{"id":9969,"date":"2015-06-18T17:51:04","date_gmt":"2015-06-18T17:51:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stylusmagazine.ca\/?p=9969"},"modified":"2015-06-18T17:51:04","modified_gmt":"2015-06-18T17:51:04","slug":"retrospectives-on-may-releases-from-manitoba-musicians-basic-nature-carly-dow-raine-hamilton-and-rayannah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/2015\/06\/18\/retrospectives-on-may-releases-from-manitoba-musicians-basic-nature-carly-dow-raine-hamilton-and-rayannah\/","title":{"rendered":"Retrospectives on May Releases from Manitoba Musicians: Basic Nature, Carly Dow, Raine Hamilton, and Rayannah"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"womeninwinnipeg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

By Selci<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

Recently I ran into local musicians Raine Hamilton and Rayannah at Thom Bargen and we discussed all the women releasing albums in May. It seemed like a great idea to get everyone together at Munson Park and talk about music and being women in the scene in Winnipeg. Raine, Ray, Carly Dow, Basic Nature, and I spent an afternoon in the sunlight and had a lovely and productive discussion about music and equality. It all began with one question:<\/p>\n

How does it feel being a woman in the current Winnipeg music scene?<\/b><\/p>\n

Rayannah<\/b>: I think we\u2019re at a very interesting time for women in Winnipeg\u2019s music scene because I see the discrepancy mostly in our industry, and less on the musician\u2019s side of things, although though there is certainly a discrepancy. But here we are, a bunch of women in one month all releasing music and doing really cool things. The place where I actually see the discrepancy is in the people who hold power in the industry in the province, particularly in organizations. Though that is shifting, not to say that someone who identifies as a man can\u2019t be an ally of course. I feel like there is an education that is just starting to happen now. There were many years where that education wasn\u2019t there. In terms of bookers and venue owners, it\u2019s just so refreshing when I go to other cities where I deal with more women on the road than men. That still isn\u2019t really a possibility here, and that\u2019s where I feel the resistance the most. Not so much with my colleagues and peers doing awesome things, more so with the industry itself.<\/p>\n

Carly<\/b> Dow<\/b>: I feel like it is really a supportive community here in Winnipeg. It\u2019s so small but it\u2019s thriving, and people are not competitive in a negative way. It\u2019s just a really welcoming community and super supportive. It\u2019s interesting with the discussion of women in music and of women doing specific things. I appreciate the inspiration it can allow for younger folks, or anyone that wants to do something like this. On the other hand, we\u2019re just musicians. We don\u2019t have to talk about being women. We\u2019re really kick ass musicians and we don\u2019t have to be segregated as \u2018women musicians.\u2019 I think that is something to keep in mind. I always have a strange feeling about people saying, \u2018Oh you\u2019re the solo female songwriter. We\u2019re going to fit you in our slot at the festival because you fit that exact slot.\u2019 And it\u2019s like, \u2018how bout you hire me \u2018cause you like my music not because there is that one little thing that you need to satisfy in your festival listing.\u2019 It\u2019s an interesting balance of being proud of being a woman and being strong and hoping to inspire other people, but also we\u2019re all just doing what we love.<\/p>\n

Lyzie Burt:<\/b> One thing that I have been feeling for awhile now is that there is the potential that there might be a huge tip of the scale where everything is focused on women, women, women. Which obviously isn\u2019t the best thing because it\u2019s still not equaled coverage. But it might be necessary. It puts that weird feeling inside, where you feel like there is going to be a lot of acknowledgement for your sex, whatever sex you are, if you\u2019re not a man playing music or other things too. There is going to be over acknowledgment for little while until everything sort of equals out.<\/p>\n

