What's offensive about the name Girl Band? Jesus H. Christ, some people are complete idiots.

'Offensive' probably isn't the right word, but if a band solely comprised of dudes doesn't have a better reason for using that name than "we were being ironic or something" then yeah either continue to be grilled about it or find a better hill to die on (which they did).

penningtron wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:45 am 'Offensive' probably isn't the right word, but if a band solely comprised of dudes doesn't have a better reason for using that name than "we were being ironic or something" then yeah either continue to be grilled about it or find a better hill to die on (which they did).

Now they have to answer: "Kudos for changing the band name. But why didn't didn't you pick a better name than you had before?"

tommy wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:55 am Now they have to answer: "Kudos for changing the band name. But why didn't didn't you pick a better name than you had before?"

I don't blame them for getting silly with it. Most band names are pretty dumb.

A friend of mine is in a band called The Young Mothers. Curious to know what the consensus is on this, since they are neither young, nor mothers.

Edit: I suppose I should add that none of them are women.

Double edit for awful grammar.

The difference is that "girl band(s)" was used passive aggressively if not flat out insultingly towards female-led bands (probably still is).

I don't recall "girl band" ever being used passive aggressively to describe a band by anyone I know, ever, and I'm 50yo. You guys need to check your friends I guess?

Do any of you have the argument at hand as to why the name was so offensive? Dumb irony isn't enough, IMO. I mean, lots of band names do not represent what the band members actually are: None of The Smiths are actually named Smith. None of the Banshees are actually Banshees. Wild Nothing is neither wild nor nothing. None of the Monks were monks. The list goes on.

Gilla Band is a stupider name than Girl Band (also stupid) by a long shot.

Or, maybe say they are just more sensitive than the typical rock-n-roll male, which, based on the fact that they did change their name, might be true.

Agree that saying it is passive aggressive is presumptive. Likely just thought the irony was funny. BUT, outside of the 50s and 60s it's likely no girl band ever wanted to be called a girl band. They're a band. Girl band is a bit reductive. It's like saying, they're pretty good for girls.

tommy wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 10:26 am Girl band is a bit reductive. It's like saying, they're pretty good for girls.

Bingo.

I don't care to argue what is offensive or not, just my gut reaction of seeing guys calling themselves Girl Band is "you're not as clever than you think" and "what are you looking to accomplish by going there?" Maybe there was a reason, but it didn't translate. Maybe they just got sick of talking about it and the type of attention it brought.

I did check out their music. Kind of a middle ground between Daughters and Dope Body. meh.

In my early 20s, in the early 90s, I played in what was my first real band that made records and did some touring. We were a female-fronted indie/noise band perhaps like Babes in Toyland or Silverfish. That description is neither here nor there I guess, but we existed in a world familiar you folks here, is the point. Anyway, my recollection of that time is that bands with females were something of an anomaly, to the point where we'd be put on bills with other bands with females, reviews would go out of their way to point out the band wasn't all dudes, and yes "girl band" was an unflattering descriptor that was used. And this was like regular treatment from people who existed in punk/indie and probably should have been more clued in to things. Had the bro set even knew we existed, I'm sure it would have been 5x as shitty.

That they were cool enough to acknowledge this and make a change is a good thing.