Girls Need Guitars

Streamlining

2008-02-10T08:02:39-08:00

I've been thinking about this for a bit, and I feel I need to put this blog on hold for now for two reasons.

1. Most obviously, I don't even have time for my general music blog at the moment, much less this one. It is much harder to find and keep a flow of original content with the narrower focus of this blog. I'm thinking that down the road, when I have a nice archive of content related to women musicians, I will start it back up possibly. But also...

2. I think it's sometimes self-defeating for women to segregate themselves into separate categories, and want to try mixing the women artists into my general blog.

So for now, please go to Dive: notes from the music underground for updates and new content.

Thanks!

2007, I hardly knew ye

2007-12-24T23:10:44-08:00

One week left in 2007, and what a year this has been for me. Quite the rollercoaster ride.

Even as a child, I was obsessed with photography, and with my love of music, dreamed of being a photographer for Rolling Stone. But as far too many of us know, we often get sidetracked from those dreams, and I'm sorry to say, I have not been an exception.

I almost found my calling when I got involved in photojournalism back in the 80s, but that was definitely not a kind field for women back in those days, to say the least. (Maybe still isn't, for all I know.) Without dredging all the details of that up, let's just say I became very disillusioned with the newspaper business and tried corporate PR.

Definitely not the right fit.

After a convoluted path that lead me through nursing school, I hit that classic wake up call that eventually gets us all - the ol' midlife crisis. That was 2006, and I bought my first -- and only -- digital camera. I started shooting local bands, which was very hard to begin with, to say the least. Here I was, the poster child for Social Anxiety Disorder, and old enough to be the mother of most of the bands and fans...I felt like an idiot out there. The fact that I kept going out and shooting, despite my discomfort, is a testament to how much I loved...love...the photography and the music.

This year in particular has been full of highs and lows more than any other year of my life. I had the first thrill of seeing my photos in a cd, as a poster and on a t-shirt. (I still get giddy like a little kid when I see my work used.) I had my first major magazine credit in Girls and Corpses magazine. This year will see my first cd covers (Koffin Kats and Stitch Hopeless and the Sea Legs so far.) I've met great people and people who weren't so great, but the former far outnumbered the latter, I'm happy to say. I've "partied with rock stars" and discovered said "rock stars" are just real people like you and me. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, and just as human.

I also damn near imploded here the last few weeks and nearly blew it all by attacking those closest to me during my Annual Holiday Blues Meltdown (tm). I'm damn lucky -- and grateful -- that they have weathered the storm I created, and I've taken that wake up call to heart. There are a lot of people in the music biz -- and any biz -- that will use you and exploit you for their gain. But there are a lot of good people, too. People that are friends and have your back. And for them, I am eternally grateful.

What a long, strange trip this year has been, and I can only hope that 2008 continues the highs, but with a hell of a lot less lows. Having said that, I have my work cut out for me to top 2007. There are so many things I could count as favorite moments of 2007, but I think the winner is clear, hands down.

Seeing the Koffin Kats naked. Definitely. How the hell am I going to top that this year?

I need your help!

2007-12-20T14:04:36-08:00

Despite appearances, I haven't forgotten this blog. I have been working on the launch of my general music blog, Dive notes from the music underground, and as it's a less specialized blog than this, it's easier to update, but has been taking up considerable time with planning and finding material to blog on.

But that is where you all come in. If you are in a female or female-fronted band, please add me to your myspace friends list at the Girls Need Guitars site. If you aren't in a band, you can still friend me there, and send me tips to your favorite bands and upcoming shows.

Building this blog is a slower process, being gender specific, but after the first of the year, I will be doing exclusive content, including an interview with Donita Sparks. So here's your chance to help form this blog into a reflection of the bands YOU love most.

Thanks!

Dollyrots in Tempe, AZ 12/1/07

2007-12-12T03:27:00-08:00

The Dollyrots made a last minute pitstop in Tempe, Arizona, last Saturday to play the Punkheads show at the adjoining venues Club Red and the Red Owl Grill. I was excited to come out and shoot them, as I know the Club Red stage has the best lighting of any small bar I've seen, and a great sound system (I shall resist the urge to gratuitously use the term "awesome" when discussing The Dollyrots.)

I was quite surprised to find out the venue/promoter was putting The Dollyrots at the Red Owl "stage" -- a small platform in the back they normally have tables on. I expressed my dismay, thinking maybe they didn't realize they had a fairly prominent national act, but they insisted The Dollyrots were headlining and that there was great lighting on that stage as well.

They were quite incorrect. So much for getting really fabulous live photos.

More importantly, that back stage wasn't nearly as visible for the band as the main stage. The deck was further stacked against them in that the promoters had both stages running, overlapping a 12 band lineup.

