Ok, so Christmas was two months ago, and my birthday isn't until November, BUT does anyone fancy donating a rather large sum of money to my good self so I can go to America and attend the Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls?
Once upon a time, a long time ago (well, in 2002), I was actually in a band. I played clarinet, sang backing vocals, and was the only member of our musical quartet who didn't have a beard. We did two gigs in Oxford, one of which involved a man setting his leg on fire halfway through our set, and my friend Marianne running up onto the stage between songs so she could nick my cigarettes. We eventually went our separate ways after our lead vocalist had a Mark E. Smith style strop, and sacked us all so he could make weird eight-minute math rock epics in his bedroom. However, it was fun whilst it lasted, and I have always secretly harboured dreams of being the next Patti Smith or Joan Jett. Hell, I'd settle for being the next Dolly Parton come to think of it.
I know I'm not the only one who harbours girlish dreams of musical stardom, which is why the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls looks so...well...rock!
The aim of the Camp is to build girls self esteem through music creation and performance, something it has been doing admirably since its inception in 2001. Mainly because the focus isn't solely on the music. Girls are not just taught chords and riffs, but can also attend workshops on self defence, body image, music history, and how to market their band by working with the press and making their own merchandise.
Many bands formed at the camps stay together-doing gigs, releasing records, and encouraging other young women to grow in confidence by making their own music. There's even been a film made about Girls Rock! camp called, helpfully, Girls Rock! which involves a scene where Beth Ditto teaches the young ladies how to scream with the best of them.
Inspired by the original's success, sister camps have been springing up across the globe. There's even one which is regularly held in the UK-you can find out more information about how you can get involved at www.girlsrockuk.org.
Why is Girls Rock! camp important? Because it show young women that it's not just boys who are capable of producing noisy, sweaty, joyous life affirming music. That you can be just as feminine playing an electric guitar as you can playing a synthesiser. And, perhaps most importanly of all, that making music-even if it's not particularly good music-can be the most amazing, empowering thing in the world.