Claire Bones<\/b>: \u00a0I feel that. There have been a lot of articles in the local newspapers and media about female musicians. I\u2019ve been talking to some of my guy friends, and some of them are almost worried about it. I had some of the same ideas (as Lyzie) and some of them were like, \u2018This is going to get blown out of proportion – it\u2019s totally insensitive.\u2019 They are concerned that it will become just dominated by females. I don\u2019t think that will happen – we will gain the recognition then it will balance out. Like don\u2019t worry, if that is what you worry about. Jerk. Haha! I kinda want to know what some men feel about it\u2026 Just recently I have been getting to know more female musicians for some reason. I don\u2019t know why that is. I don\u2019t think it is because of everyone talking about it, but I have just played with a lot of men.<\/p>\n

Selci<\/b>: There are just so many dudes! When I was growing up in high school I didn\u2019t think I could be in a band for a long time because I was a girl and I didn\u2019t have other girls to play with. Then once I realized I could be in a band, most of my players were dudes. That\u2019s how it goes because there is an unbalanced ratio. I think for a long time a lot of young girls didn\u2019t think they could be in bands, and they weren\u2019t in their high school bands with all the guys. Now we\u2019re like, \u2018Okay, yes, we can be in the bands.\u2019 That\u2019s what\u2019s awesome about talking about this stuff \u2018cause we can inspire the younger generation. Maybe in the next generation there will be a ton of lady musicians and it will balance out.<\/p>\n

LB:<\/b> With a lot of the talk, it feels like there has been an explosion of female awareness.<\/p>\n

CD:<\/b> Yes, on social media there is a lot of discussion about empowerment and equality.<\/p>\n

LZ:<\/b> I think that it is giving a lot of inspiration. It\u2019s definitely given me a confidence booster – like yes, I am a woman and I\u2019m proud to be a woman, and I\u2019m going to fucking play music \u2018because that\u2019s what I like doing. I hope other people feel the same way.<\/p>\n

S<\/strong>:I am definitely inspired by the women around me, it helps drive me and I feel supported.<\/p>\n

R<\/b>: I am also prepared to deal with more sexist incidences that take place in my career. Carly, Beth, and I spend a lot of time together, along with some other friends of ours. We have had tons of discussions about things that have happened to us. I have a lot of other really close female friends in the industry, and things are still happening that should not be happening. I think that is why there is so much coverage in the media because a lot of really good stuff is happening but also because bad stuff has to stop<\/i> happening. It is an environment where we have to make decisions about how to react to these things on the job, no one is going to do it for us. So having the support network to contact each other and ask, \u2018Was this unfair? What should I do about this, or should<\/i> I do something about this?\u2019 I feel a lot stronger having these interactions and conversations and when things do happen I don\u2019t have that sense of doubt in myself. \u2018I know I am allowed to be here just like anyone else and I know what I\u2019m doing, so actually you can\u2019t talk to me like that,\u2019 or whatever the situation might be, and that is a big change I think. At lest for me it has been a really big thing to feel that strength.<\/p>\n

LB<\/strong>: I’ts nice to be able to talk about that. I think about this stuff and there is all sorts of ways of thinking about it and it\u2019s just nice to talk to other women.<\/p>\n

CB<\/b>: Are there ever instances where you feel that kind of thing is happening and you wonder, is it because I am a woman or does everyone get treated that way? \u2018Cause sometimes I wonder, \u2018Is this person treating me this way because I am a woman, or is it just how they treat people?\u2019 Mostly when it comes to information about music or technical stuff.<\/p>\n

Everyone<\/b>: It \u2018s always the gear!!! [Laughter]<\/p>\n

CB:<\/b>\u00a0Yes, most often to do with gear. I don\u2019t know how to differentiate sometimes. I guess just go with your gut.<\/p>\n

CD<\/b>: Sometimes people are just dicks, and other times they\u2019re sexist.<\/p>\n

S: <\/strong>I\u00a0<\/strong> guess it can be hard to differentiate. There are sometimes where I just have that feeling in the pit of my stomach. \u00a0One minute you\u2019re treating me all cute like \u2018Let me do this for you,\u2019 then the moment that I say that I can do it myself and then I\u2019ve proven so, they treat me with respect only after<\/i> I\u2019ve shown them that I know what I am doing. \u00a0I always find that kind of funny, that you\u2019re not just going to treat me with respect right off the hop, I need to show you that I know how to plug in a cable, or whatever.<\/p>\n

