# Female Band Members **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180 "2011-08-18T15:34:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/61 "2011-08-19T11:56:39Z")
[Candida Doyle](http://www.acrylicafternoons.com/smashhits96.html) plays/played keyboards with Pulp. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/62 "2011-08-19T13:29:17Z")
John Mellencamp’s band has a female violinist. Ruyter Suys, guitarist for Nashville Pussy, is currently the only woman in the band, and is a guitarist. Kim Deal was the lone female in The Pixies. Her sister Kelley was the lone female in The Last Hard Men. Both were primarily guitarists for these. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/63 "2011-08-19T14:20:41Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > John Mellencamp’s band has a female violinist. > > Ruyter Suys, guitarist for Nashville Pussy, is currently the only woman in the band, and is a guitarist. > > Kim Deal was the lone female in The Pixies. Her sister Kelley was the lone female in The Last Hard Men. Both were primarily guitarists for these. Kim Deal was the bassist for the Pixies, although the bass can be qualified as a type of guitar, if you’re being technical. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/64 "2011-08-19T14:34:49Z")
Laura Stein played (plays?) keyboards/piano in the Pernice Brothers but her now-husband Joe Pernice is the lead singer. Technically she also wasn’t the lead singer in her previous band Jale, but they didn’t really have a lead singer. Allyson McLeod of Jale later became a non-lead-singing member of The New Hardship Post, fronted by Sebastian Lippa. Come to think of it, Jennifer Pierce of Jale became a non-lead-singing member of Chappaquiddick Skyline…that just leaves Eve Hartling, but she gave up music after Jale. Charlotte Hatherly joined the band Ash when they decided they needed a second guitarist. Apparently she was playing on stage with another band and the three lads were watching; by the end of the gig they decided she was the guitarist they’d been looking for. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/65 "2011-08-19T14:49:31Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > dumb comment erased. Re-read the OP That’s okay… I see a lot of bands at Milwaukee’s Summerfest (there are probably 200-300 playing each summer). I texted a friend that the only bassist I saw actually moving around and looking like they were enjoying themselves was [Emma Anzai](http://photobucket.com/images/sick%20puppies%20bass%20player/) of [Sick Puppies](http://sickpuppies.net/main.aspx). Although she does share a lot of vocals… but she deserves a mention just for the sheer energy of the performance! ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/66 "2011-08-19T15:31:32Z")
Deadboy and the Elephantman had Tessie Brunet on drums. [Stop I’m Already Dead on YouTube linky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKClSYpgKtQ). Kind of a Meg White/White Stripes feel, and similarly awesome rack (sorry) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/67 "2011-08-19T15:48:18Z")
I just saw one last night - [Schelia Gonzalez](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheila_Gonzalez) (that’s the correct spelling) plays sax and several other instruments for Zappa Plays Zappa. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/68 "2011-08-19T15:53:15Z")
[Bolt Thrower](http://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/3/4/234_photo.jpg) [Kylesa](http://www.photosonore.com/wp-content/gallery/kylesa/kylesa_photosonore_03.jpg) (she does vox too, but still) ---
**Author:** ![hilltopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@hilltopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hilltopper)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/69 "2011-08-19T15:56:17Z")
There’s **Janis Tanaka** who played for a couple of mostly male bands (Fireball Ministry, Hammers of Misfortune, Stone Fox?) before playing bass for Pink. Maybe a stretch, but she’s worth a mention…she’s can play…and she’s hot. Then there’s this… > **[A Mighty Wind (2003)](https://www.imdb.com/media/rm3237124352/tt0310281)** > > Parker Posey, Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in A Mighty Wind (2003) mandolin? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/70 "2011-08-19T21:39:10Z")
Melissa Auf der Maur, most famously of Hole, has had quite the road warrior career. She toured in support of Ric Ocasic and did session work for Fountains of Wayne. Definitely a “one of the guys” rock n roll professional. ---
**Author:** ![Suil\_Dubh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85f322/32.png) [@Suil\_Dubh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suil_Dubh)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/71 "2011-08-20T00:40:40Z")
Kim Coletta played bass in [Jawbox](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawbox) > [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > [Bolt Thrower](http://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/3/4/234_photo.jpg) I was just listening to them yesterday! I love Bolt Thrower. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/72 "2011-08-20T04:22:26Z")
Oh! How could I forget [Tina Weymouth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Weymouth)!? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/73 "2011-08-20T04:36:08Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Sheryl Crow was a guitar player for Michael Jackson for a while. Nope, back-up singer. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/74 "2011-08-20T05:57:14Z")
I don’t know why but all these chicks seem so ultimately cool to me. Like the highest level of cool one could be. ---
**Author:** ![punch\_line\_loser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e7dd6/32.png) [@punch\_line\_loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punch_line_loser)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/75 "2011-08-20T08:35:37Z")
For what it’s worth, I play in a band with a female drummer. Also: Filter (when D’Arcy Wretzky was playing bass for them briefly) Eleventh Dream Day Slowdive/Mojave 3 (though that girl did sing occasionally) Magic Hour (Naomi from Galaxie, plus this totally awesome girl on lead guitar whose name I don’t remember) Moonshake Butthole Surfers (Teresa Nervosa!) Poster Children Black Flag (when Kira Roessler was on bass) The American Analog Set (only the first album, sadly) Deerhunter (I think some girl replaced Colin Mee, at least for a while) Art Brut Blood Oranges The Dambuilders The Fall (for a while, anyway) Let’s Active always had one of Mitch’s girlfriends playing something Jawbox Loney, Dear (they had a girl playing mallets or something when I saw them) Moose (for a while they had a girl drummer) Apples In Stereo (the Hilary Sidney years) Carsick Cars Rusted Root Enon (Toko’s not quite the LEAD singer…) Shout Out Louds Silversun Pickups Thinking Plague Did I miss anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/76 "2011-08-20T13:56:57Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I don’t know why but all these chicks seem so ultimately cool to me. Like the highest level of cool one could be. Time for lessons, ZipperJJ? Which insturment would you take on? ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/77 "2011-08-20T13:57:45Z")
To cross into another genre of music: Willie Nelson’s piano player is his older sister Bobbie Lee, who is now 80 years old ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/78 "2011-08-20T14:48:53Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > Time for lessons, ZipperJJ? Which insturment would you take on? I played bass for a summer in a garage band, where all the other members were dudes. I have big hands for a woman so I shoulda been good at it! But I didn’t care enough to put any money into it either. I played trombone in a ska band for a short while (it was actually my project) but it was a one-time gig. That ship has sailed for sure 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JessMagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@JessMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessMagic)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/79 "2011-08-22T09:50:45Z")
Oh, thought of another one - Abi Harding, sax player for The Zutons. Can’t believe I forgot about her! [She’s very attractive] ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180/80 "2011-08-22T11:25:14Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Melissa Auf der Maur, most famously of Hole, has had quite the road warrior career. She toured in support of Ric Ocasic and did session work for Fountains of Wayne. Definitely a “one of the guys” rock n roll professional. She also replaced D’arcy Wretzky in the Smashing Pumpkins for some time. Another woman in a 90’s indie band, but as an exception not on bass, but on guitar : Charlotte Hatherley from Ash. ETA: one more female guitarist: Bilinda Butcher from My Bloody Valentine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-band-members/593180.md?page=5)