Why aren't there more all-girl bands?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Miken
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 01:38 AM

Well, tomorrow night I'm going to a CD release/concert at the NW Sea port of a group of all lady shantey and maritime singers called "Broadside". I've heard some of them before in other groups, and they're gonna be great! I'll let ya know.
Mike

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 12:26 PM

Judging from the responses above, there clearly are many all-girl bands, so the dirth is perceived rather than real.

But how about the REAL minorities? Why are there so few all-left-handed-instrumentalist groups? Or every-member-called-Spike bands? Or all-doctor-ensembles?

DonMeixner gave the best answer above. I fully support his reasoning.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 12:29 PM

Whoops, sorry, I meant "dearth"

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 05:11 AM

There used to be a good all-girl rock band (I mean a band that played its own instruments, not girl singers who hired backing musicians)called "Fanny" (had a medium hit with "Charity Ball" in the late 60s or early 70s) and another called "Birtha" who marketed a heavyish sound under the slogan "Birtha has Balls".

I can't remember if Cheetah was all girl, or just the two singers (who really made the whole sound).

Then there were a few punk girl bands such as Hole, and the Slits.   I think there are still some all female punk bands, and I'm not sure if one is not called "Riott Grrrls".

There are quite a few current amateur female folk duos and trios, and I can't remember the name but I think one is based in Orpington Friday club.

Perhaps it partly depends on what you mean by "band".

It may well also depend on the normal view of assertiveness. In general society still exects more assertiveness of men than of women.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Rick
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 12:11 PM

What are your favorite Girl Rock Bands, I know there are some obscure ones out there, I want to find some good Girl Band Rock to make a home CD for myself. If I can get some good info I can probably find the tracks and listen and add them to my library. But I need some good names.

I prefer Rock or Pop Girl Bands, Some even have a male member or two as Musicians but are still considered Girl Band to me.

Give me some good names People. Thanks.

Send list to [e-mail] please

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 03:10 PM

Can't help you with names of Girl Rock Bands, Guest Rick, but this message should take the thread to the top of the forum again. But people are unlikely to email you a list, they will post information to this thread so that anyone interested can also use the information. So do keep checking back on the thread. (If you become a member (free), one of the perks is that you can keep a trace on particular threads that interest you, on your Personal Page, without having to search every time.)

Joan

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 12:39 PM

The other question would be, why are there so many all-male bands, given that every other person is female?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 02:13 PM

i dunno, it seems as if a sort of battle-of-the-alpha-females phenomenon occurs. i know my former band wasn't big enough for two women, and i was sent packing. perhaps something about the way men are socialized to interact lets them get together in groups and play music/sing without feeling competitive more easily. as far as all female bands are concerned, the punk-rock end of the spectrum seems to hold the most promise. celtic music has been a bit of a boys club despite the many talented female musicians it has produced of late. there is a lovely all-female band out of finland, varttiina.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Peace
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 02:19 PM

I am a Dixie Chicks fan. The lead singer could make a bishop put his foot through a stained glass window. I just never struck me that they were all girls until I noticed none of them were guys. They transcend gender. Maybe the question should be, "Why aren't there more really good bands?"

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 02:56 PM

Great all F ceilidh band called airs and graces.

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Miken
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 10:39 PM

Quartette!

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 11:00 PM

There was a California group called Blue Rose, back in the 1980s. Laurie Lewis, Sally Van Meter and three others ladies. Every one could either sing, play, or both. I believe Good Ol' Persons and Side Saddle were origionally all-woman groups also.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Amos
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 11:11 PM

And of course, the population of all-girls has been declining. It used to be honorable to tell people one was an all-girl. But those days are lost in the distant past of civilization.


A

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 01:59 AM

There are a lot of really good female musicians and when you are a really good musician, you prefer to play with other really good musicians too and gender is not an issue.

Both my daugters play in mixed bands, one plays bass and the other guitar and mandolin.

