Celluloid Ceiling

As more and more female solo artists hit the mainstream, where are the all-girl bands?Why aren''t they getting the attention they deserve?In WOMEN MAKE NOISE musicians, promoters, journalists and fans explore the best girl bands of the last 50 years - from the Motown groups who wrote their own hits to the post-punk, rock and pop acts which dominate the contemporary music scene currently. In the mainstream media, the creative abilities, motivations and relevance of all-girl bands are continually questioned. This book uncovers a more accurate narrative. In the past fifty years, girl bands have made a radical contribution to struggles of nation, ethnicity, class, gender, age and feminism. As well as producing some amazing music. It’s time to pay due credit to the politics, performances, song- writing skills and creative talent of the best all-girl bands.Including interviews with members of the original 60s girl groups and classic punk outfits like The Raincoats and The Slits as well as household names of today. This timely exploration of the best female bands will show magazines like NME that sidelining girl bands is a major oversight.Interviews and b/w photographs throughoutEditorJulia Downes is a musician, promoter, academic, editor and writer whose published work includes contributions to Riot Grrrl Revolution Girl Style Now (2007) and In Bound and Unbound: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Genders and Sexualities (2008). She lives in Leeds, plays drums in the band Vile Creatures and runs gigs in clubs, pubs, community centres and al-ternative venues as well as producing a riot grrrl zine.