Female Pressure: Bye-Bye Boys’ Club Part 1

Female Pressure: Bye-Bye Boys’ Club Part 1

12 March, 2010 | 1.00AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: anja schneider, dance disorder, hannah holland, j. phlip, kate simko, next girl dj

It’s no secret that the world of electronic dance music can sometimes feel like a boys’ club. Only one woman, Lisa Lashes, cracked DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list last year, down from two in 2008. Fortunately, things aren’t quite so uneven in the underground, where artists like Ellen Allien and DJ Heather have been calling the shots since some of today’s superstar DJs were still in short pants.

The Next Girl DJ competition, which we introduced last month, aims to remedy that, providing a platform for girls and women to be noticed outside the usual networks.

With a host of new talents on the rise, from house and techno to dubstep and beyond, we thought it was time to salute the women making dance clubs more equal—not to mention more fun—for everyone. With help from the women behind We Make the Tea and Next Girl DJ’s Ashley Douglas, we asked a number of musicians, both old hands and up-and-comers, to share their thoughts on gender and dance music. The questions must have struck a nerve, because we got back more responses than we could print in a single sitting.

Read on to see what Anja Schneider, J. Phlip, Baby G (of Dance Disorder), Hannah Holland, and Kate Simko have to say on the subject, and in the coming days, we’ll be publishing more responses from Bloody Mary, Camea, Chloe, Cio D’or, Maayan Nidam (aka Miss Fitz), Dasha Rush, and more.

Anja Schneider

Not just a respected producer and DJ — or, for that matter, a popular radio personality, thanks to her long-running Friday-night show, Dance Under the Blue Moon — Berlin’s Anja Schneider is also a savvy businesswoman, having built her label Mobilee into one of the most recognizable brands in electronic music. She also sits on the jury of the Next Girl DJ competition, which may well—we hope—contribute to the eventual obsolescence of articles like this.

How did you get started DJing and producing? Did you ever feel that being a woman made it harder for you to get booked, get signed, or get respect?

I have never personally experienced any problems and I don’t think these days that it’s a big issue. It does make me angry, though, when I look at the top DJ lists and there are very few women – only two for example – when I know there are many good female artists around us that are making great music. This makes me wonder what is going wrong, and I think it will be interesting to see the standard of entries in this competition.

It’s no secret that electronic dance music has typically been a boys’ club. What’s your opinion? Do you think that things are changing?

Yes, since the industry is dominated by men, it often feels like a boys’ club, and people could argue that it is. But at the same time, as I and many other female artists have proven, it’s not an exclusive club and there are ways in. Women shouldn’t give up.

Do you think that house/techno is more or less accommodating to female artists than other musical genres?

I think house and techno are well suited to women, as it can be very soulful and funky, and you have to use your hips to get into it. But I also think that you can’t divide music by sexes. With all music genres there are male and female fans.

Have you ever felt that, as a woman, you were somehow expected to “prove yourself” in a way that male musicians don’t have to?

I think we have to prove ourselves double that we have the balls and the skills—and we have.

I’ve heard some people—men and women both—praise female DJs for creating a different vibe than male DJs do. Do you think that female DJs/musicians bring a different sensibility than men? Or is it totally up to the individual?

I think women have a really good intuition for music – a strong sense of feeling and sensibility. You can hear it in female productions and sets.

What advice would you give to girls/women that want to start DJing or producing?

Just start, don’t hesitate, just do it. Be honest and follow your own heart – don’t try to be someone else.

Anja Schneider, ‘iThought’

What inspires you creatively?

I am really inspired by the energy that comes from a real passion with anything – whether it’s music, art, food, or fashion. I think this is often at its greatest with young people, as they really throw themselves into things – so I love to really pay attention to new sounds and trends that are blowing up. When I sense this passion it gives me energy and I’m convinced that the world is still turning.

When and where was the best set you’ve ever played? What made it so special?