The only time they have played in an "all girl band" was when they were really young. It wasn't a conscious effort to be an "all girls band", it was just that, at the age when they began, all their friends were female, the same as with "boys" of that age and as with boys, they decided, "Hey, let's make music".

I believe that the reason that there are so few all female bands is because there are even less female musicians, who believe making music with musicians of only their own gender is of primary import.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,dickhead
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 02:49 AM

why aren't there more girl bands in mini-skirts

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: mooman
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 04:05 AM

The Donnas were mentioned wearlier in the thread. I saw them live in a smallish venue a month or so ago and, if one like good hard driving rock (I do), they are difficult to beat. Good musicians one and all and play as if they've been together 10 years (they have!).

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Pinetop Slim
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 10:21 AM

Check out Po' Girl. They do great covers of Shake, Sugaree and Abilene and a lot of original material that pays homage to earlier jazz. One, maybe both, members of the duo is also part of a larger all-female band in the Seattle area -- the Tanyas, or somethin' like that.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Cluin
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 10:33 AM

Guys keep marrying them and making them quit.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Cluin
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 01:35 PM

Oh yeah, and also, how many female vocalists does it take to record a cover of "Crazy"?








Answer: All of them.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Seaking
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 02:13 PM

- because there's no-one who can read the map between gigs....

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 04:19 PM

Does "The Bare Naked Ladies" count?

http://img.atpictures.com/bnladies/bnladies21.jpg

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Peace
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 04:33 PM

No, because they ain't, they ain't and they ain't. Other than that, why not?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: rich-joy
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 11:33 PM

There's always SAFFIRE - those uppity blues women -
and what about England's LUCKY BAGS : Judy Dinning / Julie-Ann Kay / Liz Law / Zena Tubmen - lovely CD called "Delight in Disorder (from 1998 - on Fellside) + another called "Food For Thought" (1996).
But don't forget the most powerful, long-lived, all-women group of them all : SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK!!!

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 11:25 AM

Three local (Lancashire, UK) trios:

Hands in Pockets, wonderful unaccompanied harmony material, and established for a good number of years (can't remember how many).

Wench All, another unaccompanied harmony group, first saw these a couple of years ago.

And an even newer trio, the Saggy Bottom Girls, who use various instruments as well as singing unaccompanied harmony.

All three groups are getting regular gigs in the north-west, and are worth seeing.

And a local female duo who deserve to be better known: Bailey's Boot. Again, if you see the name advertised, do go and see them, you won't be disappointed.

Joan

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Nike
Date: 28 Feb 04 - 12:53 AM

Check out www.aroarah.com

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From:
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 10:50 PM

Du hast mich gefragt

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Rasener
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 05:17 AM

I just did a search for Saggy Bottom Girls, and got more than I bargained for. :-)

The first 2 websites in the Google search were

You have saggy boobs
and
Fat saggy tits

the list goes on, and I will leave you wonder what that list might contain.

I then did a search "saggy bottom girls folk music"
Ah thats a bit better.

so be warned if you serach for them

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: fiddler
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 06:12 AM

Depends what you are looking for - the big thing we found as Sister Act Sister Act which is all girl, your web site gets lost in all the female rights and lesbian sites, nothing against them at all but it is difficult to promote an all female 'band' - advertise.

We (I'm the only fellah - manager roadie and general factotum) have added difficulty that we are not just a band but perform Dance - female musicians of good calibre do exist but not in the same quantities as boys.

Currently we have some of the best available - Thankfully

Andie

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Rasener
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 06:53 AM

I can see your point ther Fiddler.
So girlie bands need to be careful what they call themselves, from an internet point of view.

Something that happened with my 12 year old daughter recently.

She wanted to see how her Beanie Babes were getting on from a value point of view.

Normally I check what she is doing. This time, I just didn't think about it and left her to do it, but I was in the same room.

