shafer(sp?) and his all-girl orchestra- yes, a man as leader. Then there was the Hour of Charm orchestra, don't remember the leader.
Ina Ray Hutton- a truly all-girl jazz band. The names are starting to come back-

They went out with the big band era, I think.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Strupag
Date: 08 May 03 - 05:05 AM

There's a superb all-female traditional band in the Highlands these days called Dochas - Absolutely great stuff!

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Georgina Boyes
Date: 08 May 03 - 05:00 AM

The truly wonderful dance band, Token Women, say the fact that not having a string bass player in their line-up is about as significant as the fact that they don't have a man in the band. They're just a collection of great musicians and they play together incredibly well.

But there are plenty of all women bands if you want to look at membership on a gender basis. What about Jo Freya's band, Freya Federation? And notable song and music groups like Grace Notes, acappella bands like Stravaig and Stairheid Gossip, to say nothing of duos like Taggart and Wright.

Perhaps you should get out more - and just enjoy the music.
Georgina Boyes

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Letty
Date: 08 May 03 - 04:56 AM

Another reason is that some instruments are more likely to be played by men. If you need a bass in your group, it's hard to find a woman,
for example (although I happen to know a woman who plays a 3/4 upright bass, and she's only 1.60m!).
But then again, you can ask: why don't more girls play the bass/electric guitar/drums/bagpipes, etc.?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: alanabit
Date: 08 May 03 - 02:56 AM

I have thought about this a bit lately. I am guilty of listening to the odd bit of rock and roll and I really liked The Bangles. I think it comes down to the old chestnut of childbearing. If you get a few young women together who are in their late twenties/early thirties, one or more of them is likely to want children. Even if the women only take the minimum time out, this is likely to prove a major disruption to the band's ability to rehearse, organise, perform, promote and record. I think The Bangles were a bloody good pop group, but they took a few years out - probably to raise children. Good luck to them. I hope they are successful again. Far fewer blokes are likely to give up those critical years to stay at home with their children - which gives male bands a huge advantage. Continuity is easier for male bands.
I certainly see more women playing instruments and performing music than I used to. Good luck to them. Bring 'em on.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: maire-aine
Date: 08 May 03 - 12:49 AM

Cherish the Ladies is the only group I can think of offhand.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Blackcatter
Date: 08 May 03 - 12:33 AM

The true question is - how many local all-women bands are there? Then and arguement might be able to be made that they aren't commecial enough, or that producers are biased against them. Or it might just be that there's not enough women who what to committ their lives to recording and touring, recording and touring,

Plus, can you imagine how skanky male groupies would be?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 07 May 03 - 11:23 PM

Because it's a sexist conception *no pun intended)
If a couple of girel musicians form a group. and hire the best musicians they can find, and it turns out that they are all women, that's ok.
But (no pun intnded) if they decide, before hand, that they'll only hire women, they might just be hiring musicians who are not the best available, and that's not only sexist, but stupid as well, and they deserve to be less than excellent.

And the same goes for men

So there

Jody Gibson.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 07 May 03 - 09:36 PM

Because.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 07 May 03 - 08:42 PM

people are always asking for more gurl bands- there's no demand!

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 07 May 03 - 08:23 PM

or they just might like playing with guys? Barry

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: michaelr
Date: 07 May 03 - 08:07 PM

The Poozies come to mind... what does that mean? Anyone know?

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 May 03 - 06:07 PM

There is/used to be a very good local band called 'Babes with Axes', (Laura Kemp, Debbie Diedrich, Katie Henry, and T.R. Kelley). Not sure whether they're still recording.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 May 03 - 06:04 PM

I think it's just a case of "monkey-see, monkey-do". There's a tradition out there for male bands, and the tradition keeps repeating itself, that's all. There isn't much of a tradition for female bands. It certainly isn't because the girls aren't capable of it.

You might ask the same question regarding: "Why aren't there more black hockey players?"

Same basic reason, I'd say. Tradition sets expectations.

- LH

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 May 03 - 06:01 PM

Dont know wether they qualify as a 'Band' but Third Degree Burns are
worth a mention.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:36 PM

Well, how about the Dixie Chicks ?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:31 PM

Go back to the Coon Creek Girls, most incarnations of the Carter Family.....

Spaw

Subject: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,starcam03
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:24 PM

There's plenty of female singers, but how often do you see a really great band consisting of all women? And I'm not talking about girl 'groups' such as the Spice Girls. I'm talking about real songwriters who can play their own music! Why is that do you think? I can think of a few off the top of my head, but I'd be interested to see how many legendary 'girl groups' we can list here…