This is really difficult to answer and it’s very hard to name just one or two. I never feel a big disappointment with a gig, as I know that whoever has booked me is really interested in what I do and is a fan. As long as there’s a good sound system, you can easily make me happy. I always try to give my best and for me it doesn’t matter if there is 4,000 or 50 people in front of me – as long as they are dancing!

If you could change one thing about the electronic music scene, what would it be?

I wish a bigger sense of value would come back – everything is taken a bit for granted these days, such as five-star hotels and traveling first class. It also feels like records are often released and forgotten. Everything seems to move too quickly.

Finally, how do you feel about the word “DJane”?

Hate it.

J. Phlip

A member of Claude VonStroke‘s flock, San Francisco’s J. Phlip debuted on the Dirtybird label in 2008 with her single ‘Rumble Rumble’. After being selected as one of URB‘s “Next 100” in 2009, things have been falling into place for her (no wonder that’s the title of her 2009 single for Nightlight). Last month, she turned up remixing Claude VonStroke’s ‘The Greasy Beat’ alongside Robag Wruhme and dOP. J. Phlip is flipping lids everywhere she turns up.

How did you get started DJing and producing? Did you ever feel that being a woman made it harder for you to get booked, get signed, or get respect?

I started DJing my freshman year of college. After graduating at the very top of my class in high school and enrolling in the College of Engineering at University of Illinois, I seriously thought I was going to be a math and physics genius! I was following the path of any typical smarty-pants kid… but I guess I wasn’t the typical smartypants kid. I loved the parties and the nightlife – I always had. I especially loved to get lost on a dancefloor, and I loved the music, the lights, the dark, the freedom. I bought some belt-drive decks and made friends with a bunch of hip-hop DJ kids, and then the house music “ravers”, I started cocktailing at a lounge club downtown, and one thing led to another to another – and I realized that the music drove me much more than anything else.

Being a woman probably made it easier to get booked initially. I was a rarity for sure! Getting signed had to do with writing a track and getting it into the hands of someone with a label that wanted it. That had nothing to do with being a woman. Although I would imagine that labels owners might take an interest in signing a woman – because women producers are so rare – they might think of it as a selling point. Regardless, if people think your music sucks they aren’t going to buy it just because you’re a girl.

Respect – now that has probably been more difficult to get as a woman. The dudes wanna hate on you because they’re jealous, and they want to attribute your success to your gender. The girls want to hate because girls like to hate on girls. It’s hard to explain, but I feel like I have to prove myself to certain folks more than a guy would. People want to question your motives, your skills, how you got there, whether or not you are a sell out, if you write your own music! That one really gets me. When my name is on a track with, let’s say, Claude, I am equally responsible for writing that track! He didn’t write it and put my name on it. Anyhoo, girls sell out sometimes and so do guys. What it boils down to is if you work hard and stay true to what you do, the people that really matter are going to see that and give you the utmost respect.

It’s no secret that electronic dance music has typically been a boys’ club. What’s your opinion? Do you think that things are changing?

I hope not, I love being a part of the boys club! Woohooooo! Just kidding – well, a lot of women are running the show behind the scenes. I’m seeing more and more women on dope lineups – right up there with the dudes. But there still aren’t very many female producers. Are there more women out there who want to sit for hours and hours and make bass and beats and spend their money on Ableton and a synth rather than a sexy new pair of jeans and those dope new Givenchy platform wedges? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

Do you think that house/techno is more or less accommodating to female artists than other musical genres?

I have no idea, all musical genres should be equally accommodating to male and female and extraterrestrial artists.

I’ve heard some people—men and women both—praise female DJs for creating a different vibe than male DJs do. Do you think that female DJs/musicians bring a different sensibility than men? Or is it totally up to the individual?