Hard porn sites appeared. Why because babes was in the search. She was very shocked and upset. I just cleared the screen and logged her off.

We have been very careful, becuase she can't go on the Internet without using our machine, and she always asks first. Even so it can go wrong.

Incidentally your link doesn't work "Sister Act"

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: breezy
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 10:45 AM

dangerous curves from oo aarh devon

Rosa's daughters Orpington

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: fiddler
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 03:05 PM

Token Women too!

Well when Gareth (sic gwynneth) Kiddier isn't depping for them!

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: fiddler
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 03:09 PM

Thanks villan - I missed the www out so if any one is interested the soon to be re vamped Sister Act web site.

Blatant attempt at advertising for free on Mudcat.......

If any one is interested Sara goes by the pseudonym of 'Stepper' on Mudcat. She'll probably pick this thread up later when shes finished palying computer games....

OOPS off subject.

Actually in her other life as flatfoot she got a number of mails (usually males) wanting her to belly dance.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,steve in ottawa
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 04:08 PM

I can't help but wonder is it partly because:

Young women feel they are judged more for how they fit in socially while young men feel they are judged more for what they do?

OK, I admit, this is pretty vague, but here goes. Young men often feel confident of their importance so long as they have a defined place where they are judged superior (or best: irreplaceable), whereas young women often seem to be more interested in how they fit in socially than their own abilities. Thus Ringo could feel confident of his importance and his social place because drums were important and Ringo played drums better than Paul, John, or George. And even before that, he could hone his skills with drums because he felt fewer social pressures to conform, and much MORE social pressure to excel at SOMETHING. In some studies, young women are shown to do worse when in mixed classrooms, probably because they don't want to take too much of the spotlight from young men seeking to excel. Young men seldom hesitate to rock the social boat by trying their best in their field of expertise. Now, my guess is that while it's possible to become a really good solist practicing mostly on one's own, away from social pressures, perhaps learning to be a really good band member can only be learned within a band? And for teenagers, that seems to be done more easily by young men.

So even before child-rearing years, young women have to try harder to specialize in music, especially small-group music, than do young men.

And yep, I'm glad that there are more all-girl groups these days than in the past.

Just a totally irrelevant question: are there more all-girl groups in Japan? Are they talented?

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,cardboard cutout
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 05:33 PM

what steve says is all partly right, but in the case of Sister Act, most of the musicians are fiddlers, and I've an idea that, in childhood at least, it's easier, has more street-cred, for a girl to be a violinist/fiddler than a boy. So in a way girls have a head start. Besides, most folkies (well the ones who are replicating traditional stuff more exactly, anyway)learn partly from playing along with their elders, at least to start with, rather than paying with peers solely. And some young women are able to withstand the social pressures to completely fit in with their general peers long enough to find a like-minded musical peer group to belong to. (Am I rambling on? Yes, probably, soorry D & J!)

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 08:34 AM

I am surprised that there are not more all female bands... they say that if three women get together they will talk (sing) until hell freezes over. WHY you ask ? because each is worried what the others two will say about her if she leaves.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: fiddler
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 08:58 AM

Thats terrible Noddy!

LOL

Subject: The Catholic Girls - all girl rock band
From: GUEST,The CGs
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 12:38 AM

Here's an all girl rock band for ya - The Catholic Girls - at www.thecatholicgirls.net Check it out. Band was on MCA in 80s and MTV, reformed in 2000 and has two indie releases now.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Yohan the great!
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 07:37 PM

Ok, dude!!! There are some all grrl bands but most of them suck. Such as: Lilix, LiveOnRelease, Kittie... BUT there are SOME grrls who can actually play such as: The Donnas, Satirnine, blah blah... Just go look for it!!! You'll find some. PLUS!!! My band is an all grrl band, and we know another local one here so yeah, there are some out there. Go look for it. www.princessriot.cjb.net GO CHECK IT YO!!!
Peace Off!
Yohan ><>

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 06:04 AM

Fiddler, Terrible but true.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 11:27 PM

Here in mysterious Franklin County we now have an all "girls" string band (the women are more mature than girlish) who call them selves The Ozark Hens (Just a plucking and a clucking) doing real nice old timey and gospel. A more mature version of the Dixie Chicks I guess.

