Girls Rock Austin SXSW Day Party

We are thrilled to announce our 3rd annual SXSW day party on Friday, March 19 at Cafe Mundi.  Bands start promptly at noon and end at 6PM.  No badges or wristbands.  We're FREE, all ages, and open to the public.  So put your dancing shoes on and join us!  

We're featuring an international lineup of rock campers (Charlie Belle), awesome volunteers (Darling New Neighbors, Akina Adderley, Rosie Flores), punk and rock rock legends (Exene Cervenka, Viv Albertine, Rosie Flores), underground heroes (Girl in a Coma, Bo-peep, White Mystery) and the literally big-in-Japan (Chatmonchy). Jessica Hopper will read from her book The Girls' Guide to Rocking.  Rock Your Face face painters will be on hand to give your mug that special something extra.

Girls Rock Austin is proud to be sponsored by Blackheart Records. WIN a guitar signed by Joan Jett. Pick up swag from the new movie "The Runaways."

After eleven years of vital service to the Austin arts and music community, Cafe Mundi will be closing its doors on March 21. We're thrilled (and somewhat saddened) to be a part of their final weekend celebration. We thank them for their support.

12 noon Charlie Belle - (Austin, TX)
12:30 Darling New Neighbors (Austin, TX)
1:05 Jessica Hopper reading from The Girls' Guide to Rocking (Chicago, IL)
1:20 Exene Cervenka (Los Angeles, CA)
2:00 Akina Adderley and the Vintage Playboys (Austin, TX)
2:35 Chatmonchy (Japan)
3:05 Bo-peep (Japan)
3:35 White Mystery (featuring Miss Alex White) (Chicago, IL)
4:10 Girl in a Coma (San Antonio, TX)
4:50 Viv Albertine (of the Slits) (London, UK)
5:30 Rosie Flores (Austin, TX)

Proceeds from the guitar giveaway and merchandise sales will benefit Girls Rock Austin. We are proud to organize Girls Rock Camp Austin, the only nonprofit camp in Austin where accomplished women musicians teach girls at all skill levels—from absolute beginners to rock-n-roll prodigies—in an all-female learning environment. See www.girlsrockcampaustin.org for more info about Summer 2010 camps.

Best Little Guitar Giveaway in Texas

Yesterday Girls Rock Austin launched its fundraising season with The Best Little Guitar Giveaway in Texas, an online promotion using social media. Behold! A brand new Takamine "Jasmine" guitar, and it is signed by Dolly Parton! Ten dollars enters your name twice in the drawing, which will be held March 16.

A random sampling of SXSW 2010 performers

Late last year when we published the blog that tallied the male vs female performers at Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest, a lot of people wanted to know how FFF compares to other festivals. I was curious as well, but a bit daunted by the thought of doing the research for SXSW or ACL (keeping it local, for now). Somehow, I thought, we should do a random sampling. Turns out Austin360 did it for us, providing a photo gallery of SXSW 2010: Notable Artists. Obviously, this isn't totally random.  Someone selected the pictures, which include press photos, live shots from Austin American Statesman archives, and others pilfered from MySpace. I don’t know what criteria the editor used to select the photos. Maybe they were selected based on the quality of the photographs or the musical tastes of the editor. It is possible that there weren’t a lot of photos of women to choose from. It is also possible, but unlikely (we hope!), that the editor intentionally focused on music made by men. I simply have no idea. But here’s what I do know. 


Out of 68 photos, a woman (Sharon Jones) doesn't appear until the 11th picture. There are 155 men in these pictures and 15 women, representing less than 10 percent (by comparison, FFF was 8% women). Once again, Girls Rock Austin wants to know: What does this say about the state of women in music? About the booking policies of SXSW?  About the need for Girls Rock Camp?


Our goal is to start a dialog. We think that unless this stuff is talked about, it'll never change. And we know that one way to make it change, at least for future generations, is to support Girls Rock Austin and other programs throughout the country that empower girls through music education and performance. Get involved, talk to people, be conscientious when booking shows, start a band, be a badass! If we can, you can!

