"No women in the band"...

[peteb]

1 hour ago, skankdelvar said:

I don't quite get all the angst about an ad posted by a bedroom player with scant hope of ever setting foot onstage. If it were an ad by a working band with a full diary then one might understand the obloquy but no one who hooks up with this guy is likely to achieve anything much so he might just as well have written 'no people'.

 

 

But this is the internet and people have got to have something to talk about, otherwise I would be forced to watch attention seeking Aussies in ‘Married at First Sight’ with my other half! However, it does beg the question, what if it wasn’t just some loser who’s never played a gig and was actually by a working band or otherwise worthwhile musical enterprise?

 

FWIW I was once in a band in a similar situation. It was an original hard rock band back in the mid 80s (you know the thing, big hair and leather trousers, etc) put together by a hotshot local guitarist with a bit of a following. We made it known, via the local paper, that we were looking for a lead vocalist. One of the first to put themselves forward was a girl singer but unfortunately, she wasn’t considered at all despite having a pretty credible voice and look. Obviously, she wasn’t best pleased that she wasn’t at least given a shot, but it was the right decision at the time. We were going for a certain image and feel and we didn’t think that a girl singer would be the thing, regardless of how good she was. We are also very aware that we would be forever known as the ‘band with a chick singer’! He would deny this, but there was also the unspoken consideration that having a girl onstage might take attention from the ‘star’ guitar player!

 

I think that things are a bit different these days and certainly I know of a few of that type of rock bands doing the circuit with female members, which is definitely progress. For some reason, they tend to be bass players. 

 

[peteb]

9 hours ago, Nicko said:

I've been in bands where the blokey banter would have horrified a lot of women.  That may not be very appropriate in these enlightened times but it does still go on. If the band feel they are incapable or unwilling to change their behaviour they might be better off without a women in the room.

 

 

All the girls I know who do play in the bands tend to be quite happy to be 'one of the boys' and wouldn't be the slightest bit bothered about things like that. 

 

Lets face it, you have to have a certain attitude (not to mention a pretty thick skin) if you are going to get anywhere playing in bands - I would imagine even more so if you're a girl... 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by peteb

[Maude]

As a thin, white, 50 year old male, I was absolutely appalled that I wasn't given the chance to front a Lizzo tribute. 

 

 

[chris_b]

Does ageism count? I've been discriminated against many times on account of my age.

 

I guess that if the main objective to being in a band is to have a larf with their mates, then they're going to want potential "drinking partners" to apply. Proper musicians probably wouldn't be bothered, unless there were image considerations. Who gets the invite, or not, to an audition is hardly a matter for the law.

 

I really don't care who is in the band, men or women, as long as they pull their weight. The only thing that puts me off is smokers and people who can't be bothered to wash!

 

Now I'll probably be told off for discriminating against the smelly!

[Downunderwonder]

11 hours ago, neepheid said:

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.

In the absence of any other information this is the most likely scenario.

 

Some men's clubs have been forced into opening up to women so I am blowed if I know what hobbies are ok to segregate when hanging around in leather and walnut drinking aged whiskey isn't.

[tauzero]

I can see the point in an established band which was all-male or all-female who were looking for a replacement musician wanting to keep the gender line-up as it was. But when you're trying to put a band together, refusing to countenance a considerable proportion of the musical population because of their sex seems somewhat short-sighted. I could understand wanting a vocalist of one sex or the other, but bassists, drummers, keyboardists etc don't play differently because they're one sex or the other. Still, his putative band, his rules.

[peteb]

14 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Some men's clubs have been forced into opening up to women so I am blowed if I know what hobbies are ok to segregate when hanging around in leather and walnut drinking aged whiskey isn't.

 

Back in the 80s when clubs first started being obliged to let females through the door, there was a club in Brighouse that, after some consideration, graciously allowed women to enter and even to buy a drink at the bar. However, there was a line on the floor that females were not allowed under any circumstances to cross, as it was a bridge too far to allow girls anywhere near the snooker table! 

 

[SteveK]

There's always been all girl bands! There's always been all boy bands! There's always been bands with boys and girls!

Is anyone really bothered about it? Is this really an issue?

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

their weight. The only thing that puts me off is smokers and people who can't be bothered to wash!

