What do you think of being in a band with a girl?  What if the girl's the one trying to start the band?  Does it make any difference to you?  Do you tend to take female musicians less seriously than male musicians?

I think that in general female musicians are taken less serriously, and thats unfortunate....if you look, how many great female rock legends can you name, as compared to male rock legends?....its not because there arent enough great female stars, its because I truely think that a female rock star starts at negative 4 instead of at 0...Bonnie Raitt is one of the greatest musicians and blues singers there ever were, but no one mentions her today...she did though exert that extra ability that makes her better than alot of male musicians.....others like Patti Smith, Patty Smyth, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, the Runaways, DIana Ross, Aretha Franklin, THe Supremes, the Shirrells, the chiffons, Debbie Harry, Tina Turner, Gwen Stafani, Chrissy Hynde, Grace SLick, etc have all doen the same....

anyway, to answer your question, I wouldnt mind being in a band with a girl if she could play well...now, this isnt taking into consideration all the other things that could happen (I mean, when youre the only girl in a band, look at the past...Jefferson Airplane, No DOubt, Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar...the broken hearts and all start flying and someones bound to get hurt...)

But what if you decide ahead of time that no one is going to date anyone in the band?  

I wouldnt mind a female member at all...

I've been in a band which had a female vocalist, and one with a female drummer (who, though extremely cute, unfortunately couldn't play drums well at all)... I'm afraid they don't get the musical credit they deserve - but I definitely prefer playing with a female rather than male singer, even ignoring the obvious reasons ;-)

IMO, it doesn't matter the gender of the frontman (how come you never say frontwoman?), so long as they can take an audience with them, and the band can provide adequate backing (a few harmonies never hurt, either).

Phil
PS On the dating game, it might be advisable to be dating someone outside the band before you start - that way you'd be "out of bounds" before any hearts get lost along the way: and if you're starting a band, may I recommend finding a bloke with a transit van or minibus? ;-)

okay...truthfully...

if the girl is the lead singer, she's gonna get all the spotlight, all the fame, if shes just a bassist, rythem guitarist, drummer, keybaordist, ect., then shes not gonna get too much credit.  Hell, i didnt even know that Tina Weyworth was a girl until the Talking heads got inducted into the R&R hall, seriously, you watch the video for "Burning down the house" and tell me how lady like she looks.  And then you got a band like Zwan or A perfect circle, who I bet, most people dont even know had a female member.  And of course its hard to over look such female lead singers as Gwen Stephani and Debbie Harry, thats why theyve got so much credit for what they do.  I have never seen a female lead guitarist in a mostly male band, but Im sure they excist and I just dont recognize it.  so, if I were to have a female in my band, Id prefer more of the spotlight, or maybe we could pull a Fleetwood mac and both be vocalists, but hey, thats the way it is.

Well unlike you Mike I don't like having the spotlight.  :-[ Yes I am a little shy, but I wouldn't mind of any guy or girl taking the spotlight.

And I would never be sexcist and not allow a girl in a band.

The Old School Funk group"One Way" had a girl in it.Alicia Myers.1 year later had her hit with"I Want To Thank You".

Howard