Dude Dude Dude Fest

There’s a music festival this weekend and we’ve been doing some math.

Yep, we’ve been counting.  Men and women. Not because we want to, but because when the gulf between the two is so wide, we feel like we have to. 

Let this be said:  We like Fun Fun Fun Fest.  We like the grassroots vibe, the small (-er than that other festival) stages, the local vendors and hanging out with our friends in the glorious fall sun.  We’re looking forward to watching teenagers rock the skateboard ramp and hipsters fall off the mechanical bull.  Most of all we like the bands.  The organizers of this festival, Transmission Entertainment, obviously know what’s what. 

But there’s something missing:  women. 

Not completely missing, mind you.  There are 22* women gracing the four stages of this two-day event.  Likewise, the acts at FFF contain 247 men.   That’s a total of 269 performers – 92% men. 

I wonder how Transmission would feel if 92 percent of the audience were men.   Hmmm. 

Anyway, here’s the breakdown of women performing at Fun Fun Fun Fest:

ONE drummer - Shonen Knife. 

TWO guitarists -Shonen Knife, Mika Miko.

SIX bassists  - Flipper, Fucked Up, Shonen Knife, Mika Miko,

Melt Banana, Shearwater

FIVE Keyboardists/Electronica  - Of Montreal, Times New Vikings, Broadcast, Growing, LAX.

FIVE vocalists (only) - Crystal Castles, Mika Miko (2), Kid Sister, Melt Banana

ONE back-up singer – Sugar and Gold

TWO comedians - Chelsea Peretti, New Movement Comedy Group

Furthermore, the total number of music acts with a female member is fourteen.  But two bands (Mika Miko and Shonen Knife) contain 1/3 of the total women.  Six bands are female-fronted (Broadcast, Crystal Castles, Kid Sister, Melt Banana, Mika Miko, Shonen Knife).  Two bands are co-fronted (Times New Viking, LAX).  Two of the female-fronted bands are from Japan.  Three bands with women members are on Matador Records, whose Co-President happens to live in Austin.  

Remember, there are over 80 bands playing.

What does this say about the state of women in rock?  About the booking policies of the nationally recognized music festival that probably best represents the spirit of our amazing hometown?  Of the need for Girls Rock Camp?  You tell us!

*We did the best we could to get accurate counts – tallying from band photos, bios, and videos – so while these numbers might not be exact, they’re very, very close.

Come see us at the Bleet-up tonight!

We are thrilled to have been asked to be part of the second annual Bleet-Up, happening tonight at the Mohawk.

Win a cherry red guitar signed by Debbie Harry and The Donnas, benefiting Girls Rock Austin!

Meet the  bloggers, tweeters, movers and shakers of Austin!

Thanks to Richard at Ultra8201 and Tolly at Austin Eavesdropper for asking us to participate!

Hope to see you!

Ladies Rock Camp October 23-25

We’re excited to host our second session of Ladies Rock Camp. We are looking forward to having fun and raising money for a great cause. Thank you for your interest!

Ladies Rock Camp (LRC) is a weekend day camp in Austin, Texas, that provides an opportunity for women ages 19 and over to let loose and play rockin’ music together. You’ll start to learn and/or practice your instrument of choice* on Friday, then keep receiving instrument instruction all weekend. Also, you’ll form a band and work together to write an original song that you will play together on stage on Sunday. The Ladies Rock Camp showcase is an unbelievable experience! In addition, you will have the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops** with topics related to being a woman rocker. Proceeds from Ladies Rock Camp go directly to Girls Rock Camp Austin.

*Choice of instruments includes bass, drums, guitar, vocals, and keyboard.
**Specific workshops TBD. If you have any suggestions or questions about workshops, please include them on the application.

WHO MAY APPLY FOR LADIES ROCK CAMP
Any woman age 19 and over may apply. NO MUSICAL EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY; all skill levels welcome.

