Female Rock!

by : Rean Mitasari / 081214058

What comes to your mind when a word “ROCK” is given to you? Then what comes to your mind when you heard a word “FEMALE”? For the second word, it is easy to imagine what figure that comes to your mind because every day that figure of female can be seen in our daily life. But for the first word, sometimes it is quite difficult to guess the figure about the word “ROCK”. It can be big stone like in a hill or one of music genres. Here, the word “ROCK” refers to the one on music genres. So, if those words are combined as FEMALE ROCK, what kind of things will come to your mind? In here, I will talk about what female rick is and explain about that based on summary of my reading reports that I have done on class.
Since the genre was found, rock music has been dominated by men. Men whom are writing the lyrics, music, and create the image of a band became the icon of rock music. In the middle of 70’s era, more precisely in 1976, men domination of rock music began to change. They have been starting “the competition” with women whom are trying to enter the hard music genre. In 1976, there was a female rock band from Los Angeles, named The Runaways which was led by Joan Jett, appeared in public. They introduced their music with combination of rock elements, such as grunge, heavy metal, rock n roll, and heavy metal for all music listeners. They caught many music listeners attention not only because they were playing rock music, but also the members were all female. Five female played music instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass and drum set, and one as vocalist. Their songs are played in many radio station and they also performed in many countries, such as in US, UK, Japan and Australia.
After The Runaways is appeared in rock music arena, they influenced many female bands to show their existence competed with male rock bands. Let’s say L7, 4 Non Blondes, and Hole are female rock bands which are appeared in 80’s era after the glory of The Runaways began to overcast slowly. They played rock music with many combinations such as grunge, rock n roll, alternative, heavy metal, and pop rock. Their domination are clearly seen when they joined many music festival. Many audiences screamed their named on stage as a sign they want to see those female musicians performed.
The biggest rebellion female rock band era is happened in 90’s era and 2000’s era. Females tried to enter the hard part of music genre. Metal scene is becoming their target to explore their music talents. There was a female metal band named Kittie, which is led by Morgan Landers, appeared in metal music genre. They introduce heavy metal, hardcore, and thrash metal as their identity to the music listeners. Others metal band which are followed Kittie’s dint are also appeared in the rock and metal music arenas. Some of band called Theatre Of Tragedy, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, After Forever, Epica, and Arch Enemy are showing that female can be the incredible front – woman of a band.
What makes those female musicians become famous and being role model for a lot of music listeners? The answers are their music talents, their challenging lifestyle, and their life attitude. Those females rock band that have been mentioned are proof that female not just sing, but also play the music instruments. Female also can be incredible front – woman every time the bands have to do performance on stage. Their talents are shown when they do performance on the stage and while they recorded their own song and their own music. It is like the realizations of women’s independence and emancipation, because they can do what men can do also.
Talking about rock or metal musician’s lifestyle, it cannot be separated with the dangerous and killer things like tattoo and alcohol drink. Both of them are really identical with lifestyle of rock and metal musician. Tattoo is one of art that can support musician’s appearance become more cool, masculine, strong, and tough. When the tattoo is made in female musicians’ skin, the musician will be looked as strong and tough women. The image of strong and tough women will also support their performance on the stage because it can catch the audiences’ attention. Another benefit from the tattoo on the female musician’s skin is that they can be the trendsetter and show their identity to the public. Who will not be interested when you see Mercedes Landers and Morgan Landers from Kittie, Courtney Love from Hole, and Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy whose have marvelous tattoos on their body? Incredible women with incredible tattoos are match enough.
Another dangerous but challenging lifestyle of female rock and metal musician is the alcohol drink such as beer, vodka, and alcohol drink like Jack Daniels, Red Label, and Tequila. It cannot be denied when the musicians have just done great performance or they are gathered with other musicians they will have alcohol drink to celebrate their successful or spend the good time with friends. Since rock and metal music genre are appeared and grown in western culture, the lifestyle of western people is also influencing the musicians’ lifestyle. Moreover, most of the rock and metal musicians come from western culture. No wonder that some part of western culture influence the rock and metal musicians also.
Last but not least, the life attitude is being the most important factor why those female rock musicians are used as role model from their fans. Most of the female rock and metal musicians use “be yourself” philosophy as their life attitude. This is appeared in their lyric characters which are not just talking about crappy love stories. They are also talking about political issues, social life issues, and inner feeling about all events that happened in around them. It proves that women are also quite intelligent and critical about the environment around them, because those kinds of thing can be their inspiration when they are writing a song.
So now, it is time for female to rock. No more discrimination in life, including the music scenes. Female can rock you with their music, their talents, and their inner feeling on their songs. Why don’t you just dropped your under estimate for the female and enjoy their music in your spare time. Because female can rock!


References:
Drum kit. Wikipedia. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_kit
Vodka. Wikipedia. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodka
Tattoo. Wikipedia. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo
Heavy metal – the many misconceptions about heavy metal. (2010). Orble.com: The Many Misconceptions about Heavy Metal. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from: http://www.orble.com/the -many-misconceptions-about-heavy-metal
Michel, Sia. (2010, March 11). The girls who kicked in rock’s door. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from New York Times Web Site: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/movies/14runaways.html?pagewanted=all
Galaboff, Mike. (2004, October 29). Kittie. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from Western Courier Web Site: http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2004/10/29/TheEdge/Kittie-786869.shtml