"Bionic Finger's Take on the Rockrgrl Music Conference," by Alina Moscovitz (Gogirls Music, January 2001)
Question #1: Is it possible to be inspired and completely frustrated at the same time?
The Rockrgrl Music Conference was incredibly motivating, the atmosphere was ultra-supportive, and whether you were a struggling local band or signed to a major label, we were there for a common purpose. Yet, despite the warm fuzzies, a nagging bitterness hid in the pits of our stomachs. Maybe it's because we learned from Courtney Love that while it's not shameful to want to sell records, we may have to wrap ourselves in prettier packages in order to do it. Or because we saw so many incredible female artists perform, yet we are relegated to the silent ghetto of "Women In Rock" - absent from mainstream rock radio. Or maybe even because we feel the need to have a conference like this in the first place.
Question #2: Is it possible to be inspired by your own bitterness?
We needed to do something more than just be an all-female rock band, which is already inherently political. We decided to start with an event called "Take Back the Radio". We booked all-girl bands The Color Guard, Triple Creme and female solo artist Kimya Dawson (and ourselves) for the whole night. Then we gave out flyers encouraging fans to call a list of radio stations in the NYC area and request to hear more female rock voices on the air.
Who knows if it will make any difference. But if bands across the country do something similar, corporate radio is bound to listen to the consumer. Let's say a collective "In your face!" to radio executives who, when questioned about the lack of women on the air, say, "Show me some good music." It's right under your nose, collecting dust on the floor unopened while you spin Third Eye Blind a million times a day. All you have to do is listen.