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is IDM a boys club ?
 

offline Phresch from fucking Trondheim (Norway) on 2003-05-09 07:53 [#00691138]
Points: 9989 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



Hecate makes damn good music.


 

offline promo from United Kingdom on 2003-05-09 08:32 [#00691175]
Points: 4227 Status: Addict



Lets face it, the amount of girls doing electronic music and
good electronic music at that, you could hardly count on one
hand.

There a no girl musicians in the same league as the likes of
Mu-Ziq, Wagon Christ, Aphex etc etc. The only girl who I
think is quite interesting, is perhaps Hecate, but she is
certainly in the little league (no offence to her).


 

offline mimi on 2003-05-09 08:46 [#00691184]
Points: 5721 Status: Regular



yeah, i am homophobic because i said idm is a gay club


 

offline zar from chicago on 2003-05-09 08:59 [#00691198]
Points: 16 Status: Lurker



i dont see why everyone is so down on bjork...is there
something wrong with singing on top of electronic beats? IDM
isnt necessarily a boys club, so much as it is often a snobs
club (no offense intended, except for those who are snobs)


 

offline Co-existence from Bergen (Norway) on 2003-05-09 09:02 [#00691201]
Points: 3388 Status: Regular



LIDA HUSIK!!!!!

www.lidahusik.com


 

offline alnuit on 2003-05-09 09:03 [#00691204]
Points: 1113 Status: Lurker | Followup to Co-existence: #00691201



thanx. will check her out.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2003-05-09 10:14 [#00691376]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to promo: #00691175 | Show recordbag



I agree.

I dislike the way the topic title (I don't think it was
alnuit's intention) implies a sort of "old boy's network"
actively keeping female artists in the same league as AFX,
BoC and Ae etc. out of the limelight. Fewer females make
IDM, hence it's hardly suprising fewer of them are famous.
It's not a conspiracy by men, just basic statistics...


 

offline promo from United Kingdom on 2003-05-09 10:51 [#00691438]
Points: 4227 Status: Addict



Ceri,

I agree. I think basically women don't make electronic
music. Thats it really. But for those who do there is
definitely a big deal made of it. And most of the time it is
basically fairly average or unforgetable music. The
bottomline is if there was a shit hot artist out there
whether it be a she or he, everyone would be raving about it
anyway.


 

offline manticore from London (ON) (Canada) on 2003-05-09 11:13 [#00691463]
Points: 651 Status: Addict



my god! (pardon the insult, but ...) you ignorant bastards!
=) I can't believe no one mentioned NEOTROPIC!!! now that's
some damn fine superbly crafted & innovative electronic
tunage! 'Mr. Brubaker's Strawberry Alarm Clock' on Ntone (a
ninjatune subsidry) is a classic!
thank heavens nicole elmer got mentioned. her neutral
project is kick-arse! 'blue paper (a neutral rmx)' on the
'masonic' compilation on hymen is one of the most damn
amazing tracks i've heard in ages!


 

offline zar from chicago on 2003-05-09 11:20 [#00691482]
Points: 16 Status: Lurker



maybe i mispoke - i was in no way attempting to speak about
whether or not female musicians are marginalized - for all i
know, they are. i think the classification of music in
general is completely misleading and strange.

electronic music has always been an anonymous genre -
especially if you include hip hop within its borders - i
would love to find an electronic artist that everyone thinks
is a man, but is really a woman...


 

offline manticore from London (ON) (Canada) on 2003-05-09 11:20 [#00691483]
Points: 651 Status: Addict



as far as IDM being a boys club, indeed, it's sad but true!
... but here's what us idm-cheuvinists can do to amend the
situation: encourage our girlfriends, female friends and
acquaintances to get into makin' some glitchy tunes - if
enough people make an effort to do so, we'll see a boom of
female electronic musicians soon enough.

i've posted the quote below under a different topic, but i
think it's worth bringing up again. here's what HECATE has
to say on the issue of music and gender:

Q: If one takes a look on the music business in general it
quickly becomes obvious that female producers and
label-owners are a very small minority. Do you think that
this male dominance still is the result of a traditional
role scheme or just the consequence of the lack of interest
or fear of the technical aspects linked to producing music.
To my point of view most women simply don`t want to quit the
role of a mere music consumer.

