rocknroll_n_blues_queens | Women pounding drums: Sandra A.

Noticed that I have been totes sucking much on the "highlighting women drummers" front. I do apologize bbs.

First up is an 2004 article from The Guardian which fails in some ways but I prize it because of the interviews they did with several female drummers:'Not bad - for a girl'Why is it that while female singers and guitarists (my note: Singers yes. Guitarists? I don't think so) are respected, women drummers still struggle to be taken seriously? Clare Longrigg reports

To most of us, it is baffling that a woman would want to play drums in the first place. (:/ Like I said. FAIL. What the fuck is baffling about liking the way a drum sounds and wanting to do that?) The image of a drummer is of a geeky bloke in shorts with arms like a weightlifter. Nobody pays attention to drummers - except other drummers. "A girly girl would not want to play the drums," Stapinski concedes. (Blink. Why the fuck not? Its SOCIETY that constraining the choices of a girly girl, what the hell is so strange about liking makeup and clothes and still wanting to bash the fuck out of a drum set. The reporter's reinforcement of gender roles BLEEDS through this piece. Asshole.)

Stapinski maintains that women often have a better natural sense of rhythm than men, and explains her passion: "Drums are the driving force of the band. Without the drums it's not rock'n'roll. It's all about the rhythm. You're not the centre of attention but you are the back beat."

You may not be the centre of attention, but you're still being judged. On your looks, as well as your skills. "As a female, you really undergo scrutiny when you're playing drums. You have to look good as well," says Stapinski. "When Led Zeppelin were playing, whoever said, 'The drummer's really ugly'?"
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Even without this biological obstacle, being a drummer can be a tough career choice for a girl. Emma Gaze, who plays with arty all-girl Brighton band Electrelane, believes a lot of potential female drummers get discouraged: "You're constantly striving against a barrage of criticism and a lot of women do give up."

Female musicians habitually run the gauntlet of blokes in music shops, magazines and studios who subscribe to the view that women know nothing about music and shouldn't even try. Female drummers in particular, trespassing on male territory, often experience a sneering attitude. "I never got over the problem of buying stuff in music shops," says Stapinski. "Those guys are just frustrated musicians who take it out on you."

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Contrary to popular perception, women drummers are not short of role models. Today's aspiring drummers can look to Meg White of White Stripes - although the band is mainly focused around the charisma of Jack White. But there have been women drummers since Karen Carpenter and Moe Tucker of the Velvet Underground - although Tucker herself said: "Everybody was so drugged back then that they didn't notice I was a woman."

Nobody could fail to notice Sheila E or Cindy Blackman, both glamorous divas (Blackman's website shows her posing in a revealing red gown astride her drum kit, which I doubt anybody ever asked John Bonham to do), although both are perhaps better known as percussionists. Even they have to deal with reflections on their gender: Sheila E played on Prince's Sign o' the Times tour and film, in which he follows a searing drum solo with the sly aside, "Not bad - for a girl." Blackman once opened for James Brown, who wrote on one of her cymbals: "To the female king: you're too awesome to be queen." "
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Oh really, boys and girls that subscribe to that BS?

In short, as per usual, drummer-women are slamming right up against insecure men and patriarchy-subscribing women who want to uphold the lousy status quo. Well, to hell with that. Join with me in highlighting the women who are drumming the doors down!

Lets start with Sandra Alverenga, or Sandra A. She used to be in Black Veil Brides and her work so far is on their first album: We Stitch These Wounds

Black Veil Brides "Knives and Pens" Standby Records

She left the band around August of this year and according to reports, has joined Modern Day Escape and so her work should show up on their next album.