Women and heavy metal.

I haven't seen anyone mention Jo from Bolt Thrower yet. Hell, she's even a bass player! ;) Dunno how much she writes, I suspect the guitarists do most of it, but she more than likely has some input.

Sorry, just had to throw that in (I'm in a Bolt Thrower mood at the moment :D )
 
Originally posted by Madrigal
Leaves the question open whether it would really help if you're good-looking or not. Could have both effects - attrack more attention in the first place, or distract from the talent, when all that is being focused on is appearance. I guess it helps to leave a better impression though!

Have you ever tried to find fellow females to form a band? Any luck ever?

PS: now go and learn to play the darned drums! It's never too late!! ;)
Click to expand...

Yes, looks can work for you AND against you, dammit.

Unfortunately, perfectly demonstrating the lack of females in heavy music, I don't know any women in my city who are into metal and are also musicians. There may be some around, so I could always try advertising, but after quitting my last band I've been pretty happy having no one to argue with - male or female - so I'm pretty happy working by myself for now.

I'm working on my guitar playing right now, but maybe I'll give the drums a try next. :)

yourdeadgroom: I actually didn't know there was a woman in Bolt Thrower. Thanks for the enlightenment.
 
it's strange...there are good female musicians(classically trained piano players, violinists etc...) so i wouldn't think gender has anything to do with physical ability to play an instrument well. And there are female metal heads, though it's getting harder to find any cool ones. but for some reason though i've never found a really good girl metal guitarist(on a local level) that could either really shred, or just play really heavy(dying fetus, deicide). if only the world was filled with good girl guitar players, i'd be a bit happier LOL.
 
Originally posted by WikkidGurl
I'm a chick in metal .... I play guitar.
We have more of an industrial metal sound but they do let me do my growls on occasion to kinda show off my death metal influences.
For the most part I am not taken seriously as a musician.
Everyone thinks its cool but when it is done they underestamate me. They think of me as a sexy chick with a guitar.
eye-candy and nothing more. Of course they love my music preferances as well .... but me a musician ... they laugh.
However some people do like it and do think its great.
But look at the past ... females in music produce one hit wonders ... they appear in one music video showing cleavage the world likes it. one song and its over.
its BS.
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Hey..cheers to you, WikkidGurl!!!! My name is Elena, and I play bass for IMAGIKA. We play "old school" SF Bay Area thrash metal. I got into metal when I was 9 years old, first listening to OZZY when Diary of a Madman was just released. I started playing guitar at age 11, and switched to bass at 12. Since then, I have played in a variety of metal bands...thrash/speed, progressive, death/black metal, and now again thrash with IMAGIKA.

Over the years, I have jammed with a lot of Bay Area musicians, and have received much respect and support from the people in this scene. Hell, after 18 years, the many hours of practice have finally paid off!!! Yes, people (who don't know me) assume I can't play...and after they see me perform, they change their tune quite quickly.

Yes, it is still a struggle at times...but, if you bust your ass you can make things happen. It definitely takes talent, skill, and commmand of one's instrument to play what I play in Imagika. I was accepted into the band because I can play, and it didn't matter who or what I am. I am lucky, as the guys in Imagika have much respect for me as a musician and a friend.

There were times I wanted to give up, and for a while there I did...but, now I am so glad to be playing again..and playing better than ever...If you have the hunger and drive, anything is possible. This is the philosophy I have, and it is showing in my playing.

I am sure I can speak for many of you...man or woman....music has saved my life and is one of the sole reasons for my existence!!!

We metalheads need to stick together, in union....not by separation of the sexes...support each other...we should be judged by our talent and what we have to offer as musicians, and not by our sex.

To all of my Metal Sisters and Brothers...I wish all of you the best of luck in your musical endeavors. Our lives on this Earth are so short, so follow your passions... have faith in yourself and you will always be successful.

Please check out Imagika's website and download some music. And if you are in the SF Bay Area, we will be posting some May show information quite soon.

METAL!!! Elena - Imagika
 
Sorry I'm too lazy to have read all the previous entries here. Just my opinion, I don't think there is any difference between a man that wants to jam metal and a woman. They both are looking for an outlet. Each person is trying to let out different things, but mostly Agression. I do not particularly like female metal vocals. Personal choice, but I think it has to do with the timbre of the voice. As far as instrumentalist go, I have never really noticed any difference between men and women metal players. I think maybe why there are not as many women in metal, good question. Maybe a question for the ages. Women have become quite proliferate in the sci-fi and fantasy world of fiction, but that only involves their writing. Are there women in the world with the energy and stamina to play metal?? You are damned right there are. Are there as many women out there who have the same agressive tendencies found in men who play metal. Not so sure. Will there ever be scientific studies? Don't think so! In short, now, we should welcome as many women musicians into the genre as possible and try to encourage women to join the fold. Besides, I'm tired of looking at so many guys at the real metal shows(not pop metal, like def leppard and such,eh).
 
BassGoddess that is one hell of a kick ass post!

