We’ve got a Fuzzbox and we’re gonna use it; who would’ve thought that four colourful schoolgirls from Birmingham, who formed a band “for a laugh”, would still be the most successful UK all-girl band (as opposed to vocal groups) 25 years on?
Surely all those budding young female musos can’t all hit puberty and immediately ditch their guitars, drumsticks and rock ‘n’ roll attitudes in favour of lip gloss, social networking apps and lurve!
When we Fuzzchicks received fan mail from girls and young women thanking us for inspiring them to pick up an instrument, or form a band, we felt on the crest of a musical wave that would see more female musicians celebrated. You could call it a feminist (with a small f) or punk ethos, that anyone, yes even GIRLS, could get up on stage and strut their stuff just as well as the boys, and even have an opinion on the odd topic.
Assumptions as to which particular stereotype, in terms of race, class and culture, are most likely to play the djembe, dhol drums, flute or violin, can be easily made. It’s the same for gender, of what is deemed ‘the norm’ for males or females, mainly due to scarcity of role models who are more than just botox babes or abso-addicts.
It’s a tired fact that women in music are judged more on the cover than the content, and there is much debate on image over substance. Fellow female musicians are often insulted by the moniker ‘all-girl band’ but it has never offended me. Why should it? I wasn’t fazed to be labeled as one of the girls when I formed ViX n The Kix or when I was in Fuzzbox, back in the day or the recent reunion. In my solo guise I’d no doubt be classed as a ‘woman’ rather than a ‘girl’ these days, but hell, sometimes can’t we be both?!
We are the exception, rather than the rule, so girls, ladies, women… why not dust off that guitar, and that chip on your shoulder while you’re at it, and just get on with doing what you do, and do it damn well. Let’s celebrate being exceptional. Girls rule ok!
Victoria Perks (aka ViX ‘Fuzzbox’) latest solo single ‘u belong 2 me’ is out now on iTunes. She will be performing at Birmingham Pride on Sat 28th May.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/vixvox or www.vix.uk.com