Ok, this is a tough one! I had so sit and think about this one for a while – and ask myself some situational questions. If a male DJ got up and played the exact same set as me, would it be the same vibe? No.
If a different female DJ got up and played the exact same set as me, would it be the same vibe? No. The music takes priority in creating the vibe – the individual is also partly responsible for creating the vibe. Whether they are male or female might also affect that some. I like to use my gender to create humor sometimes - like when I play the track that goes, “Paging Mister Jack… Mister Mee-off please report to the DJ booth” or “There’s some hoes in this house”, it has a totally different sense of humor than when a dude plays it. Unfortunately, there aren’t many tracks like that – oh, new track idea!

J. Phlip, ‘Rumble Rumble’

What advice would you give to girls/women that want to start DJing or producing?

Please don’t take half-naked press shots if you want to be taken seriously – unless you’re a badass like Lil’ Kim. I don’t care how hot you are, I don’t want to see your headphones being used as a bra. Have style, show it off, and work your sex appeal if you want to and if you have it – but be careful with how you do it. People want to judge – let your music speak! Once your music has something to say, everything else will follow. Work really hard and don’t forget why you started - and have fun all the time!

What inspires you creatively?

My friends! Other music of all different genres. The stars.

When and where was the best set you’ve ever played? What made it so special?

Ah man, there have been so many killer sets - too many amazing ones to pick just one. And for me it doesn’t matter if there are 20 people freaking out on the dancefloor or 1000. Those are the sets when the music acts as the catalyst and it reacts properly with all the other elements, like the dancefloor and the soundsystem and the lights and colors and the club or and the time of night and all of the other tiny reactors floating around the room. It creates this massive energy, similar to when someone falls in love for the first time. When you get an entire room to feel like that it is really special. More special than the sauce that G. Love puts on his Big Macs.

If you could change one thing about the electronic music scene, what would it be?

Stupid, fake fools at the afterparties that want to know who you know or who you’re with or what you have to offer. I notice it is more present in places with larger scenes, like here in SF – where people have been in the scene for a really long time. They act like they own it and they don’t want to share, or something. Some of them haven’t even been a part of the electronic scene for all that long, but they still think they own it! They can be very unwelcoming – maybe they’ve got an ego for one reason or another – maybe they’ve been in the scene for too long and gotten twisted up in drugs or something – whatever the reason may be, they got their heads on backwards! Most people are part of the scene because they love the music and they love the other amazing folks in our scene. I don’t get why these other folks get so threatened and try turn it into a popularity contest that’s ten times worse than in high school. Those types of fools really bother me. They can just go poof!

Finally, how do you feel about the word “Djane”?

How do you feel about the word DJick, DJoe, DJoeSchmo, DJerkface? I don’t like it, unless your name is really Jane. Oh, and Superjane is ok in my book too. Those girls are all superdope!

Baby G

Barcelona’s Georgina Fernandez may go by the alias Baby G, but there’s nothing diminutive about her music, which offers a full-bodied take on disco-inspired house music. She’s been recording alongside Pete Herbert as L.S.B. since 2006, with a string of EPs for Eskimo and the L.S.B. Edits labels; most recently, the Berlin-based musician been developing her Dance Disorder project with Robin Crafoord, turning out singles for Eskimo and Bpitch Control.

How did you get started DJing and producing? Did you ever feel that being a woman made it harder for you to get booked, get signed, or get respect?

I started DJing because I love music, and the same with producing. Personally, I don’t think that being a woman really affected my bookings — on the contrary, I think it helped a bit at the beginning as I was one of the only girl DJs in Barcelona. To get signed depends on the music you do, so it doesn’t really matter if you are a boy or girl. To get respect is another story. I really think that being a girl DJ you have to prove to everyone all the time, even to yourself sometimes…

It’s no secret that electronic dance music has typically been a boys’ club. What’s your opinion? Do you think that things are changing?

I think that in the house and techno scene there is definitely a change, and many more very talented girls are coming up, releasing amazing music and playing at the best parties. But I don’t think is happening in the disco or more leftfield scene – this is still totally ruled by men.

Do you think that house/techno is more or less accommodating to female artists than other musical genres?

Not really, I think that hip-hop or pop and rock, for example, are more used to having female artist than dance music.