TUITION
The cost of camp is $375 and is not tax deductible. THIS FEE MUST BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR APPLICATION.

Please note: LRC is a fundraiser for Girls Rock Camp Austin. Tuition ($375) has been set at the absolute lowest amount possible for us to cover our costs and meet expected fundraising goals for our programs. Because it is a fundraiser, we will offer only 10 “starving artist” spots at $275. Campers can pay in installments, if necessary. Please contact Emily Marks atdirector@girlsrockcampaustin.org for more information.

DONATIONS
Donations above the tuition fee (in-kind and monetary) are tax deductible and much appreciated! Whether you can give $5 or $5,000, every little bit helps. Our Tax ID number is 26-2554207. We thank you for being a part of Ladies Rock Camp and helping young girls find their voices.

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Girls Rock Camp Austin

PAYPAL: Payment by PayPal is accepted, but an $8.00 fee (that goes directly to PayPal) will be charged in addition to tuition.

APPLICATION TO LADIES ROCK CAMP

Apply online here and pay with a paypal or a credit card here.

Download an application and pay with a check here.

Girl in a Coma Rocks Camp!

by KAT, ANDREA, REYNA, MONSE, and P.J.
photos by Monse and Shelley Hiam

On Thursday, July 30, 2009, Girls Rock Camp Austin writers interviewed band Girl in a Coma after an amazing performance for the camp at Austin Studios in Austin, Texas. Girl in a Coma is from San Antonio, Texas, and is made up of three members: sisters Phanie Diaz (drums) and Nina Diaz (guitar and vocals) and bassist Jenn Alva. The band got its name from a Smiths song called "Girlfriend in a Coma"; other bands they like include Smashing Pumpkins, the Beatles, and Sonic Youth. All of the group members are vegetarians, like shoes (especially Doc Martens and Vans), and are Latinas – they even plan on recording an album of songs in Spanish someday. In the meantime, their mix of punk, garage, and rockabilly can be heard on their new album, Trio B.C. Writers Reyna, Monse, Andrea, P.J., and Kat conducted an interview with the band after their performance for GRCA.

