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typicalgirls - Re: [TypicalGirls] Random Observation

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Subject: Typical Girls: Women in Punk/Post-Punk/Underground Music (Circa 1975-1980s)

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  • From: Emily Arkin <viole_falushe AT yahoo.com>
  • To: "Typical Girls: Women in Punk/Post-Punk/Underground Music (Circa 1975-1980s)" <typicalgirls AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [TypicalGirls] Random Observation
  • Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:54:39 -0700 (PDT)

Interesting... (I'm a female rock violinst myself) I think
that, due to their arty bent, these bands wanted to
incorporate instruments that were not necessarily
considered rock-by-nature (rather than this being directly
related to gender). Tho I guess many people argue that the
off-kilter/experimental nature of Liliput and The
Raincoats' songwriting is a direct result of being
female/having a feminine aesthetic. There's something about
that argument that I don't like but I can't quite put my
finger on it. I guess it's just that I hate to see musical
ideas pigeonholed by sex when there are so many other ways
to describe music which don't invoke the whole ball of
gender stereotyping wax.
Emily
http://shepherdessband.com

--- Tim Murphy <timmy.bear AT gmail.com> wrote:

> Was just thinking, while looking at albums by Liliput and
> the
> Raincoats (and, for both Canadian content AND
> out-of-our-date-range,
> Skarlett O'Hara and Ember Swift in Canada), that it is
> odd that each
> of these bands incorporated a violin player at various
> points. Some
> kind of reverse girl-cliche thing (girls can play string
> instruments,
> but not drums or bass or...)? Of course, the fact that
> the Raincoats
> certainly rarely used soothing smooth textures may
> suggest some
> subversion.
>
> I'm not wording this very well, I know...
>
> I'm reminded of the story of how Tina and Chris from
> Talking Heads got
> their son a little bass for his birthday, because they
> couldn't find a
> drum kit small enough. Evidently, his reaction was: 'But
> bass is for
> girls!' So sexism can adapt to non-traditional roles
> very well...



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