First of all, I would like to say this is not going to be a hub saying that women should not be in music (just to clarify).

As a musician, I love finding bands with sounds that differ from the norm. I especially female fronted bands, such as Lacuna Coil, Epica, Echoes of Eternity, Gallhammer, Arch Enemy, Straight Line Stich, and Wartanas. Some of these bnads are clean vocally, some of them harsh, but it is still not the same thing everyone else listens to.

I love the sound of a really heavy band pounding away at the notes, and then in comes a beautiful voice that contrasts with the harsh music. There's also the growing amount of women doing harsh vocalisations, with bands like Arch Enemy, Kittie, and Gallhammer. These bands deserve a lot of credit because of their music talent and the ear they have to fit in the female vocal. But they dont get much credit musically at all...

"Man, am I the only one that would do her?"

"Dude, she is so hot!"

"I wanna bang her so bad.."

These and other very rude and disgusting remarks are about the only credit these types of bands get (I'm referring to the clean vocal bands like Lacuna Coil, Epica, and Echoes of Eternity). People watch the videos these bands put out just to watch the frontwoman dance or move, or they jsut look up pictures to gawk and talk about how hot they are. It sickens me what people have come to in this world now that these great musicians are only getting credit because they are the musical backing to "that hot chick in front". As a musician in a female fronted band, I am sick of hearing people talk about how hot the front is. Yes, I realize an attractive front is important or no one would come to your shows or watch your videos (This was actually a problem I used to have about Megadeth, and know a lot of people have).

Another issue about female fronts I feel needs to be adressed is the harsh female fronts... Not only do they get the rude comments listed above, but the comments don't stop there, and only get more rude.

"Angela Gossow is so hot" "Too bad shes a man"

"Morgan Lander is so sexy." "Yeah, but she needs to get the [male sexual organ located in the lower abdominal area] out of her mouth before they record the songs.." (ignore the Anthrax joke in there..)

Arch Enemy is one of my favorite bands, fronted by one of my favorite vocalists, but Angela Gossow may just be the vocalist that gets the most critisism for her vocal work. Her harsh vocals were once one of my major inspirations for writing death metal lyrics when I was in a band called Blood Red Ocean, but people always talk that they can't tell the difference between her and a male vocalist in the same genre. People need to stop focusing on the front woman and just close their eyes and listen to the music.

If you agree with anything I have said, go to youtube, or google, and search for any of the videos I have listed below.

Epica -- Never Enough

Not quite done yet. A vocalist may be part of the music, but thats not all there is to music. When you think of women that made an impact, you may think Susan B Anthony or Opra or something, but in the music wolrd, we think of Vixen and Lita Ford. Without these musicians, we may not have as many women in music as we do today. Bands like All That Remains and Chthonic which have female bassists, and Fireball Minstry with a guitarist, and bands like Kittie, Gallhammer, Vixen and Jade who are all female.

These bands are very good, but get very little credit anymore. But guess what, they still get the same comments the singers do. Why is it that men feel the need to constantly disrespect public female figures? You never hear "She is great musician," but you cant escape "She is so hot... the band is alright too I guess..."

If people become aware of this problem, we can fix it, because this isn't just something that happens in the music business. It is everywhere we turn in society. Ever thought about a cheerleader because she was good looking, and not just for her dancing or cheering? How about a dancer? Ever thought about a dancer because she was moving her body, and not how well she was doing it? (feel free to interperet dancer however you like, though it was meant in an innocent manner.) This problem is everywhere, and its not just a problem with men, women are guilty of it as well. People are out there talking about Global Warming, when there are bigger problems in our schools and homes.