# Why are there so few well-known female guitarists and drummers, compared to bassists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2018, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448 "2018-05-19T07:30:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/41 "2018-05-20T03:14:14Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > It’s partly reasonable that guitarists have an “egotistical show-off” reputation, and fewer women cultivate that side. I just don’t think this is true, man. I think if anything, our culture is MORE encouraging of women who want to perform, be theatrical and dramatic, than men. There is no shortage of female singers, stage performers of various kinds, and other assorted divas with huge show-offy flair. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/42 "2018-05-20T03:35:52Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Here she is covering the aforementioned Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”: > > [https://youtu.be/-qOdtoE5OCI](https://youtu.be/-qOdtoE5OCI) > > And covering “If It Makes You Happy” by Sheryl Crow: > > [https://youtu.be/ocRyF7ft0ok](https://youtu.be/ocRyF7ft0ok) [And here she is shredding through “Because the Night” with Garbage.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOmKGjy-Ct0) I saw Screaming Females live a couple of years ago in a small club in Auckland, and Marissa totally brings it. I mean, there is this tiny indie looking chick up there with a guitar strapped on that looks easily half her size, and then she unleashes this outstanding fucking firestorm of noise. Hell of a vocalist, too. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/43 "2018-05-20T04:13:09Z")
Something I’ve noticed too if you see a girl n a group she’s the keyboardist like he one in new order whose name I never remember …her expressions she gets when she’s playing something for the nth time are amusing… ---
**Author:** ![Egnu\_Cledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Egnu\_Cledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Egnu_Cledge)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/44 "2018-05-20T06:48:46Z")
Several of my favorite drummers have already been listed, and since the atomically powered Janet Weiss has been mentioned on drums, her cohorts in Sleater-Kinney, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein (both on guitar), deserve some recognition. Together, they’re one of the most powerful live bands I’ve ever seen. I’ll toss in Wata–guitarist for the epically heavy Japanese sludge-metal band [Boris](https://youtu.be/FxishhgT560). There’s also [Mr. Airplane Man](https://youtu.be/dl3sJkmZyng), a rip-roarin’ guitar/drums female duo. Similarly, [Deap Valley](https://youtu.be/LIreuaDVJdA). Or Mary Timony from Helium, Wild Flag, and[Ex-Hex](https://youtu.be/2AxIA4042WA). Locally (Memphis), there’s Alicja Trout, who you may know from her time with Jay Reatard in Lost Sounds, who have reactivated (sans Jay, obviously) as [Sweet Knives](https://youtu.be/2T76-KIjVi8). We’ve also got no-wave noise punks [NOTS](https://youtu.be/0fe44oyFcgM), led by guitarist Natalie Hoffman. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/45 "2018-05-20T07:07:19Z")
While Susannah Hoffs became the focal point of the band, all of The Bangles were great musicians, as well. Vicky Peterson on guitar, her sister Debbie on drums, and Michael Steele were all very gifted. See also (but probably not as well known): Vixen (Janet Gardner, Roxy Petrucci, Share Pederson, and the late Jan Kuehnemund), and The Donnas. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/46 "2018-05-20T07:19:13Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > I just don’t think this is true, man. I think if anything, our culture is MORE encouraging of women who want to perform, be theatrical and dramatic, than men. There is no shortage of female singers, stage performers of various kinds, and other assorted divas with huge show-offy flair. It’s different. It really is. There is no “female version of Maynard Ferguson” (with the whole inflated persona thing). No “female version of Buddy Rich” or “female version of Jimi Hendrix”. Joe Satriani, Eddie van Halen, … I’m not saying women don’t play as well as men, because I know women who are absolute monster instrumentalists - but they do act differently about it. The women you mentioned are theatrical and dramatic, but in very different ways. ---
**Author:** ![allyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@allyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/allyn)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/47 "2018-05-20T07:38:35Z")
Rebecca (guitar/vox) and Megan (lap steel/vox) Lovell of Larkin Poe: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HSHCtWWcqPY/maxresdefault.jpg "Larkin Poe - Might As Well Be Me | Audiotree Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSHCtWWcqPY) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/48 "2018-05-20T10:14:17Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > [And here she is shredding through “Because the Night” with Garbage.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOmKGjy-Ct0) I saw Screaming Females live a couple of years ago in a small club in Auckland, and Marissa totally brings it. I mean, there is this tiny indie looking chick up there with a guitar strapped on that looks easily half her size, and then she unleashes this outstanding fucking firestorm of noise. Hell of a vocalist, too. Never heard of her/the band. Wow, what a talent. She throws her voice around too much, and her guitar tone is too metal and not articulate enough for the stuff she plays, but damn, she’s really good. She’s real badass and could be a solid frontman. Almost too bad about the band name: it feels like it puts them in a box. They should have a cool power trio name, like Cream or Rush, or the Marissa Paternoster Experience. I’ll be hearing more of her, I’m sure. ETA: the name of the band could be The Our Fathers 😉 (the translation of her last name)…nah. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/49 "2018-05-20T11:45:37Z")