Another female performer with attitude is Angela Gossow, the new Arch enemy vocalist. Check out their latest album "Wages of sin".
You will not believe what you will hear!!!

I got it last year for 40$ and never
had any regrets. It's out now in the US and Europe as an expanded edition and I bought that one too. :)

Keep kicking butt girl! Metal rules!!!!
 
erm ok im biased with the whole fucking 54 thing
ok its not THAT extreme really.
but they have a female bassist- plays fretless and has a talent ans skill that other MALE bassists have envied her over.

thats 1/4 of the reason that i love that band. its great that shes up there doing it- and doing it well.

the band havent just got ther there to pull blokes.
ive been at gigs where all the blokles are like cor look at that bird.

then when she starts playing they are like - wow - listen to that bassist. in some ways she has helped people to see that theres more to some female musicians!
She also contributes to the writing and i know it gives her the same outlet as any male artist
 
I have a demo-tape from a Canadian death/doommetal band named "November Grief"...an all-women-band! It's an old demo though, recorded in '95. I wonder what happened to them. Anyway, there seem to be quite a few exceptions to the rule. Myself, I know a girl who plays drums and I got a friend who once had a girl in his band who did some grunting and growling.

By the way, how come nobody mentioned Kimberly Goss???

A lot of what has been written here makes perfect sense to me. My girlfriend has lots of prejudices against metal, simply because she always associates that music with "hairy, smelly, burping and headbanging blokes" (not without reason, as you all will admit). She even picks on me every now and then when I wear a metal shirt or refuse to cut my hair. Guess I should break up with her :lol: But I love her, so what can I do. :D I'm actually very proud of myself because I managed to get her into a lot of metal bands (Anathema, Katatonia, Tiamat, Gathering, Opeth). So remember, NEVER GIVE UP! :lol:

Oh, the Swedish band Beseech also has a female vocalist. They're releasing a new album on April 2nd. This band is fucking awesome and the album will be a killer! Do yourself a favour and check 'em out (they have a forum on UM)! :headbang:
 
I think that it's cool that a band like Arch Enemy had the guts to bring in a female vocalist. I think it's a big fuck off to those who didn't think women belong in the metal scene. Way to go AE!!!

I play in band called Amaran and we chose to have a female vocalist since what can be done with femalevocals is so much more interesting for us. Male vocals wasn't an option! We're satisfied with how things have turned out!!! Our Johanna is great person and a great singer and she brings our material to a higher level!!!

So, I vote for more women in metal!!! :D

//kk

Amaran
 
I think llamura is on the right track.
The acceptable roles of women in metal is limited by socialization that takes place at a very early age. In general, I think it can be argued that young girls typically receive encouragement to be trained only in classical styles. Their creativity being unurtured, and later again facing socialization at a role defining level (women are meant to be looked at, and this is how good girls act), the number of women involved with metal, not to mention those actively writing, will undoubtedly be very few. The rest as mentioned before, are quite likely attracted to the scene for reasons other than music appreciation.

Conversly, as a listener with so many bands to choose from, it is hard not to be biased by previous encounters of aesthetics over ability. Without being aware of who is in the band, one is free to judge the music solely on its merits. But when a band is promoted for having female members, one becomes dubious: "is this their way of getting onto the market?"

To answer the question, "Do women and metal go together?" For yours truly the answer is clear. The only relevant issue is competency of musicianship.
 
Originally posted by Hawk
BassGoddess that is one hell of a kick ass post!

Another female performer with attitude is Angela Gossow, the new Arch enemy vocalist. Check out their latest album "Wages of sin".
You will not believe what you will hear!!!

I got it last year for 40$ and never
had any regrets. It's out now in the US and Europe as an expanded edition and I bought that one too. :)

Keep kicking butt girl! Metal rules!!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Hawk... and I will check out Arch Enemy. I have heard a lot of great things about them. METAL!!!
 
Hmmm... Heavy metal was meant for ppl with some mentallity.
Human beings regardless sex,age,country,colour of skin, or whatever could be a discrimination. I haven't read the replies, but the title of the thread by itself is racistlike. It may be wrong to post this, but i hate any kind of racism. For it comes from ppl with no mentallity and adrresses to ppl with even less mentallity.

What women and heavy metal?
Try this:
Whiter and male ppl than the ones who inhabit in Mediterranean sea and Thrash Metal.

Bah, not about metal at all.

Kill the racist in you.
 
Yes, you are probably right. Sorry about that, but the title by itself awakened the activist non racist in me. :rolleyes: It isn't fair not to read the answers, but i just had to write it down. Sorry anyway...

I mentioned that it might be wrong to post that initial msg, for this reason, you spotted. So don't be hard on me. If you disagree say it. And i hate phrases like "Women and blah..." or "Is metal a white music" or "Communists should not listen to metal" :lol: blah-blah... Anyway. If you don't like my post ignore it. It is not about education. It is about time.
 
Luke did you yourself read Kant or do you just like the quote?

No offence is meant here. I know nothing about you. Just a question :)
 
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