My first riot grrrl zine article!

Hey! I got to write for a zine. My friend Elle on Wheels has a zine called riot grrrl south western australia and asked me to contribute. These were available at the Bunbury Zine Market, and probably at various Bunbury Roller Derby bouts or Rapscallions gigs in the future.

Don’t be “that guy”

Here we go…it’s the first time I’ve been asked for input into a riot girl zine, and it’s an honour to have been asked. I regard myself as a feminist and a man, who, like all men is quite blind to the struggles of women in the underground music world and in society in general. I make no excuses for it, white male privilege protects me from much of the struggles women endure on a daily basis, and unless I look for the injustice or inequalities I’m unlikely to see them. 

I think what I’d like to write about on this page is something I’m very conscience of at punk and hardcore gigs. And that’s the lack of women. Everyone likes music, but going to see bands at the local pub isn’t everyones idea of a great time. However if it’s heavy music there is always more men than women. Some of this might come down to preference, but there’s probably a lot more going on here. 

First off, it’s a disgrace that girls aren’t taught when they are young that they can play the drums or electric guitar, or they can scream into a microphone like their male peers. Parents are getting better nowadays, (i hope) but theres a long way to go. In my experience, the most dedicated fans of live music often play music themselves. 

Next lets talk about exclusion. The boys club is something that you see often with bands. The whole idea that a guy and his male friends will get a band together as a form of male bonding. This part is fine, if thats the intention, however all-male bands are quite often unconsciously doing this, and they don’t even think of their female friends as competent musicians or suitable band pals. Worse still they don’t give women a go often opting for their male friend who is learning an instrument over a female friend learning the same instrument.

When it comes to attendance at venues, women are often entering a hazardous environment. In fact sometimes its surprising that women show up to a punk, metal or hardcore show at all. 

Beginning with the unwanted and threatening advances from the opposite sex. Sure, this kind of thing happens elsewhere, but is much more prevalent at a shows where alcohol is being served and theres a real “bro” environment. The other thing is, that guy that was just being a sleaze, is now violently moshing at the front and hitting people in the face making it impossible for women to be in the mosh pit. 

A lot of people work really hard to create an environment where everyone can feel welcome, a small community forms and the more men and women involved the better the local music scene becomes. But it’s “that guy” who come and makes women feel uncomfortable and undoes all that hard work. Dude you’re shitting on everyone here. Don’t be “that guy”.

To wrap this all up, the point I’m making is that women are left out when it comes to underground music. I won’t pretend to know what women should do to become more included but I have a message for the men. If your daughter wants to play drums, let her. If your friend is a guitar player, see if she want to jam sometime. And if you are at a gig, treat everyone with respect and give them the space they need to enjoy the show too. 

Thanks Elle, for asking me to write something for your zine.

Paul

If you’re interested check out bands I play in - 

CABIN FEVER // WITCHCLIFF // RABID ABBOTT

Stuff I think about Volume 263492638492: the term "Dog Whistle"

Ok...This is a rant, after all what are blogs for, right?

I started writing a paragraph on Facebook and it quickly turned into something much longer. So I didn't want to punish everyone on Facebook...

Stuff I think about Volume 263492638492: the term "Dog Whistle"

I've heard this come up a few times lately, often in the context I think it means, as in media or politicians saying something to gain a predictable reaction from a group of people.

Dog's are great! And I don't want to put down our fury little friends. Dogs are loyal to their masters. A person loyal to their masters is a tyrant in society by not questioning the motives of corrupt powers such as government, or police and simply following orders, or allowing the seeds of fear to manipulate them into doing their dirty work. A "dog" in Aussie slang could refer to an ugly person or an informant to police. And this is how I see those who come running to the "Dog Whistles" that are blown.

The Prime Minster of Australia can't say some things but another well paid politicians or media shock jocks or interest groups will no doubt get well looked after by the powers up the line to become the fall guy to allow them to push an agenda.

I noticed Kim Vuga from Go Back To Where You came From is running as an independent with backing from here and overseas. Politicians who exist solely for this purpose are Cory Bernardi and George Christensen, who's job is to say the most outrageous things they can and Guess whats on the news for the rest of the week? Then we get real fucking dogs like reclaim Australia and the United Patriots Front, who are going to eat up the shit off the front lawn of Parliament House because it's still warm and tastes something like dog food.

The Howard government was very good at seeing the value that Pauline Hanson and One Nation Party had, by letting them take all the heat and never gaining any real power but later adopting their ideas as policy. More or less playing the good cop card.

I feel bad for my best buddy who's sitting next to me now but he is very loyal to me and would protect me, even if I was in the wrong and trying to screw you over. 

In the sniper the father says:

“There are three types of people in this world: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs,” the father intones gravely. “Some people prefer to believe that evil doesn’t exist in the world, and if it ever darkened their doorstep, they wouldn’t know how to protect themselves. Those are the sheep.”

He continues:

“Then you’ve got predators, who use violence to prey on the weak. They’re the wolves. And then there are those blessed with the gift of aggression, an overpowering need to protect the flock. These men are the rare breed who live to confront the wolf. They are the sheepdog.”

In Animal Farm the Dogs protected the Pig's who made themselves in charge of the farm and treated the working animals poorly. I prefer Animal Farms version because the sheep dog is not a friend of the sheep, only doing what it's told...so I just never thought of the sheep dogs  protecting the sheep but working for the farmer and yapping at their heals to get them onto the truck to the slaughterhouse.

I've ranted enough. If you made it this far, thanks for reading. 

Go out and protest against the Reclaim Australia and UPF on November 22nd in your capital city.

Cheers.