That is way too many bands. And worst of all, they had The Dollyrots overlapping local old school punk icons The Glass Heroes.

Oy vey.

Having said all that, Kelly, Luis and Chris made the best of a small crowd, many of which obviously hadn't heard of them, with one person even shouting out, asking them if they were from Arizona. I was sorta embarrassed at that, even though I realize this was mostly an older, rougher crowd out to see the locals. And I'm sure the crowd's confidence wasn't inspired when they heard Kelly's high-pitched, girly speaking voice. But the band won them over with their infectious power punk, rounding out their set with their trademark "Because I'm Awesome." Like most bands, The Dollyrots benefit from the edge that playing live adds to the songs, to swing a little more to the punk side, and even win over a few old school punks.

The benefit of small shows is just being able to kick back and have a good time with it, and Kelly graciously did several "myspace" shots with a fan as she played, then sat down and spent time with the few gathered to see them afterward.

They were also gracious to me, and we did a photo shoot when they arrived. Mind you, these were shot pretty much right when they came in off the road. I'd like to take credit, but they pretty much directed themselves on this one.

Despite the small crowd, The Dollyrots (and the crowd) had a good time and rocked the place. They were -- dare I say it?

Awesome.

I told you the bitch wasn't your friend

2007-12-11T03:26:00-08:00

Barbie Teaches Credit Cards 101: "You Never Run Out Of Money!" Fashion Fever Shopping Boutique, the correctly named Barbie toy, features a built-in credit card swiper and a life-size credit card for young children to use when buying outfits for their dolls. According to the Amazon website, "Once the balance hits zero, it will reset so you can continue to shop."

Barbie is NOT your friend

2007-12-10T06:25:35-08:00

With the onslaught of talentless, trashy pop tarts all over the charts and tabloids, the image of women in rock is in need of serious rehab. Of the voluntary kind, not court ordered. I’m tired of pre-packaged Barbie dolls lip-synching songs they never wrote, busting out moves from their choreographer, and wearing the latest fashions selected by their stylist.

Enough is enough.

The record industry as we know it is going down in flames, and I personally am ready to dance around the bonfire. For years, they’ve been force feeding us generic crap in all genres, but the absolute worst has been the so-called “revolution” of female artists - Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson…and the so-called “punk” Avril Lavigne. (Oh, please.)

Revolution? Hardly. Sex over substance has been around as long as the oldest profession. You record execs are just never gonna get it, are you? We want the real thing.

The Riot Grrl movement gave us some hope for a real change. Bands like Babes in Toyland, Bikini Kill, L7, 7 Year Bitch and Hole showed us that not only could the girls rock as hard as the boys, but they were just as talented, driven…and pissed off. Their guitars were more than props. Their anger wasn’t a calculated marketing ploy for a certain demographic.

It was real.

I had thought the riot grrls were long gone, with the breakup of all those bands, and the plastic-surgeried, mainstreaming of Courtney Love. But just as Love is coming back with a new album, closer to her roots, I am browsing through myspace for new bands, and I see the seeds of the new generation coming to fruition. Love’s video for “Mono” has a certain prophetic quality -- she lifts her skirt to reveal little girls in frilly dresses and princess crowns, who in turn life their skirts to reveal…power tools. And use said tools to go on a rampage.

The riot grrls gave birth to this new generation that is finally coming of age. And ready to kick some ass -- starting with the pop tarts, whose 15 minutes of fame isn’t only over, but never should have begun.

I don’t know if this revolution will be televised, but it will sure as hell be blogged.

Girl Power Guitar School!

2007-12-10T06:18:28-08:00

Damn straight they're girly...got a problem with that?

2007-12-10T06:17:51-08:00

Guitars for girls gain popularity

2007-12-10T05:44:59-08:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- "I want it!" squealed 13-year-old Hiiaka Kaneao, pointing to a sparkly, hot pink, star-shaped bass guitar hanging inside a pink fur-lined booth.

Her high-pitched voice is music to the ears of the guitar's maker, Daisy Rock Guitars.

The Los Angeles retailer's colorful and smaller-size guitars for girls and women have gained worldwide popularity in the last several years and signaled a growing trend within the traditionally male- dominated guitar industry.

Read Full Article here

Donita Sparks album due Jan 22.

2007-12-10T05:05:06-08:00

Donita Sparks has just wrapped a solo tour with The Donnas, but still has a date with Social Distortion December 23 at the LA House of Blues with her band, Stellar Moments, including former L7 drummer Dee Plakas. But if you go, watch for flying tampons. Of the used variety.

(No, Donita, we're never gonna let you forget that one. And we love you for it.)

Sparks will be releasing her first solo album, "Transmiticate," on Jan. 22. Till then, here's a video from YouTube:

Donita Sparks official website