 

Now I'll probably be told off for discriminating against the smelly!

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Geek99
Double post - apologies

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

their weight. The only thing that puts me off is smokers and people who can't be bothered to wash!

 

Now I'll probably be told off for discriminating against the smelly!

Nope - totally get that. Cannot stand soap-dodgers. soap is not expensive or difficult to buy or use. 

 

when I was a kid we lived in a caravan for 18 months with no washing facilities besides a washing up bowl to stand in. I was told by the other kids that I stank and I undoubtedly did. I still recall the first shower in the new house and I’ve Never wanted to be dirty for long ever since 

 

[SteveK]

From 1994:

 

R.U. 18-23 WITH THE ABILITY TO SING/DANCE R.U. STREETWISE, OUTGOING, AMBITIOUS & DEDICATED HEART MANAGEMENT LTD Are a widely successful Music Industry Management Consortium Currently forming a choreographed Singing/Dancing all Female Pop Act for a Record Recording Deal OPEN AUDITION PLEASE BRING SHEET MUSIC OR BACKING CASSETTE.”

 

I remember being deeply disappointed when I saw this ad. Precluded for being the wrong gender... and, too old!!!

Shame... I could just see myself as "Hairy a**ed Spice".

[Lozz196]

18 hours ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Agreed. And that started me thinking, and mentally doing my usual substitutions.

 

No women in the band.

No blacks in the band.

No whites in the band.

No Asians in the band.

No LGBT in the band.

No non-Brits in the band.

No over-25s in the band.

No under 60s in the band.

Etc.

 

Pick and mix those you're comfortable, or feel uncomfortable, with.

That`s a very good point, for some I can see reasons, if doing tribute bands:

 

No women in the band - ZZ Top tribute

No blacks in the band - Brotherhood of Man or ABBA tribute

No whites in the band - Drifters tribute

No Asians in the band - the three above

No LGBT in the band - can`t see any reason here

No non-Brits in the band - can`t see any reason here

No over-25s in the band - depends on era of tribute

No under 60s in the band - as above

Etc.

 

But to me unless there`s a specific image then choosing the right person is a much more difficult thing thing to get right. I know a good few Oi bands which have black guys playing for them. Many people think of Oi as being right-wing, some of the bands are but fortunately many aren`t, these guys were chosen as much for the decent guys that they are as for their musicianship, if you`re spending a lot of time with people in a band choosing good people is paramount. Sometimes a better point to focus on than how they wield their axe.

[MacDaddy]

12 hours ago, peteb said:

 

All the girls I know who do play in the bands tend to be quite happy to be 'one of the boys' and wouldn't be the slightest bit bothered about things like that. 

 

 

 

 

It does seem that women are expected to be 'one of the boys'.

I'd rather be 'one of the girls' 😁

[Stub Mandrel]

My view is that if he's got a problem with women,  we'll... he's got a problem.

 

It does hint at 'incel' in the way it's put, but the whole ad seems to be defining what he wants by knocking what he doesn't like. That attitude would make me move one PDQ anyway.

 

I can understand if some people feel uncomfortable in a mixed gender band - it can become like a family, and that is tricky for some people to handle. But in that case I'd expect them to express it better.

 

That said, if we can have bands like the phenomenal Girlschool, then we shouldn't get upset about all male bands (any Boyzone fans?) But personally,  I  can't see the fuss.  I want to be in bands with decent people who are competent musicians and want to pay the sort of music I  enjoy. I don't give a fig about their gender etc.

 

I have been in a band that had male/female vocalists and that gave us a very specific sound ( think Beautiful South) that would have been hard to achieve with MM of FF vocalists.

[Stub Mandrel]

34 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

That`s a very good point, for some I can see reasons, if doing tribute bands:

 

No women in the band - ZZ Top tribute

No blacks in the band - Brotherhood of Man or ABBA tribute

No whites in the band - Drifters tribute

No Asians in the band - the three above

No LGBT in the band - can`t see any reason here

No non-Brits in the band - can`t see any reason here

No over-25s in the band - depends on era of tribute

No under 60s in the band - as above

Etc.

 

 

 

Sorry Lozz, don't agree! For example, there's a very good tribute called "Lady Bowie".