Girls Rock Camp Austin: What drew you guys to the Smiths?
Jenn: Phanie was into them first and showed me a CD. It was a great CD – it's called Louder Than Bombs, and it has all these great Smiths songs. We got into it.
Phanie: What drew us was the lyrics
Jenn: We got into the lyrics ...
Phanie: The lyrics and the melody was what got me. I don't know about you [laughs].
Jenn: Yeah – the way he sings and – everything. The music is pretty intense. We try to play it ourselves, but it's so complicated. They're just great musicians.
GRCA: What kind of other music do you like?
Nina: Right now, I'm really into Jeff Buckley. He's always been around, but just recently I'm really getting back into him. Björk. Stereolab. Old-school, like Billie Holiday, Nina Simone.
Phanie: Jenn and I tend to listen to – well, we all tend to kind of listen to the same stuff – but Jenn and I grew up listening to bands like Babes in Toyland and Bikini Kill. Recently, I've been kind of going backward – listening to 90s music. Nina got into Smashing Pumpkins, and now I'm into Smashing Pumpkins. Superdrag. Jenn's a big Elvis fan.
Jenn: I love Elvis Presley, and Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash. I like a lot of rockabilly.
Nina: And the Beatles. You gotta like the Beatles.
GRCA: What influenced your style of music and your appearance?
Nina: The music is more about whatever we're feeling at that moment – that kind of influences the way we write. Like when I start a song – I really got into Sonic Youth, and I wrote a song called "Baby Boy" on the new album that really kind of has that kind of vibe and same style. We really don't go for a style – it's just whatever pops up. When it comes to clothing, we don't really have much fashion sense [laughter]. I love wearing my Docs, I like wearing boots.
Jenn: Yeah, we're into shoes. I think, if anything, we care about the shoes. We like Vans, and –
Phanie: We shop at thrift stores.
Nina: We go to thrift stores. I do like Forever 21, though. I do like that store. [laughs]
Jenn: WHAT???! [laughter]
Nina: Purple pants, man! ... Kick me out of the band! [laughter] No, it's only thrift stores!
GRCA: It’s cool that you buy your stuff at thrift stores. It’s all about helping the earth, and you are, too.
Jenn: We're vegetarians, too!
GRCA: What is your cultural background?
Phanie: We're Latinas. Our grandfather came from Mexico, and we grew up in Texas. [looks at tape recorder] Did you hear? We're Latinas.
Jenn: She's talking to herself!
Nina [louder]: We're Latinas! [laughter]
Jenn: Phanie, she's real soft-spoken.
Nina: She's quietest, but she's also the loudest.
GRCA: Did being Latina affect your music?
Nina: Well, recently it's been working its way into it. We did this show two years ago in Los Angeles – it's a Mexican-rock show – and we did a bunch of songs in Spanish – covers of these songs. "Ven Cerca," which is actually the second-to-last song we played [in the Girls Rock Camp set] is a cover by a band called Los Spitfires. We kept that with us, and we took it on to our new album. Eventually, we'd like to do a full album of songs in Spanish.
GRCA: So do all of you speak Spanish?
Nina: Phannie speaks the most out of all of us, but we got – we have Rosetta Stone.
Jenn: [laughs] Yes, we have Rosetta Stone! ... We're in the learning process, basically.
GRCA: How did you all get into rock music?
Nina: It started with them [points to Phanie and Jenn].
Phanie: Actually, this is a funny story. The reason I started listening to rock is that our grandfather-in-law gave me a headphone set with a cassette already in it, and it was Guns 'n' Roses. So I started listening to only that tape.
Nina: Why did he have that? [laughs]
Phanie: I don't know why he had a Guns 'n' Roses tape! He didn't listen to rock or anything. Then I started exploring rock. Then I got into Nirvana. Jenn was already listening to – [asks Jenn] how did you get into rock?
Jenn: Well, when I was in sixth grade, there was a girl who was all into Nirvana and stuff. This was when they had just come out. I was cool, but then I kind of put it to rest for a bit –
Nina: – and brought out your Boys II Men tape [laughs] –
Jenn: [laughs] Yeah [laughs]. I'm like, "okay Nirvana, I'm gonna go back to Boys II Men." No, but my brother was like, he's kind of nerdy but I kind of looked up to him. He had a cool car and he listened to Pantera and White Zombie, and I was like, "Cool, I want to be like that!" So when I moved to San Antonio and met Phanie I was wearing, like, White Zombie T-shirts, and I thought I was all cool. Then Phanie and I learned, you know, not better music, but we got into our own kind of rock, basically. Because, you know, White Zombie and Pantera are really cool, but –
Nina: I got into rock because, being the younger sister, you listen to what your older [siblings do]. For a while I was listening to what my brother was listening to, and he was listening to a lot of Korn and Pantera and stuff. And then I moved on to Nirvana. I remember when I was putting up a poster – there was a Korn poster, and there was another poster for this band called Travis. I was like, "Which one do I want to follow????" because they're two different genres [laughs].
Phanie: They're completely different.
Nina: Yeah, completely!
GRCA: What convinced you start band?
