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Musings on the Role of Femininity in the Music Industry

Historically speaking, women, and those that are female-identifying, have largely been unwelcome in the music business. Unless you were an overstated, hyper-exaggerated version of a sexual, feminine ideal in a front person role, you had no place, no business being near a stage, studio, or mixing board.

The concept of the feminine identity in relation to the music industry is one that perplexes and fascinates me. Now I don’t necessarily mean simply dressing in a “girly” way – most, if not all, of us, are unable to wear a skirt when working (it’s not practical in the slightest, not to mention a possible safety hazard in live situations. I prefer my trusty blue jeans.) – but more the attitude, the feeling of being “feminine,” whatever that means, and how it translates to our work.

I interviewed a few of my colleagues regarding their thoughts on this topic, asking the question, “have you ever felt like you’d have to reject your femininity in order to be successful in the industry?” Most that I asked this question to initially responded with a hard, “no.” Jill Meniketti, band manager for Y & T stated,

“That’s not something I’ve ever focused on.  I focus on my work, which I take seriously.  When you excel at your job, that garners respect, regardless of gender.”

Delving in a little deeper into the feminine mentality/attitude aspect garners a slightly different response. When I first got started in the studio, my college professor insisted that being a woman in the studio was a massive advantage, because they are better at keeping the peace and stepping into the role of the band’s creative therapist. My friend Eva Reistad, a studio engineer based in Los Angeles, echoes this thought. When I asked if there was a time when being feminine proved advantageous, she stated, “yes there was: band members sometimes are more open to the fact that you’re a woman, in which case they’ll sort of open up and tell you more things, which will cause the session to go better. I don’t think it’s really anything so much as femininity so much as being female.” Somehow, just being a woman allows people to feel more secure and comfortable in that situation.

Through all my discussions on this topic, the main conclusion I come to encompasses more than just femininity. It’s about being comfortable with who you are. As Eva puts it, in the end, what I think is how you present your aura, your energy, that will determine how you are treated. You cannot control how other people react. Be comfortable with yourself entirely.”

There is power in being a woman in the music industry. Being confident and secure in who you are provides a sturdy foundation for the rest of your work, whether you are a tech or an artist.

Jill’s Website:

Eva’s Website:

 

Norah Seed – Finding your Dream Job

By Toni Venditti

Norah Seed is an audio engineer who has worked in Live Sound for over 25 years. She has worked in theatre, television, and AV. She currently heads the audio department for the Shell Theatre in Alberta, Canada.

(more…)

Would You Say That to Your Boss?

 

In my position, I spend the majority of my time teaching new students how to run the equipment we own. All the artists know they are coming to a college where learning occurs, and a majority of the audience members know this too.  We constantly hear from artists that we have better equipment and are more prepared than the last school they were at, and I pride myself on that achievement. My expectations for a show are no less than what a professional production person would produce. (more…)

The Translator

 

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Often in my job, I end up being the middle person. I don’t own the contract with the band, but I have to fulfill the requirements. Sometimes I get a say in what is allowed in the rider, other times I get to deal with cross renting items late in the game because I didn’t see the completed contract until the day before. I get to communicate with the band the possibilities for their show but must get all changes approved by the purchaser.

I’m sure many of you deal with people like me while on tour where others are in the same position as venue operators. I would like to point out that being the middle person has also given me an interesting aspect of my job that I tend to forget about the most: The Translator. (more…)

Kim Watson on Mixing and Teching Monitors

image1What goes into being a great tech that engineers request or want to work with? The fourth in a series of articles on system teching and what it takes to be a great tech.

UK based sound engineer Kim Watson has been a freelance audio engineer since 1999.  She is currently touring with The Subways as a monitor engineer.  (more…)

Becky Pell – Audio Dharma

Independent monitor engineer Becky Pell has been working in live sound for the past 25 years. Currently, on a world tour with Westlife, her mixing credits include Aha, Anastacia, The War of the Worlds, Muse, Take That, Il Divo, Kylie Minogue, Bill Wyman, James Brown, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Brightman, and Natalie Imbruglia, as well as being house monitor engineer for several years on the main stage at the world’s largest festival, Glastonbury. She started out as an apprentice at London PA company RG Jones, where she worked for five years and mixed events such as The Queen Mother’s 100th birthday banquet, and investiture ceremonies at Buckingham Palace for Her Majesty the Queen, before going freelance. In her early freelance years, Becky was monitor and RF tech on tours including Kylie Minogue, Travis, and Black Crowes. 

Becky went to her first concert at age 12 and found herself sitting behind the FOH guy. She was spellbound, “I didn’t know whether to watch the band or him! It suddenly dawned on me that there was a whole industry behind this music that I loved, and it looked WAY better than a ‘proper job. From that moment on, all I wanted to do was be a sound engineer. 18 years later, in a rather lovely ‘full-circle twist, I wound up doing monitors for that very same band for five years.”

Becky has worked for an impressive roster of A-level artists, but getting to the top of her profession didn’t happen overnight or without a lot of hard work. “I didn’t have a clue how to get a foot in the door and knew no one, but I found a college course in studio engineering and figured that was a start. After I graduated, I got hold of a copy of the industry bible at the time, The White Book (this was pre-internet), and wrote to pretty much anyone who I thought might be relevant, to very little avail. I did a little work making tea and cleaning tape-heads at a couple of studios, but it was live sound that I wanted to get into. I got an unpaid ‘dogsbody’ position at Glastonbury festival in 1995, which fueled the fire to succeed even more.”