[quote=“allyn, post:47, topic:814448”] Rebecca (guitar/vox) and Megan (lap steel/vox) Lovell of Larkin Poe: [/QUOTE] Damn. They’re good. Reminds me to name-check \*\*The Dixie Chicks \*\*- the sisters are contest-winning gunslingers on their instruments. This thread has become a Cool List Thread™. Totally fine, but not what the OP originally was focused on. Bottom line, I think there have been forces at work in music that limit a woman’s opportunities, but we are seeing those limits actively attacked these days. About time. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2018, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/50 "2018-05-20T12:42:11Z")
> [@Egnu\_Cledge](#): > > Several of my favorite drummers have already been listed, and since the atomically powered Janet Weiss has been mentioned on drums, her cohorts in Sleater-Kinney, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein (both on guitar), deserve some recognition. Together, they’re one of the most powerful live bands I’ve ever seen. Oh, absolutely. I was so focused on the drummer part of the OP that I missed the guitar. Corin & Carrie’s guitar interplay is perhaps the best I’ve heard since Verlaine and Lloyd of Television. And, while I’ve only gotten to see them once so far, their show is top 3 all time concerts for me. ---
**Author:** ![Tread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Tread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tread)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/51 "2018-05-20T13:29:03Z")
Charo is known in many parts of the world as a great guitarist, in America more for shaking her boobs while saying “cuchi-cuchi”. on the Love Boat. But she was a world class flamingo guitarist. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/52 "2018-05-20T15:54:28Z")
> [@Tread](#): > > Charo is known in many parts of the world as a great guitarist, in America more for shaking her boobs while saying “cuchi-cuchi”. on the Love Boat. > > But she was a world class flamingo guitarist. Perhaps her best-known [tune](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTxzmLyVFYY). ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/53 "2018-05-20T16:56:40Z")
Some pretty badass examples in this thread - thanks everyone! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/54 "2018-05-20T17:03:11Z")
> [@Tread](#): > > Charo is known in many parts of the world as a great guitarist, in America more for shaking her boobs while saying “cuchi-cuchi”. on the Love Boat. > > But she was a world class flamingo guitarist. You mean like [this](https://orig00.deviantart.net/177f/f/2014/307/0/c/flamingo_guitar_by_overjordan-d857jk9.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Tread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Tread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tread)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/55 "2018-05-20T20:23:12Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > You mean like [this](https://orig00.deviantart.net/177f/f/2014/307/0/c/flamingo_guitar_by_overjordan-d857jk9.jpg)? That is what I said…:smack:hmmm I guess she used that to play her flamenco music ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/56 "2018-05-20T20:28:07Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Never heard of her/the band. Wow, what a talent. She throws her voice around too much, and her guitar tone is too metal and not articulate enough for the stuff she plays, but damn, she’s really good. She’s real badass and could be a solid frontman. Almost too bad about the band name: it feels like it puts them in a box. They should have a cool power trio name, like Cream or Rush, or the Marissa Paternoster Experience. Yeah. If you get the chance to see them live, go. Half the fun is the contrast between the name of the band and their look, and the sound they put out: there’s this petite woman in op-shop chic looking like she’s going to murmur and strum her way through a song called “My Boyfriend Left (And Took The Cat)”, and then she opens up and it’s like the spirits of James Williamson and Wayne Kramer are fighting for possession of her hands. _Total_ badass. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/57 "2018-05-21T10:45:36Z")
56 posts and no mention of **Joni Mitchell**? She was a master of alternate tuning patterns on the guitar. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/58 "2018-05-21T11:31:50Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > 56 posts and no mention of **Joni Mitchell**? > > She was a master of alternate tuning patterns on the guitar. True. Shame on me. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448/59 "2018-05-21T13:11:54Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > [Blake Babies - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Babies) > Come to think of it, Julianna Hatfield has been a guitarist and bassist for the Lemonheads too. Good pick, I’ve seen her many times and she’s a wonderful guitarist. Vicki Peterson of The Bangles, a lead guitar goddess with all of the chops. Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses, a great fuzzy sound and playing [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-few-well-known-female-guitarists-and-drummers-compared-to-bassists/814448.md?page=2)