Representations of Women In Music Videos

mr dave · 01-26-2010, 12:57 AM

so.... can she actually sing? i was honestly confused when she stayed quiet during the mellow bridge bit. i mean really, what other point is there for it within the context of that band? part of the metal formula?

total flip flop on the current mood of the thread but this is the only all women band i can think of off the top of my head that kind of runs counter to pretty much all the stereotypes.

they're not cool with embedding this video but whatever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H4sq7OtC9M <- Under Your Skin by Luscious Jackson.

jennypaul2009 · 01-26-2010, 02:49 AM

The way women are presented in music is just plainly saddddd

duga · 01-26-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

so.... can she actually sing? i was honestly confused when she stayed quiet during the mellow bridge bit. i mean really, what other point is there for it within the context of that band? part of the metal formula?

total flip flop on the current mood of the thread but this is the only all women band i can think of off the top of my head that kind of runs counter to pretty much all the stereotypes.

they're not cool with embedding this video but whatever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H4sq7OtC9M <- Under Your Skin by Luscious Jackson.

i doubt whether or not she can sing is beyond the point. singing in death metal = you lose your death metal cred (most of the time).

i agree with the post you made earlier, though. although, i think at this point most women trying to make a name for themselves choose to go the skanky route. but, as arch enemy show they don't necessarily have to.

mr dave · 01-26-2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

i doubt whether or not she can sing is beyond the point. singing in death metal = you lose your death metal cred (most of the time).

i agree with the post you made earlier, though. although, i think at this point most women trying to make a name for themselves choose to go the skanky route. but, as arch enemy show they don't necessarily have to.

right, but while she's credible within the style, how is she doing anything besides just playing the boys game? with the amount of effects colouring the vocals how hard would she be to replace? had i not actually watched the video and just had the audio playing i would have NEVER guessed there was a female vocalist. so... how is she more than the band trophy? there's no way they'd just have a hot chick as the front person for a metal band because their average fans are anti-social adolescent boys right? that's unpossible...

besides, it's not like Burton C. Bell hasn't been alternating from those styles of vocals to clean singing since Fear Factory started. it 'can' be done and still accepted within the style and community.

duga · 01-26-2010, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

right, but while she's credible within the style, how is she doing anything besides just playing the boys game? with the amount of effects colouring the vocals how hard would she be to replace? had i not actually watched the video and just had the audio playing i would have NEVER guessed there was a female vocalist. so... how is she more than the band trophy? there's no way they'd just have a hot chick as the front person for a metal band because their average fans are anti-social adolescent boys right? that's unpossible...

besides, it's not like Burton C. Bell hasn't been alternating from those styles of vocals to clean singing since Fear Factory started. it 'can' be done and still accepted within the style and community.

so you want something distinctly female, then? i'm a bit confused and i feel this is getting into the territory of "nothing is good enough, so shut up." just to clear this up, she gets a lot of respect within the metal community. metal is a boy's game simply because there aren't many women like her doing it. i don't think she uses too many effects on her voice...most of it is all her. and if a few adolescent boys get into the band because of a female singer, so be it. that's never happened to an all guys band with a frontman with sex appeal, has it?

people can argue this topic to the end of time. bottom line is there will ALWAYS be situations in absolutely everything where at some point, someone will point out a difference in gender. it is weird to see a guy in drag. it is unusual to see a female front a death metal band. guys and girls are different, let's face it.

jackhammer · 01-26-2010, 06:59 PM

I think what Mr Dave is trying to say is that despite the female vocals, everything else is just as cliched as the rest of the genre these days and adding a female vocalist doesnt mean that they automatically become a better band and dissing on the band is a normal reaction without any hidden agendas.

Rock music is seen as a mans game for better or worse unfortunately and we have to judge a band without prejudice and if they suck then the band does indeed suck. if a vocalist can add something to the overall sound then they will be judged accordingly whether Female or not.

I personally think that Queen Adreena are a band greatly enhanced by female vocals because some of the emphasis is on the vocals and not the music but if a band grinds out generic music it doesnt matter who is the vocalist, it will still suck.

Saying that Girlschool are still one of the best Metal bands out there regardless of them being female and they do genuinely sound different to many bands out there at that time.

duga · 01-26-2010, 07:03 PM

ah maybe i implied i like arch enemy. really the only point i was trying to make by posting the video is that girls can step out into things other than scant clothing. and as a vocalist in a band like that, i think she does alright.

but yeah i'm not a giant arch enemy fan.

mr dave · 01-27-2010, 12:25 AM

yeah i wasn't trying to get into a big argument hehe JH got what i was trying to say.

basically in my experience the 'respect' any woman gets in metal is because of her ability to be like one of the guys despite being a girl. to me, that's wrong. it's unfortunate that there are still very clear sexist lines within music but it's how it's been for a long time, and it can't just change overnight.

she might not be going the skanky route, but she's still trying to join the boys club.

did anyone check out that Luscious Jackson clip? notice the subtle nuances that make it rather apparent that pretty much everything involved in the clip was made by women without needing to be all in your face about grrrl power?

~~TumorAttitude~~ · 01-29-2010, 08:39 PM

I must say that it seems extremly difficult for female artists to sucessfully market themselves today, PJ Harvey aside....especially to mr dave......

mr dave · 01-29-2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TumorAttitude

I must say that it seems extremly difficult for female artists to sucessfully market themselves today, PJ Harvey aside....especially to mr dave......

hahaha even she has to play the game if she wants to be recognized on a large scale. you're right though, it seems almost impossible for a woman to market herself as anything but the traditional stereotypes, anything else is normally seen as a novelty and ends up getting patronized just as much as popularized. remember Kittie? hahaha

01-26-2010, 02:49 AM	#42 (permalink)
jennypaul2009 Groupie Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5	The way women are presented in music is just plainly saddddd __________________ Link removed by Moderator - no promotions allowed.

01-26-2010, 06:59 PM	#46 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	I think what Mr Dave is trying to say is that despite the female vocals, everything else is just as cliched as the rest of the genre these days and adding a female vocalist doesnt mean that they automatically become a better band and dissing on the band is a normal reaction without any hidden agendas. Rock music is seen as a mans game for better or worse unfortunately and we have to judge a band without prejudice and if they suck then the band does indeed suck. if a vocalist can add something to the overall sound then they will be judged accordingly whether Female or not. I personally think that Queen Adreena are a band greatly enhanced by female vocals because some of the emphasis is on the vocals and not the music but if a band grinds out generic music it doesnt matter who is the vocalist, it will still suck. Saying that Girlschool are still one of the best Metal bands out there regardless of them being female and they do genuinely sound different to many bands out there at that time. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

01-26-2010, 07:03 PM	#47 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	ah maybe i implied i like arch enemy. really the only point i was trying to make by posting the video is that girls can step out into things other than scant clothing. and as a vocalist in a band like that, i think she does alright. but yeah i'm not a giant arch enemy fan. __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...

01-29-2010, 08:39 PM	#49 (permalink)
~~TumorAttitude~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Purgatory Posts: 749	I must say that it seems extremly difficult for female artists to sucessfully market themselves today, PJ Harvey aside....especially to mr dave......