I’ve heard some people—men and women both—praise female DJs for creating a different vibe than male DJs do. Do you think that female DJs/musicians bring a different sensibility than men? Or is it totally up to the individual?

Personally I think is up to the individual and the style she plays, but it’s true that when a girl is in the DJ booth, it seems like the audience gets much more receptive.

What advice would you give to girls/women that want to start DJing or producing?

Keep doing what you’re doing, don’t try to copy anyone to get more gigs, just do your thing and believe in what you do. People really appreciate authenticity and it always pays off.

Dance Disorder, ‘Zusammen’

What inspires you creatively?

Listening to records that I never heard before. The feeling of not knowing a track and getting surprised by it always puts me in a very special mood.

When and where was the best set you’ve ever played? What made it so special?

There have been a lot of special sets, I can’t name only one. What can make it so special is when people on the dancefloor go mad to a track you just made or dance like crazy to a 90 BPM track at 6 in the morning. I think that the little details like those are what make it special for me.

If you could change one thing about the electronic music scene, what would it be?

I really don’t want to offend anyone with this, but I would ban computer DJs. It just doesn’t feel right for me.

It seems to me like Berlin often has a more progressive attitude towards women artists in general than many other places do. Do you agree or disagree?

I totally agree. It’s one of the reasons why I love living in Berlin.

Finally, how do you feel about the word “DJane”?

I prefer “girl DJ”, but seriously, does “DJane” exist as a word? I thought that DJ is an occupation, like lawyer or teacher, and there is no need to specify the person’s gender!

Hannah Holland

Hannah Holland runs London’s Bastard Batty Bass parties, and is famous for five-hour sets that connect the dots between house, techno, dubstep, Baltimore club, and points further afield. In that sense, Batty Bass isn’t so much a genre as a sensibility—and a refreshingly open-minded one at that. Her records have appeared on Playtime and her own Batty Bass label, and she’s remixed Lionrock, Yo Majesty, V V Brown, and Spektrum—a list as diverse as her influences.

How did you get started DJing and producing? Did you ever feel that being a woman made it harder for you to get booked, get signed, or get respect?

I had been going clubbing in London since the age of 13, always obsessed over music, and knew I needed to have more involvement, I needed to touch it. When I was 17 I had some very good DJ friends who encouraged me to get decks and showed me the ropes. One of them was Sonia (Soto) from Botchit & Scarper, a figure that all the guys loved and respected because she was a truly amazing DJ and 1000% behind the music. One of my favourite clubs around that time was Nag Nag Nag, where Jojo De Freq was the standout incredible DJ that everybody loved. I never really saw being a woman as being an issue, because I had these fantastic DJs to look up to.

I started DJing at house parties, after-hours and warehouses in East London, dragging my record bags from one party to the next, creating a following. From there Trailer Trash took me on as the resident and the rest is history. Its only in the last couple of years I have turned to producing, which is a further extension of my DJing, again getting more involved with the music. But I’ve never felt it’s been harder to get booked because I’m a woman. When you spend years of dedication and you give something to the people, you can only earn respect, man or woman. Plus if you had the attitude that it was harder to get booked as a woman, you would simply get nowhere because you would blame everything that didn’t go your way on that.

It’s no secret that electronic dance music has typically been a boys’ club. What’s your opinion? Do you think that things are changing?

To be honest, no. There is a steady number of women in dance music, but I look through my records and 80% of them are made by male producers, and there is still just a handful of female DJs on line ups and in DJ mags, which are generally full of pictures and articles of blokes. Although Berlin is a different story and seems to have many more female DJs, so as Berlin is the leading city in house and techno at the moment, I’m hoping this will be a mould for the future. There are a few places I’ve been where I’ve been the only female DJ to ever have played there. There was this town in Slovenia where they had only had topless DJs before! That was extreme and totally backwards, but there are people out there making an effort to change people’s perceptions.

Do you think that house/techno is more or less accommodating to female artists than other musical genres?

