| I
think I should make one thing clear. I'm not slagging off The Slits. I
AM
slagging of the people who try and paint them as trailblazers and icons. The
Slits play a pivotal part in the history of Women in Punk rock in so many ways
but not least the fact that for two years they were the only all girl band.
There were
no others in the Punk Rock from 76-79 with their attitude and sound. If punk hadn't happened there would never have
been the window for The Slits and others
to climb through. They also encapsulate all the dilemmas and problems facing women in rock.
Femininity: They
never tried to hide their femininity. They were good looking ; they teased. They
hated the Runaways because they were a males idea of sex. Yet ..."They were going to put the
Runaways to shame , but how
can they when they are using nearly the same tactics, playing on
their femininity." Sharon/Spike The Jolt. 1977. But then again how should
women look and who decides ??? Palmolive to Lucy Toothpaste in the Jolt Fanzine 1977
" We
are feminists in a way. We don't want to tell anyone how to act, we just
want to show them what we're doing, what girls can do." Ari
" Most girls don't
push themselves enough. The world is changing, It'll leave us all behind if we
don't change with it. One way to change things is for us to get on the stage."
Yet even in
late 1978 in the their first double page spread Nick Kent asks Ari
"...if at sixteen she is still a virgin."
I
can't believe this question is asked or that Ari gives it time of day
instead of telling him to fuck off. Naively
"..she retorts, seemingly relishing the reply. "No, I'm no
longer a virgin. The first time was enjoyable but the second time...was
really bad." NME 7/10/78 |
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Yet they were so bad they
skirted dangerously with being a novelty act or as an act that confirmed women
as unable to play.
"Slits - fantastic. They all started
at the wrong time doing different songs - superb." Chris Sullivan The Punk
Book.
Marco Pirroni The
Punk Book " I liked the Slits. They played so badly, you couldn't make out what
the fuck they were going."
Hard to know whether to
take these comments as compliments.
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The Slits were just being themselves. I've pointed it out repeatedly
that no band with a girl lead singer got a contract before the end of punk. The
Slits were no exception. Were the industry so scared or were the Slits just unsellable ? Palmolive
says they had the offers there but the Slits themselves held out. If this
is true then hats off to them for such a brave move and belief in
themselves.
And
when they did finally get a deal what then?
'Cut's' cover grates on me. Is it cynical ? Buy the cover try me ? Or is
it 'we are three attractive women and you can't judge by our nakedness what we
sound like.' I just don't get it or what it achieves.
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| Their influence ?? Considering
they were together for two years how many
all female bands sprang up in the wake of The Slits ? How many came
after ? The answer very few in both cases. Most women in punk were already playing or were influenced by
others. What they did do significantly was introduce different subject matter into music
created by women that was more critical, aggressive and demanding of change. |
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Without doubt
The Slits were strong, sexy and intelligent individuals, but
whether male or female, bands get judged by the same criteria; sales and strength
of songs; and no matter how much of the first three they or anyone else
have without the last two you are doomed to fail.
The one thing you can't
argue with though was that they were pure punk rock, of the moment and
the equal of any other punk band for anger and energy. Poor playing skills
doesn't negate the emotion. At the same time tho The Slits didn't create
any major ripples nor did they release any music from their formative
punk years to influence an audience and these last two points must weigh
against them. I'll leave you with the lyrics from one
of their classic unrecorded songs ' Number One Enemy' that perhaps best
sums up the zest of the early Slits.
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You
sit up there deciding my future
What
the fuck do you think you are
If
you like white, I'll be black
If
you like black, I'll be yellow
If
you like rational, I'll be impossible
If
you like reasonable I'll be insane
If
you like peace and flowers
I'm
going to carry knives and chains
I'm
going to be your Number one enemy
All
for the hell of it |
"Number One
Enemy is about all the people who tell you
what to do all the time and you're just saying "fuck off" we're not
having it !" Palmolive |
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Too right !!!
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