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for five years, that she sees more women in bands now than she used to. "There have been three or four nights on this tour where every other band weve had a woman in it" Lane says.
It's almost becoming cool to have a girl in a band. Lane says This is great in many ways, she says, but it's not great for musicians in a band instead of having a girl just for the sake of having a girl. There still aren't that many girls shredding on lead guitar and you see it it's really cool. Lane says
While Dudley works at Rudy's, 701 Massachusetts St., she mentions upcoming shows to people and news organizations. She learns she is a DJ. They give me this look, like, Are you serious? You're a girl! Dudley says have a certain idea in their heads of what a show would look like, which she doesn't always
There was a band in the Northwest, known as Swamp Mama Johnson who had a regional follow, Dudley says. They were about to sign with a major label, but when an executive told them that new hardwax, sleek clothes and a nice weight, they refused to sip.
"Women want to be themselves and express the excitement of rock'n' in it in way that's empowering, in a way that's grounded, conforms to pressures, and
expectations about how they should look."
Slowly but surely
Women are often ignored or misunderstood when they go into music stores to buy equipment. Shaw says, Women often report male employees assuming they're purchasing equipment for their own purposes, being rude if a girl is trying to play an electric guitar, bass or drum kit.
Doormen, bartenders and other men who also sometimes prejudice women, Lane recently had a negative experience on tour with the band. When she was in her equipment, she approached the bartender and ordered a PBR explaining that it was free because of a drink special for the band. The bartender responded that they were not girlsfriend or not girlfriends of band members.
"I'm sure my face got really red because I was mad," Lane says. "I wanted to say: Why would you be mad? I'd have been a girl, I would never be in a band."
Instead, Lane corrected the bartender, who she says was especially nice to her the rest of the night. Lane says she has often been "slightly scorned" or had people assume that she is setting up her boyfriend's drums.
Women are also routinely mistreated in the record industry. Shaw says. She credits improved job security and greater gender equality in rock 'n' roll.
Women no longer have to rely on a record company to give them a contract, because they are able to make a living by making CDS and selling them independently. "It might not make as much money as having a record deal," Shaw says. Alternative rockers aren't interested in buying buckets. They just want to be able to make a living plains their music."
And what about those women role models? The more girls who show up in bands today, the more younger girls may decide to pursue a career in music. So the best parts about being a woman in a band is being at the merchandise table and talking with younger female fans after the show. Lane
The younger girls are really excited to see her and her bandmate Ozzy. Playing she says, "They realize. Oh, play music! I piano lessons I took for years and
years, "Lane says. She says she feels good because the girls are a lot less frightened to approach her or Hunt to talk with the guys in her band.
Curtain call
The music fades out and Conny hunches up her shoulders, tilts her head and demurely thanks you for audition again, as though no one else was listening to music before. Her face spreads into one last shy smile as the between-set music gets louder and conversation resumes. She unplugs all black cards from the back of her keyhole and puts them in the shrieks and admiration of her friends. I stop her to tell her she is fantastic, and she thanks me. As she turns to leave, I cannot believe how embarrassed for doubting that the crowd was a musician and pleased that she has proved me wrong.
sale ends APRIL 1st!
IT'S HERE
Direct TV March Madness package We have all the games all month long Daily food and drink specials 30¢ wings during KU games
WHERE ARE YOU?
March Madness at the Yacht Club, It's Tradition!
12→ JAYPLAY 03.15.2007
520 Wisconsin
865-8188
presents
03/13 THE BRIDGE
03/16 BOTTLE ROCKETS*
03/20 THE THERMALS*
PRIESTBIRD/YEAR-LONG DISASTER/LETHE
RADIANT
03/23 RADIANT Doors at 10pm
03/24 IN THE PINES
AMERICAN CATASTROPHE/SONIC SPECTRUM
03/27 MEESE
03/27 MEESE OVERVIEW/CONNER
03/28 TIM REYNOLDS*
THE TAO JONES/MICHAEL GARFIELD
*advance ticket show
URCOMING
BOB SCHNEIDER JJ GREY & MOFRO
or a complete listing of Pipeline shows, check out: www.pipelineproductions.com.
For video's and links to band sites, visit: www.myspace.com/battlenet