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Why girls? Why a Girls Rock Camp?
Someone has actually asked me that.
Really?
Have you ever watched Mtv? (Especially now that it only schedules reality television.) Have you seen the dozens of blatant sexualized covers of RollingStone Magazine?
Why are there so many more men in popular music than women? And why are most of the women in popular music singers? Where are all the female instrumentalists?
Do you want to see more women on TV being real women rather than over sexed school girls?
Aretha Franklin, Wanda Jackson, Joan Jett, Sleater Kinney, Queen Latifah, and Bjork: these are someof the famous woman that Girls Rock Camp (GRC) uses as role models. But GRC also seeks to shine the light on every day role models: our cool sisters, the girl next door and the band that plays in that small club on Fridays.
This Saturday, July 11 at 2pm at the Metro Oakland Opera House you will be able to see the 70 or so girls perform their original songs that they will write with their bands this week. Whether or not they ever pick up these instruments again, GRC hopes to inspire each and every one of them to be powerful and true to themselves. I highly recommend that you pencil this show into your weekend. You will not regret it. I usually spend the whole two hours smiling with tears in my eyes. It's amazing what these kids can do in a week.
GRC and Ladies Rock Camp seeks to make self-respecting confident rockers and women out of your daughters, nieces, mothers, students and friends. It's all about female-empowerment, using music as the medium. In six days girls ages 8-18 will learn an instrument, form a band, write a song and perform it for a live audience.
The camp seeks out woman who are true to who they are and make them role models. I like Lady Gaga, I really do, she's got some great pop tunes. Did you know that she plays piano and was discovered as a songwriter? This woman is highly talented. But all we really see of her, unless you do some research, is that she wears little clothing and sings songs about sex and dancing.
Click here to see Lady Gaga perform "Poker Face" accompanying herself on piano.
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the Queen of Rockabiliy: Wanda Jackson.
I'm sick of seeing women "dumb" themselves down as sex objects, even if they claim it is their choice. I want to see real women like Beth Ditto of the Gossip, Girl in a Coma, My Brightest Diamond and Theresa Andersson on my tv. And I want the young women of the United States (and why not say it, the world) to see these women and want to be more like them. Woman can be sexy, but they shouldn't compromise themselves to do it.
For the next six days, for every day of camp, I will be featuring the women of music of the past, present, future; bands and individuals that I, and others of GRC, have found inspirational.
Wanda Jackson
Have you ever heard of Wanda Jackson the "Queen" or "First Lady of Rockabily"? Many haven't. She was born in Oklahoma and started her career in high school touring with Elvis. She turned some heads and wore outfits made and designed by her mother including fringe dresses, high heels and long earrings. She claims to have put the "glamor into country music."
In the early 70s Jackson started recording gospel tunes and began to tour regularly in Europe. Her song "Fujiyama Mama" hit number one in Japan. She's still touring and was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
This is Wanda Jackson's "Hard Headed Woman" from the late 1950s.
Girl in Coma is a Latina all girl group from San Antonio. TThey will be playing at the Bottom of the Hill on July 16th. More about these ladies to come. Enjoy their song "Say."
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