A: You are definately right with your assumption. The HWF
was an experiment to see what the underlying problem was
concerning this lack of women in music, and through my own
experience it occurs that it is mostly the laziness and
apathy of these women which is the main problem. Consuming
is the easiest thing to do, if you have the cash....The
whole music industry, and in fact my own "scene", is still
run by men but I have proved through my own actions that it
is not impossible to fight this, although it does take alot
of time, patience and passion for doing what you believe
in.



 

offline astrid-gil-botn from Londinium (United Kingdom) on 2003-05-09 11:26 [#00691491]
Points: 1649 Status: Regular | Followup to manticore: #00691483



no you're getting music confused with the people who create
a fandom around it .

it's up to girls whether they want tomake music or engasge
in it .assholes will be assholes and trainspotting gear
mystifying snobs will always be there .
anyway women dominate pop music so it's not all inbalanced


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2003-05-09 11:26 [#00691494]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



This attitude "we need to encurage more women to make
IDM/become engineers/body builders" sucks. We should make it
so there is the option and let them decide. Fair enough,
make it so that it is accessible to them as men, but if
someone doesn't want to do something without all manner of
incentives (grants for degrees, easier promotion etc.)
because of their gender, it's probablky best they don't.
That way you're less likely to get people who are "in it for
the money" (or fringe benefits) and more because they have a
genuine love of IDM/engineering/whatever.

Sorry, "I am woman, hear me bore!" feminazis have been
pissing me off recently...

//chauvanist mode off


 

offline manticore from London (ON) (Canada) on 2003-05-09 11:27 [#00691495]
Points: 651 Status: Addict



matter of fact, the now "retired" sublabel of ZHARK records
(a label run by hecate)
called The Homewrecker Foundation (HWF) served as a platform
for all-female, all-electronic releases.

here's a link:
www.zhark.org



 

offline astrid-gil-botn from Londinium (United Kingdom) on 2003-05-09 11:31 [#00691501]
Points: 1649 Status: Regular | Followup to Ceri JC: #00691494



there is the opportunity to engage and there are laods
ofwomen involved in electronics - always have been delia
derbyshire who did the dr who theme. pauline oliveros - also
nowdays, leila, mira calx, broadcast, mis kittin, clair from
defocus records lots of those dhr lot, peaches etc blah blah
blah


 

offline manticore from London (ON) (Canada) on 2003-05-09 11:31 [#00691502]
Points: 651 Status: Addict



fair enough. you shouldn't force anyone into doing something
they don't genuinely enjoy, which is not at all what i
meant. however, it must be realized that a lot of people
(and yes, this does include a lot of females) simply do not
have exposure to this type of music which may spark their
interest in trying to make something of the sort. in my own
personal experience, i've come across lots of girls who for
whatever reason had no idea who people like plaid, autechre,
squarepusher, etc. were - but for the most part, it's only a
matter of exposing them to it. once enough people are aware
of this sort of music, the numbers of electronic musicians
will by virtue go up - and this will mean lots more female
musicians.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2003-05-09 11:34 [#00691507]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to astrid-gil-botn: #00691501 | Show recordbag



I know there are a lot of female artists, most notably Delia
as you mentioned. My point is that why should it be
encouraged? Isn't it sexist to focus on one gender? If
someone set up a specifically "all male" label someone would
probably try to sue them under the human rights act...


 

offline manticore from London (ON) (Canada) on 2003-05-09 11:39 [#00691522]
Points: 651 Status: Addict



well, no, the point of getting anyone into such music is
simply because you believe for one reason or another that it
is good - and if you happen to think, "hmm, i wonder if that
arty girl from work who listens to ________ (insert anything
non-electronic you find interesting here) would dig some
tunes by so and so" - and so you make her a mx cd of your
favourite IDM tracks or whatever, and from there on, nature
takes its own course (no, i don't necessarily mean trying to
get into her pants! get that filthy mind out of the
gutter!). i do this for people all the time - regardless of
gender - simply because i don't like hoarding music i think
is good and worth sharing all to myself. and if someone
wants to know some basics on how to make such music, i'm
more than happy to clue them in.