Nina: I either wanted to be an actress, a singer, or a waitress. [laughs] I don't know why waitress was in there somehow. I would play air guitar and listen to bands and pretend I was playing their music. And [Phanie and Jenn] were in bands, so it was always around me. I thought, "Hey, I could do it, too." So I picked up the instrument and started going for it.
Phanie: I just wanted to be in a band. I liked seeing performers, and our grandfather played in a band and my dad drums, so ... I just wanted to do it, too.
Jenn: I liked the way it looked. I've always liked being onstage with a guitar and performing in front of people. Since I was real, real young, I wanted to be in a band. Finally, Phanie came into my life and made it possible. [Laughter.] "Came into my life." I mean, it might sound cheesy, but it's kind of in you. It's like, you want to play. When Phanie and I stopped being in a band for a little bit and were doing other things, I just didn't feel right. It's like you just want to play. It's in your heart, and you want to play music. And it's good to go for it! Because if you don't, you'll always live with, like, "Man, I could have been in a band," or "What if I was doing this?" You really just don't want to live with "what ifs." You'd rather just do it, and if it works, it works. It's just: You did it.
GRCA: Were there any barriers in your way when you were trying to start the band?
Nina: There were a lot of sacrifices we had to make. I dropped out of high school my junior year – I got my G.E.D., though!
Phanie: You always have to tour. We're broke a lot because everything that we got, moneywise, we put into the band.
Nina: Lots of little arguments because, you know, at one point you think "Should we just give up, or should we keep going?" or "Should I get a real job?" But then we'd just keep going and we'd push each other along. Whenever one was down, we would attack them, and say "no, come on, do it!" It's a lot of hard work.
Jenn: It's the greatest job in the world, I'd say but, yeah, it's tons of work.
Phanie: You have to really want to do it.
Jenn: Yeah, definitely. We miss our families back home, and we're on the road a lot, driving miles, and you get tired. Going from city to city, playing, you kind of get little a tired, exhausted – but it's all worth it.
GRCA: What's your favorite song that you wrote?
Nina: Favorite song I've written, out of all the songs? It would have to be "Their Cell." When I wrote it, it just completely flowed out. The lyrics just came out on their own. It kind of wrote itself. I don't know how. Before, I didn't really have an idea of what I wanted to write about, and on that one, an instant story came out. It felt really good. Every now and then a song comes along, and it just makes me feel like, "Whoa! I'm doing something!"
GRCA: Do you want to add anything?
Phanie: Don't get discouraged!
Nina: Yeah, there's going to be a lot, I don't know why, there's a sense of competition with other female musicians or something – I mean, anybody can be rude, but whenever you see another fellow musician, never see it as competition. Just see it as, "awesome, you're playing music, too" and embrace each other's talents. Respect everybody who has the guts to get up onstage and play.
GRCA: I hear a lot of rockabilly sounds in your band's music. When you guys first started out, did you ever intend for it to sound that way?
Jenn: No, no. Most of the songs start with Nina. We just kind of do whatever feels right at the time. All of us listen to everything.
Nina: There's lots different bands and music lingering on and then when you play, it's whatever flows out. Of course, we love Elvis, Patsy Cline.
Jenn: There's no rules with music, no matter what people say, like with the structure. It's good to have dynamics in a song, because I think that's great, instead of it just being flat – to have changes and stuff like that. Music is an art, and in art, like painting, there's no rules. People throw things together all over a canvas and people are like, "whoa, that's amazing." There are no rules with music. I just say, stay in tune, and have fun. Write whatever you want. You don't have to follow a pattern. That song we did, "Vino": It was kind of this slow song, and then we decided to make it all rockin'. And then all of a sudden, we do this little rockabilly line just because we want to. You know, just – no rules!

Ready to Face the World

My daughter is now a three-year veteran of Girls Rock Camp Austin. What have we tried to do over these years? Prepare her for the fact that women sometimes have to fight harder for respect when they work in a "man's" field. Encourage her natural gifts. Bring out new abilities, the ones that don't come so easily. Teach her to be a leader. Make her more curious about and questioning of the world around her. Show her she can do anything.

So we're riding high last night, after the big finale to GRCA 2009, the 11-band showcase at the Parish. (Can I get an "amen" for the Parish? They treat us so well.) The girl says, "I think now I could go to [name-brand "school of rock"] and be a feminist there."

On the one hand, I think, Oh, no. Stay in the world we've worked so hard to create for you, a place like no other. But on the other, I think, We have done our job. The fact is, the vast, vast majority of women musicians will not have the luxury of working with only women in their bands. In fact, they will mostly be outnumbered by men in their bands. Maybe programs like ours will encourage girls to tilt the balance. I hope so.