I think the same rule applies across the board with genres: if you have dedication, passion, know what you’re talking about and good at what you do, you simply cannot be ignored because you are a women. Look at Storm, DJ Rap, Cooly G, Ikonika, all women on top of their game in typically “boys’ clubs”: drum & bass, U.K. funky and dubstep.

Have you ever felt that, as a woman, you were somehow expected to “prove yourself” in a way that male musicians don’t have to?

Most definitely, there is a level of expectation when you see a female musician. And the attitude comes from both men and women: “Did she really produce that herself? Can she mix well?” It’s a ridiculous mindset that needs to be changed. When a female makes it in this business, it’s because she is f**king good at what she does. She has had to shatter perceptions and surprise people all the way through her career, earning extra respect for being a woman.

Hannah Holland, ‘What You Feel’

I’ve heard some people—men and women both—praise female DJs for creating a different vibe than male DJs do. Do you think that female DJs/musicians bring a different sensibility than men? Or is it totally up to the individual?

I think it is totally up to the individual. I’ve heard both men and women play mindblowing DJ sets, full of emotion and power, that have really tapped into the crowd. The idea that women are more sensitive than men is, again, another stereotype. I know sensitive men and non-sensitive women, and vice versa. However, I do think a crowd is more switched onto the DJ when a women is playing, which can create an amazing atmosphere.

What advice would you give to girls/women that want to start DJing or producing?

Just do it, and do not think about the fact you are a woman in the game, just do what drives you and give it 100%.

What inspires you creatively?

Individuality inspires me, London cultural diversity inspires me, Berlin nightlife inspires me, movies inspire me, music from classical to dubstep inspires me, my friends inspire me.

When and where was the best set you’ve ever played? What made it so special?

There have been a few, but one that stands out was the Shoreditch Park festival about four years ago. Trailer Trash had a “stage” (it was some decks under a gazebo!), the sun was beaming and it seemed that everybody that had ever been to the club was there. When I played, the whole crowd completely surrounded the booth and people went insane – megaphones, whistles, people up on each others’ shoulders, it was truly joyful to see the whole family and new faces out in the sunshine, being behind me and what I was doing, going ballistic to the music! We were all united in some serious East End hedonistic sunshine, goosebump moment!!!

It seems to me like Berlin often has a more progressive attitude towards women artists in general than many other places do. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

Yes, there are more women on the scene, for sure, it’s great. Why? Berlin is more relaxed in general. It’s not that lads-and-lasses divide that you get in the UK, the barriers are down and sexual identity is a lot freer, people’s minds are more open.

Finally, how do you feel about the word “DJane”?

It’s hideous!!!!

Kate Simko

Chicago’s Kate Simko has been making waves since her first record for Traum back in 2003, as one half of the duo Detalles, with Chile’s Andrés Bucci. Following a handful of Detalles records and still more solo joints for Kupei Musika, the Ghostly/Spectral empire swept her up. Her records showcase a highly personal style of minimal-but-punchy house music, spacious but full of winking color – a sound that comes across even more forcefully in her expansive live sets.

How did you get started DJing and producing? Did you ever feel that being a woman made it harder for you to get booked, get signed, or get respect?

I started DJing on college radio at WNUR (Northwestern’s radio station). The station is located just outside Chicago and has a history of house and hip-hop shows, so it was a super cool place to learn about the music. After the first year DJing, I became the music director of dance and hip-hop and started collecting vinyl. Right around the same time, I made a switch from studying classical piano to music technology. The school has a great studio, with an Arp 2600, an original Moog modular, etc., along with Logic Audio and Pro Tools recording set-ups. So I learned the technical basics there and combined that with the dance music tastes I was getting from the radio and Chicago scene. I never felt like being a woman stopped me from achieving anything. It was never a consideration, to be honest.

What inspires you creatively?

The biggest inspiration for me is the idea that when you create music, you have the opportunity to leave that behind for the world. Your work and art lives beyond your lifetime. That’s really amazing and keeps me inspired!