 

offline tibbar from harrisburg, pa (United States) on 2003-05-10 01:28 [#00692650]
Points: 10513 Status: Lurker



www.mileece.net

AND she's gorgeoous AND her music is awesome and intelligent
(unlike some fems who were mentioned)


 

offline tibbar from harrisburg, pa (United States) on 2003-05-10 01:32 [#00692651]
Points: 10513 Status: Lurker



* aki tsuyuko - ongakushitsu (GREAT album)
* cynthia dall - untitled
* noriko tujiko (i know someone else mentioned her, but she
deserves another mention)


 

offline DiaZoHeXagoN from The city of angels (United States) on 2003-05-10 02:46 [#00692674]
Points: 2659 Status: Lurker | Followup to manticore: #00691522



hey I do that to, infact Im working on one for this girl at
work. I want to put "dance like your selling nails" on
there but Im afraid it will scare her away from this
genre...


 

offline alnuit on 2003-05-12 00:52 [#00695027]
Points: 1113 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #00691507



wowee...this went far beyond where I expected it to go. I
never intended (as Ceri pointed out) to say that the
'electronic music industry' is hostile towards female
artists or tries to pigeonhole them...just that with the
numbers so overwhelmingly suggesting that only men make
'electronic music', I wanted to hear about some female
artists that I might have overseen because either a) their
music is very local 2) they are too esoteric. So it was in
that context that I started this thread.

In the true spirit of equal opportunity however, I feel that
everybody (male/female) should make the music that feel
comfortable with and as long as it is original and
interesting, it will get heard. I think that this whole
attitude of
'let-us-herd-up-the-women-and-have-them-make-techno' is
pretty crappy. In just the same way that it might be to
suggest that maybe Warp/NinjaTune artists should croon like
Rufus Wainwright.


 

offline astrid-gil-botn from Londinium (United Kingdom) on 2003-05-12 02:29 [#00695076]
Points: 1649 Status: Regular | Followup to Ceri JC: #00691507



well there are all male labels - all white male middle class
labels - which is why when the world is 50% female and made
up of a multitude of ethnicities it's important to question
why?



 

offline alnuit on 2003-05-12 02:31 [#00695078]
Points: 1113 Status: Lurker | Followup to astrid-gil-botn: #00695076



sure...valid enough question...but that wasn't MY
question...I never posed the question in the femist
prespective.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2003-05-12 02:41 [#00695089]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to astrid-gil-botn: #00695076 | Show recordbag



No, there are labels where all acts are white males... there
are not labels that have a strict "we don't sign females or
ethnic minorities, go elsewhere" policy.

It's not a conspiracy, if there was a black woman who made
IDM on par with Aphex, BoC or Ae they would be as popular,
end of story.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2003-05-12 02:53 [#00695097]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to alnuit: #00695078 | Show recordbag



In response to the original question:

A lot of genres of music have typical artist types, Blues
musician were typically black males, dance music vocalists
are typically female, Welsh Choirs are typically male voice,
etc.

IDM is probably largely white, male and middle class
because:

Geeky, white, male, middle class kids tend to be the type to
spend hours in front of a screen, poring over
manuals/tutorials- in short, your stereotypical computer
nerd. Because of the processes involved in creating IDM I'd
say it's the genre of music nearest to programming/PC use.
Subsequently, the majority of people who make it are
(generally speaking) of the above stereotype. As there are
more of them making it, it stands to reason that more of
them are of a good standard/famous. This doesn't mean people
outside the stereotype aren't- look at Leila for example,
just that there are less of them.


 

offline alnuit on 2003-05-12 02:56 [#00695101]
Points: 1113 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #00695097



Do you always make so much sense ? (serious, no sarcasm...
:) )


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2003-05-12 02:57 [#00695103]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to alnuit: #00695101 | Show recordbag



Nah, sometimes I talk gibberish :D


 

offline Anus_Presley on 2003-05-12 03:22 [#00695123]
Points: 23472 Status: Lurker



yes - so all girrls fuck off.


 

offline gescom33 from manchester (United Kingdom) on 2003-05-12 03:53 [#00695144]
Points: 93 Status: Lurker



andrea parker(talented as well as gorgeous),she used to
record for mo'wax,check out "kiss my arp".also ellen allien
who not also runs the mostly fine bpitch control label in
germany but does her own cool techno/electro type stuff
too,she's just released a new album too"berlinette".she's
also a damn fine dj.


 


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