C<\/b>: \u2018Cause I don\u2019t want to assume and be like, \u2018You\u2019re talking to me this way,\u2019 and they\u2019re like, \u2018No no no.\u2019<\/p>\n

S:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0And I am sure if you called someone out for being sexist, most likely they\u2019d be like, \u2018No, I believe in equality. Of course I don\u2019t think that.\u2019 But a lot of it is unconscious social conditioning.<\/p>\n

LB:<\/b>\u00a0Also, what about women who are playing that don\u2019t really know what they are doing? \u2018Cause I know I have played shows where I do need some help.<\/p>\n

S:<\/b>\u00a0That shouldn\u2019t matter either.<\/p>\n

CD:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0It\u2019s the same with men though.<\/p>\n

R:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0Yeah, there are tons of dudes that don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing. Why is it that they get to not know what they\u2019re doing, but the moment that we don\u2019t know what we\u2019re doing it\u2019s like \u2018Oh honey?\u2019 How bout you just show me and then I\u2019ll know.<\/p>\n

S:<\/b>\u00a0It goes back to the equality thing. I am going to be treated slightly differently than a male that would be in the same position. Eventually, hopefully, you\u2019re just going to treat me the same and there wont be like patronizing comments, like . . .<\/p>\n

RH:\u00a0<\/b>\u2018Oh, you\u2019ve done this before? Shocking!\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018I\u2019ve been doing this for ten years\u2019 . . . So I have one more thought to add about women in the industry and finding belonging and finding safety for all people. I think that it\u2019s a true statement that the music industry and the world in general is a less safe place for women, female identified, and non-binary people. I just think the community can do a lot to prioritize the safety and well being of people. I am impressed with efforts like The Goodwill\u2019s house rules, and I think those are excellent. I would like to see that be more widely spread. I wonder if there is a way to share that, or to establish that [on an individual basis] as artists.<\/p>\n

LB:<\/b>\u00a0 At some shows there are also people who wear pink bandannas.<\/p>\n

R<\/b>: At Cootie Club*shows.<\/p>\n

RH:<\/b>\u00a0I\u2019m impressed by initiatives like that. I guess I would like to see acknowledgment of these problems, and steps taken. I wonder what I can do as an artist. Maybe it is possible to do something like make policies for your own shows. If I am doing a show, then there could be a policy, or a code of conduct of what is expected. It would be cool if there was some sort of movement that we could point to as artists and say, \u2018This show is a _____ kind of show. \u00a0This is what happens here.\u2019<\/p>\n

S:<\/b>\u00a0Maybe there is something we could stamp on an event page?<\/p>\n

R:<\/b>\u00a0I think something that could make sense is, because the Cootie Club has already put in so much thought and started this kinds of understandings, we could just join up with them? They already have a write up and a mission, so it\u2019s just a matter of making sure that\u2019s accessible and linking to that somehow.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It\u2019s safe to say that we hope to go forward with this initiative. \u00a0The issue of equality is less about putting a heavy focus on the gender of a musician and more about how people are treated. \u00a0Initiatives like The Cootie Club can prevent risks and strengthen response to unfavorable situations. We need to be aware that incidents still happen.<\/em><\/p>\n

I shared with the girls that 3 weeks ago I was roofied at my own show and luckily I had friends around to take care of me. I stress this occurrence and want to share it because it is something that is easily forgotten about. Proper precautions are forgotten because we don\u2019t think it happens at the shows that we go to. But it can. \u00a0We need to keep sharing our stories to continue to improve the society that we live in.<\/em><\/p>\n

*http:\/\/issuu.com\/stylusmagazine\/docs\/feb-mar_2015<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Selci Recently I ran into local musicians Raine Hamilton and Rayannah at Thom Bargen and we discussed all the women releasing albums in May. It seemed like a great idea to get everyone together at Munson Park and talk about music and being women in the scene in Winnipeg. Raine, Ray, Carly Dow, Basic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9969","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-columns","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9969"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9969\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9969"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}