ABSTRACT
Some male commentators regarded the influx of high-profile women into their rock world of gigs, radio, print and recording with bafflement, for these women did not seek out male approval for their activities. Such approval was seen as a necessary evil in order to pass through the various stages that led to a platform for expression of musical and political ideas, for in order to be consumed, disseminated and publicized, or in any way to communicate, youth music must pass through a filter; this may take the form of a media or record company gatekeeper, in which case aesthetic decisions are involved, or a potentially less judgemental intermediary. This chapter will examine the unusual engagement at this time, of these gatekeepers and intermediaries, with the musicians, with reference to the weekly music press, small record labels and the John Peel Show. The industrial hazards experienced by women musicians in the music industry are also explored at the end of this chapter, as there is more to gatekeeping than simple aesthetic judgement in print and other media: sexual availability is an implicit concern in the promotion of female artists. Later in the book, the idea of ‘appearance’ will be investigated further.