 

 

[EssentialTension]

Just now, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Sorry Lozz, don't agree! For example, there's a very good tribute called "Lady Bowie".

 

 

... and Iron Maidens

[tegs07]

Wow. A lot of comments. Who knows the motivation without speaking with him. I have a couple of mates that have hobbies where they hang around exclusively with other blokes so they can talk about stuff that drives their wives/girlfriends mad or bores them rigid.

[MacDaddy]

10 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Sorry Lozz, don't agree! For example, there's a very good tribute called "Lady Bowie".

 

 

 

There's a Mexican Elvis impersonator, called El Vez.

[Lozz196]

9 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Sorry Lozz, don't agree! For example, there's a very good tribute called "Lady Bowie".

 

 

For sure, if making a focal/selling point over it. I know The Ramonas, great band and great girls, the concept really works imo, what I was meaning was if trying to get as near in looks to the original band as possible for a tribute then many people  just don`t fit the look/image. I remember seeing Bjorn Again, and the look, sound, everything was great. I sadly never saw ABBA but they were as near as I think possible to be. It wouldn`t have been so good imo if they hadn`t looked so near to how ABBA had looked. 

[Dan Dare]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Sorry Lozz, don't agree! For example, there's a very good tribute called "Lady Bowie".

 

They may be very good, but, as Lozz points out, that's fine if it's the bands schtick, but if not, not. If striving for ultimate realism, no thin white Duchess is going to be able to convince the listener that she's the thin white Duke. 

 

We are free to make art and music with whoever we choose, whether in tribute bands or not. Let's hope it remains that way.

Edited February 23, 2022 by Dan Dare

[mikel]

12 hours ago, chris_b said:

Does ageism count? I've been discriminated against many times on account of my age.

 

I guess that if the main objective to being in a band is to have a larf with their mates, then they're going to want potential "drinking partners" to apply. Proper musicians probably wouldn't be bothered, unless there were image considerations. Who gets the invite, or not, to an audition is hardly a matter for the law.

 

I really don't care who is in the band, men or women, as long as they pull their weight. The only thing that puts me off is smokers and people who can't be bothered to wash!

 

Now I'll probably be told off for discriminating against the smelly!

Oh yes. Not so much overtly but giving an age range of current members. But there again, being in my 60s, I wouldn't want to hang out with a few teenage morons. What would we talk about? My arthritis, their acne. Sometimes being given an age range or gender is a good thing. On the add in question, perhaps they are saying there are currently no women in the band, so any female interested can make up their mind if they wish to be part of what is currently an all male combo.

[Doddy]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

 I know The Ramonas, great band and great girls, the concept really works 

I did a gig alongside The Ramonas a few months ago. I've never seen a band with so much energy.

[casapete]

Are The Sex Pis*ed Dolls still going? Think a couple of members were called Anna Key and Connie Rotten. 😆

 

My 8 piece band has 3 female players, and is all the richer for it. Most of the time it stops it being too ‘ blokey’ which for me is especially welcome. We all get on very well, despite an age range of early 20’s right through to me and the drummer! I’ve never liked being in groups of just men, either for work or socialising, so it suits me fine, We spend a lot of time together travelling and performing, and honestly can’t remember a crossed word for years. 

[ambient]

They’re probably just very insecure males, and best ignored.

 

Some of the finest musicians I’ve played with have been female. There was a brilliant  female bassist in my year at music college. The one drummer I occasionally play with is female. She also play plays and teaches vibraphone at one of the country’s top Conservatoires.

[Newfoundfreedom]

15 hours ago, chris_b said:

Does ageism count? I've been discriminated against many times on account of my age.

 

I guess that if the main objective to being in a band is to have a larf with their mates, then they're going to want potential "drinking partners" to apply. Proper musicians probably wouldn't be bothered, unless there were image considerations. Who gets the invite, or not, to an audition is hardly a matter for the law.

 

I really don't care who is in the band, men or women, as long as they pull their weight. The only thing that puts me off is smokers and people who can't be bothered to wash!

 

Now I'll probably be told off for discriminating against the smelly!

 

We had a drummer turn up for an audition. 30 minutes late, absolutely stunk, and constantly smoked roll ups.

 

These days we'd probably be criticised for not hiring him because he also happened to be Belgian.