CB

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Tasha Martin
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 12:07 PM

hey im in a all girl band its call Acid Kiss we have a website its www.geocities.com/Acid_kiss_metal and we are in the huntington area i wish there were more chick bands but hey maybe i can some day influence someone if you wanna check us out just go to the site you can sign the guestbook if you wanna tell us what you think thanks!!!
keep the music alive!!! Tasha

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Midchuck
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 12:59 PM

Here's one!

Peter

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Ivy
Date: 18 May 04 - 03:12 PM

I've seen quite a few all girl bands.. but it's true most of them aren't very good.. and the ones that are are usually soft rock, alternative, poppy sounding..

I fairly recently jumped into an all chick project.. and it's going wayy better than I ever would have thought

if you want to check it out.. http://www.spankdriven.com

There are quite a few chick musicians here in Toronto.. it's just hard as hell finding good ones.. we got lucky :P plus the singer is very persistent so she contacted every female musician she could find.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,The Captain
Date: 30 Jul 04 - 04:32 AM

"AROARAH" is an all girl band from Northern California. The girls play "Hard Rock", none of that poppy mellow stuff. They were described as having more balls than most guy bands in a recent review. This 4 piece all girl band, ages 18 to 20 have been playing and writing music together for 3 years. Aroarah recently moved to LA and signed on with a management company and producers Jasan Radford (onesidezero and Abloom) and Chuck Sparks (Trailer Park Pam). They have recorded with David Dunn and at Deluxe Recording. Keep an eye out for these girls and check out their site at http://www.aroarah.com or click on this link. Aroarah

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 30 Jul 04 - 05:34 AM

I was in a girlie ceilidh band called "2 & 8" for about 9 years in the 1980s. We started cos we danced with a ladies morris side and realised we were being stupid paying for a ceilidh band at our ALE and thought well we could do this. During this time the band met its demise because most of us got married and then in succession we all got pregnant (OK so I started this trend!) and we had to cope with constant maternity leave. As a result we had to have BOYS substituting on a regular basis. Then we all moved house and it was easier to team up with other people more locally. We used to get lots of requests for girl bands so there is demand!

Sarah

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: GUEST,Kai
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 11:40 PM

I really have no idea why there aren't many all-girl bands. Lately I've been searching for all-girl rock bands but all I could find were bands that had girls as their lead singers. Such as Evanescence, Nightwish, and Lacuna Coil. They kick some major butt though.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: ossonflags
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 10:04 AM

After "The Supremes" and the "Shirelles" everything else was average.

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: Moonunit
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 12:57 PM

Isambarde are a girlie folk band with a token male!

We are currently a three piece, but when we first formed we had three women, one man and were known as "Ladies and The Tramp"!

www.isambarde.co.uk

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 08:32 PM

"There are some things man was not meant to know."

Subject: RE: Why aren't there more all-girl bands?
From: bubukaba
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 09:32 PM

Two wonderful and related all-girl bands that are currently active are The Softies and the All Girl Summer Fun Band. The Softies are alright - I'm not very familiar with their work - but I can highly reccomend the stuff the All Girl Summer Fun Band does (their style is pretty self-explanatory).
[The Softies: http://www.kpunk.com/softies]
[All Girl Summer Fun Band: http://agsfb.com]

Cub was another good all-girl popish rockish band, though I can't find any definitive website for them.

The Shaggs are pretty legendary - certainly not what most people would choose to listen to, but they've got an interesting story.
[The Shaggs: http://www.susanorlean.com/articles/meet_shaggs.html]

Those are four that I can think of off the top of my head, so I figured I'd contribute!