Be prepared to go where the work is

After she saw an ad, ‘sound engineer wanted,’ for London PA company RG Jones in The Stage magazine, Becky took a chance and applied, knowing full well she was under-qualified for the position. “Simon Honywill and John Carroll, to their immense credit, decided to give me a chance – female engineers were pretty much unheard of back then – and invited me to London for an interview (I was still living in the north of England at the time). They said that whilst I certainly was under-qualified, they were looking for an apprentice, and was I interested? Obviously, I pretty much bit their hands off at the chance! I moved my life to London and started work five days later.” Becky also credits Bruce Springsteen’s engineer, Fred ‘Gumby’ Jackson, who she worked with at the RG Jones, as one of her mentors.

While working for RG Jones, Becky “cleaned a lot of cables, loaded a lot of trucks, and bit by bit was allowed to start getting my hands on the gear. It was a fantastic grounding, and I highly recommend that route to anyone wanting to really learn their chops. I stayed there for five years, and then, having learned a lot and gotten to know a lot of people in the business, went freelance.” Her first tour was as Monitor Tech with the Black Crowes.

Three of the most important lessons Becky has learned are:

Becky loves traveling the world and “the camaraderie of a crew of great people who are top-notch at their job but can also have a laugh with it. And working with my first love music.” “I did a theatre tour last year that was a lot smaller than most I’ve done in the past – band and crew were all on one bus, the whole production on one truck, and it was some of the best fun I’ve had in a long time! Naturally, I get a huge buzz from stadium shows, but for this tour, we had such a great team that it really was like a family, all for one and one for all. The people are, ultimately, what makes or breaks a tour.” Still, as most touring folks do, Becky finds it tough being away from loved ones for extended periods. Also, being freelance makes it impossible to commit to personal arrangements far in advance.

Favorite day off activities while on tour include checking out the local area. “I get a map from reception, so I can find my way back, and just take off in whatever direction appeals to me. European old towns are a particular favorite for exploring. Then I’ll go back to the hotel for a few hours in the afternoon and do some yoga, before gathering a few fellow roadies for a delicious dinner – I love trying local specialties.”

Becky’s list of must-have skills for being a monitor engineer?

Advice Becky has to offer young women entering the field-

Touring is a pretty rough and ready environment, so as a younger woman on the road you have to learn not to be over-sensitive about the inevitable silly comments – just learn to give as good as you get, because it’s often a test to see how you’ll respond, and not meant with any malice. I found that by mucking in and working hard, being good-humored and friendly, I was quickly accepted into the fold.

Like anything worth having, it’s hard work, but it’s SO worth it!

Be prepared for long days and getting your hands dirty, and don’t be surprised if it’s years before you actually start mixing bands. Good things take time.

If you don’t understand something, ask. Most people are happy to share their advice and experience.

Learn to give as you as you get with the banter – most of it is not meant to offend. You may encounter a few sexist attitudes, but we don’t let people like that get in our way, we just prove them wrong! Don’t have a chip on your shoulder about being female – just get on with your job, don’t make a big deal of it, and other people will follow suit. Remember: we teach people how to treat us.

Dress appropriately, but you don’t have to become a pseudo-guy. It’s ok to be a woman. Better than ok!

Above all, have fun with it – it’s one of the most exciting, adventurous, and satisfying ways of life you could ever have. You get to travel the world, meet wonderful people, and work with music – for my money; it doesn’t get much better than that!

Staying Fit on the Road

Along with being a Monitor Engineer, Becky Pell teaches yoga and meditation to many of the bands and crew she works with. She has found that there are many parallels between the two jobs. Check out her recent blog on the topic: Same fit different way- why my two jobs are one and the same.

“In both roles, I’m creating a comfortable environment for the people I’m working with, whether that’s an audio environment or comfort within their body and mind. Trust is key in both roles – the artist or student is placing their confidence in me, so it’s all about them feeling safe. Good communication is vital for both – interpreting what someone really means when they struggle to articulate what they feel or hear. And setting up strong foundations applies strongly for both as well – whether that’s physical alignment or good gain structure! On a personal level, I find that my yoga and meditation practice really helps me to stay calm and grounded in any situation, which is a great tool to have during gigs.”

Touring life is hard on the body. Yoga and meditation help Becky stay fit on the road. “I find an empty dressing room when I get off the bus and do an hour before I shower and load in. If we’re traveling with caterers, as is the norm in Europe, then it’s usually pretty easy to eat healthily. When it’s local catering, which can be hit and miss, I head to Whole Foods on a day off and get a stash of healthy food for the bus, and that way I’m covered if catering is a deep-fried disaster. It’s also a good tactic for avoiding the siren call of late-night pizza! I do like a beer or a glass of wine after the work is done, but I try not to drink on consecutive days, and I keep it to a couple of drinks when I do. “ Becky’s guide for getting healthier on the road.

More on Becky:

 

Find More Profiles on The Five Percent

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Setting up Heart Fest

 

For the past three years, I have helped out my friends with the audio & production side of a small festival they organize called Heart Fest. Held in Gatineau, just across the river from Ottawa, Heart Fest features over 30 hardcore & punk bands from across the world. (more…)

Meet 23db Productions

By Karrie Keyes

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23db Productions started in 2014 by Fela Davis and Denis Orynbekov. The partnership was sparked when Denis purchased recording equipment and asked if Fela would be interested in recording with him. (more…)

The Road to 23db Productions – Fela Davis

 

11864830_1025765017455651_8199922057651526845_oFela Davis graduated from Full Sail University in 2002 and works as a live sound and recording engineer. Last year she started 23db Productions with Denis Orynbekov. (more…)

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