"No women in the band"...

[solo4652]

Bandmix sent me the usual summary of bands looking for bassists in my area. One caught my eye - my sort of music, my sort of age range. I was going to contact them, until I got to the final sentence; "No women in the band". I'd be interested in what everybody else thinks about this. It's an instant rejection by me.

[yorks5stringer]

Maybe they're saying there are 'no women currently in the band' and they'd like some......?  But I suspect not, and I'd not bother either and probably report them too.

[Doctor J]

Maybe they no cry?

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Well, it depends on the reasoning. If it was an authentic tribute band where the members were male, they may have a point.

I presume this is not such a case?

[hooky_lowdown]

Are they a Village People tribute band?

[Bunion]

Are they saying that there are no women in the band or that that they’d prefer not to have women in the band. 
Maybe the singers wife is super jealous maybe they spend time sleeping in shared rooms. 
Maybe find the whole story. 
 

[Woodinblack]

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

Mysogeny! Report then to the police and have them sent directly to jail! 

 

Seriously. Assuming that they mean they don't want any women in the band, as opposed to they're are no women in the band then that's fine. It's their band. They can do what they want. File it under unsuitable and move on. 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Newfoundfreedom

[Silvia Bluejay]

I would ask, if you're curious. There may be acceptable reasons - as mentioned above, perhaps the band(s) they mainly cover are all-male, or they want to target a mostly male market. I think we've mentioned before, on Basschat, that it appears some bookers aren't happy with, say, a band with a female lead, because they think it's going to be all about emotional, "girly" stuff. Sometimes they have a point.

 

If, instead, they mean they wouldn't want a woman on bass, then I'd really be curious to know why. I'd also be curious to know why if the opposite was happening, a band not wanting a male bassist.

[Silvia Bluejay]

3 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

Mysogeny! Report then to the police and have them sent directly to jail! 

 

Seriously. Assuming that they mean they don't want any women in the band, as opposed to they're are no women in the band then that's fine. It's their band. They can do what they want. File it under unsuitable and move on. 

 

In this country, such an ad may, in certain contexts, be illegal, as falling foul of the Equality Act.

[Newfoundfreedom]

1 minute ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

 

In this country, such an ad may, in certain contexts, be illegal, as falling foul of the Equality Act.

 

Sad but true, and just shows how utterly ridiculous such laws are when applied without common sense. 

 

Maybe I should file a lawsuit because, as a male I wasn't allowed to join the Spice Girls. I look better in a Union Jack mini dress than Gerry, and I have a better singing voice.

 

It's pure discrimination I tell ya!

[Silvia Bluejay]

3 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Sad but true, and just shows how utterly ridiculous such laws are when applied without common sense. 

 

Maybe I should file a lawsuit because, as a male I wasn't allowed to join the Spice Girls. I look better in a Union Jack mini dress than Gerry, and I have a better singing voice.

 

It's pure discrimination I tell ya!

 

I think the main point of the law is that there has to be a good reason for excluding one or more sections of the population from applying for a certain job. It works across the board, with race, gender, sexuality etc. I can live with that, without necessarily crying "woke".

Edited February 22, 2022 by Silvia Bluejay

[Woodinblack]

Maybe they want to play in Doctor Browns

 

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15709195.women-cant-sing-rock-doctor-browns-middlesbrough-bans-female-fronted-bands/

 

And no, it isn't illegal to advertise for a post for someone in a band with a no women rule.

 

I can kind of understand if it is the singer, it does change the whole type of the band (my wife would never go and see a female fronted band for instance).

 

Frankly in my last band I wouldn't have wanted a woman in there as it would have been embarassing with one of the other members of the band!

[itu]

Now we have two... out of four.

 

Actually I have never even thought about it. I've been playing in bands where the male singer may have been very "girlie" (I hate this word, but the connotation was given here), and there has been ladies that represent very aggressive style and genre. I would call them musicians rather than male or female singers.

 

Sorry, I want look the music from the music side. Music is not about gender.

[Raymondo]

Look at it this way.

If you are female and they don't want any females in the band ( and vice versa...I saw an ad recently for a female bassist wanted for an all woman band),, at least you are aware "up front" and don't waste your time applying.

 

If they go by societies' rules and speak to everyone, they will just not ask you to audition, nobody is any the wiser and you still don't get in the band.

 

Or worse, give you  an audition and  having spent ages learning the songs, they were just "going through the motions" with no intention of hiring you.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Raymondo
For clarity.... I am happy to play in any band or act regardless of gender .

[Rich]

Two out of my 8/9 piece ska band are female. Two out of my 12 piece soul/party band are, with another 4 in our regular dep roster. They're musicians, that's all that matters. What they keep in their trousers is neither here nor there.

 

And as for that ridiculous M'boro venue... anyone who says women can't sing rock needs a.) their ears cleaning out and b.) a slap.

 

[MacDaddy]

I've never seen a woman set fire to her farts on a tour bus. Just saying...

[Rich]

That's because they don't want to show us up as the rank amateurs we are. If Mrs Rich set fire to some of hers, we'd have no windows.

@Witters, please don't tell her I said that.  

Edited February 22, 2022 by Rich

[Staggering on]

But...there are bands that are all female and don't want male musicians and would not hire one. Is that the same thing?🤔

[ubit]

21 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

I've never seen a woman set fire to her farts on a tour bus. Just saying...

 

 

You haven't lived!

[ubit]

Maybe they have a good reason for it. People always find offence in everything. Are they a tribute band? Do they tour on a budget and can't afford different rooms for sleeping? I would find out more before judging.

[Newfoundfreedom]

9 minutes ago, Staggering on said:

But...there are bands that are all female and don't want male musicians and would not hire one. Is that the same thing?🤔

 

Self moderated, because, well quite frankly I can't be bothered.

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Newfoundfreedom

[neepheid]

If it's for no good reason other than "yuck, no gurls allowed in our man space/club house" then I find that pretty short sighted and closed minded.  My question would be does the legislation even apply, as in, is it a real "job" in the strict sense of the word?  Pretty sure the legislation doesn't apply to hobbies.

[Doddy]

So what? 

 

It's not like it's saying 'no wonen because they aren't good' or something derogatory. 

Some venues dressing rooms are shockingly awful and make it different for mixed sex bands to change comfortably and privately. Maybe they are all staying in shared hotel rooms and can't afford extra rooms for the comfort of female members. It could also be something as simple as bringing in a member of the opposite sex can change a band dynamic in a way that they don't want, especially if small budget tours are in order.

 

I doubt all the stuff about the equality act is going to matter to a band advert on Join My Band.  Maybe it would if it was for a big name tour or something, but the chances of those jobs being on that site are pretty low.

 

 

[SteveXFR]

I could understand a band specifying a male or female singer. You're very unlikely to find a lady who could imitate Lemmy's vocals for example. Maybe even if it's a band member who would do backing vocals and you want a female backing vocal behind a male lead.

The rest of the band, I'd just want to play with the most competent players no matter what sex, race, religion etc. Just as long as they're not heavy stoner, I can't be dealing with them again.