When and where was the best set you’ve ever played? What made it so special?

Well, it may not have been my “best” set, but a very special set was opening up for Michael Mayer in Chicago in 2003. It was one of my very first solo live sets. I was working for weeks on the set, composing melodies and trying to figure out how to get enough material to play for an hour. In the end, the music ended up connecting with people and Michael (who I really respect) was smiling at me and offered for me to play a little longer. I didn’t take the offer, but it was really fun and gave me confidence to keep going with my live set. 

It’s no secret that electronic dance music has typically been a boys’ club. What’s your opinion? Do you think that things are changing?

Despite it being a boys’ club sometimes, I think that it’s still a pretty democratic scene. If you’re good at making beats and bringing something original to a party, then people will start to become interested in your sound. Also, women have been good at banding together and supporting each other. For example, DJ Heather, Colette, and Lady D formed their own female DJ collective here in Chicago in the 90’s, called Superjane. They are all talented women who worked hard, and the hard work paid off. Heather, specifically, impressed me as one of the most skilled technical DJs around. I’ve seen her scare guy DJs about to go on after her. So I grew up seeing that. I think if you’re good at what you do, people will appreciate it. It’s great to see more women appearing as producers and DJs, I hope the trend continues.

Do you think that house/techno is more or less accommodating to female artists than other musical genres?

I think it’s the same as most genres. If you look at the amount of female composers/producers in any genre (classical music, jazz, rock, film music, hip-hop, house, techno, etc.), there’s always a smaller percentage of female artists. Women end up performing as a vocalist or instrumentalist most often, but rarely compose/produce their own music entirely. Why, I don’t know, but it seems like there is definitely a pattern here. Some people are intrigued by female DJs, so it can be an advantage sometimes too.

Given Chicago’s heavily multicultural club culture, has Chicago been less unequal for women than other cities?

Hmm, I’m not sure. But, I think the scene here (at least starting in the ‘90s, when I became involved) has been pretty fair. If you’re good, people will respect you and you’ll stand out.

Kate Simko, ‘Take You There’

Have you ever felt that, as a woman, you were somehow expected to “prove yourself” in a way that male musicians don’t have to?

Sometimes I’ve felt that because I’m a woman people expect me to have tech problems. I can think of a lot of examples of that. But it’s a blessing in the end, because it motivated me to get my tech knowledge in check and be able to deal with most situations at the club.

I’ve heard some people—men and women both—praise female DJs for creating a different vibe than male DJs do. Do you think that female DJs/musicians bring a different sensibility than men? Or is it totally up to the individual?

I think women can definitely bring a more sensitive, emotional vibe to the music. Some music sounds like “dude music” to me. It’s not a bad thing, but the testosterone seems to bring out some feelings that maybe we don’t have the same urge to express in our music. But, there’s always an exception. For example, there are some women who produce super hard techno.

What advice would you give to girls/women that want to start DJing or producing?

Work hard and practice a lot. Spend as much time producing music and mixing records as possible.

If you could change one thing about the electronic music scene, what would it be?

I’m not sure how to change it, but I wish the scene were more intriguing for a mature crowd and people in other art scenes. It’s disappointing when I meet people in other fields that have no interest in checking out the “club scene” because of the late-night hours and bad reputation that seem to go along with it. It would be nice to have more daytime festivals or earlier shows that were treated more like concerts. It would be nice if the “lifestyle” aspect that’s developed alongside dance music could be removed sometimes, so people could just get down to the music.

In the past few years there have been a bunch of male artists adopting women’s names (Sarah Goldfarb, Luci, DJ Donna Summer, Actress). What do you think, is this a show of solidarity or are they encroaching on your turf? (I’m sort of kidding, but I’d be curious to hear if you have any thoughts on this.)

Haha, I don’t know. All I have to say is I always do a little Google search when I think I come across a new female artist, to make sure it’s not really a man. Also, I’ve also met people who were surprised I was a woman. They thought I was a man using a woman’s name too!

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