SOLIDARITY TIME – Word Up for Joanna Gruesome

So, first off: bravo.

Second off: <3 <3 <3 (because sometimes the best way to bleed your emotions onto the screen is to just stamp symbols down, because how else can I depict big, stupid grins and warm smiles and loose giggles and a Ziploc bag of home-baked brownies that I would happily bake just for them?). Third off, as I’ve said before, I’ve seen it in Athens. I go out at night in a t-shirt and shorts – and not the Daisy Doop kind but geeky loose khaki ones. Girls totter by n the streets in high heels, tiny dresses. (It’s always the tiny ones I see, rarely any other body shape. Then again, I’m probably a runt too, but I exercise and stuff, so I has some bulky thighs.) They perch at bars, ‘cos a vast majority of ‘em don’t even care about local gigs. How many chicks do I see alone at any given place? Zero. The ones that come for the show – and I mean REALLY, to LISTEN – are usually the wives or girlfriends of the guys in the band. The tiny, giggly ones (and a handful of ‘em usually turn up) are either there to cuddle with their boyfriends or to be eye candy for the other guys in the room. And there are ALWAYS more guys in the room. ALWAYS. So yes, I feel really, really, REALLY out of place. Thankfully, I’ve never heard any man here yell at any chick to expose any cleavage, though I have seen one stubbornly traditional bloke demand two chicks in the front to sit down, even after the band warmly encouraged that everyone stand up.

Oh, and how many women front bands in Athens? Well, two from Tunabunny; Cars Can Be Blue aren’t really active now, but that was one more –

– and Eureka California would fall apart without Marie wailing on drumz (with a zed, you cunt) –

New Sound of Numbers rock, ‘cos that could be 2 – 4 headstrong chicks, depending on what night ya go (and if Kay Stanton isn’t present, you might as well go home); speaking of which, Kay takes the reigns sometimes with Casper & the Cookies…but now we’re veering into E6 territory, where one person could command or guest star in half a dozen other bands (not even kidding). So that about sums it up, I think. As for the number of male-fronted bands in Athens…ay, how should I know?

By the way, you know what category Tunabunny’s in for Athens’ Music Awards? “Best Experimental Group”.

ANYWAY. The point of this rant is that what Alanna sees in the UK happens ‘round the globe, and while girls with guitars (or synthesizers) are storming the ramparts, the old male orders is still firmly in place.

The other point of this rant is, PLEASE COME TO ATHENS, JOANNA GRUESOME, AND KNOCK THE BOYS’ SOCKS OFF.

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by Lee Adcock

Lee Adcock is a strange creature, female in form, that hails from the gentrified wilderness of Madison, Georgia. Writing has been her one most outstanding talent since she was a tiny tot, so that's what she does. Lee's currently stranded in the ATL and writes for Creative Loafing, Drowned in Sound, and this here space, and DJs for Dandelion Radio. The only aspect of Athens she misses is the record store she could walk to where she used to hang for hours.

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