Rockbitch
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Rockbitch was an expat British mostly-female Celtic punk/metal/goth band, best known for performing nude and incorporating sexual acts and Pagan rituals into their performances.
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[edit] History
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Rockbitch was originally formed as Red Abyss by bassist Amanda, who drew other band members from the matriarchal, polygamous pagan community she was also the founder of.
Musically, Red Abyss drew on jazz, funk and rock influences dominated by singer Julie's Janis Joplin-influenced vocals. In time, its music took on harder punk and metal edginess. Red Abyss switched to the "Rockbitch" name when the lineup changed; however, it nearly folded because audiences weren't responding. The band blamed male-dominated apathy.
At its intended last gig (at a biker festival), the decision to incorporate the orgiastic, pagan sex from its home life into the stage act gave birth to the phenomenon we know as Rockbitch.
The band toured among others Germany, France, Switzerland,The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, (but were banned in Scotland), Italy, Spain, Slovenia and Estonia and did a promotional tour which involved Canada (but were eventually also banned without having played), while instituting its new theme of liberation through sexual freedom.
They also lent their voice to female and sexual issues, were sponsors of the Sex Maniacs Ball (now Night of the Senses) founded by Tuppy Owens, openly voiced their admiration for sexual politics-icons like Annie Sprinkle and Bettie Dodson and generally put in a good word for open female sexuality as a healthy part of human nature.
Rockbitch became infamous not only for performing live sex acts, but doing so with audience members via "The Golden Condom." At a point during its show, a condom was tossed to the crowd and whomever caught it (male or female) was taken backstage for sexual relations with one or more band members. Rockbitch intended to prove that they actively walked their talk.
At a 2002 Birmingham show, Johnny Goatboy of supporting band The Dangerfields caught the "golden" condom, and did, indeed, copulate with two band members at the side of the stage.[citation needed]
This led to many critics saying they tried to sell bad music through sex, but it is general knowledge that their musical skill and dedication to their various instruments was unquestionable. Fellow musicians from disciplines as varied as Jazz (bassist Jonas Hellborg), or funk/rock (Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, have all been known to voice their appreciation.
Rockbitch toured widely <See above for countries> from about 1998 until 2002, meeting increasing resistance from authorities, particularly English town councils who often banned its concerts.
Many of the Rockbitch crowds inevitably consisted of drunken lads seeking nudity, not typially interested in any 'message.' However, Rockbitch also attracted followers that seemingly understood the band's message and they consisted, gratifyingl, mainly of women.
It was local authorities, not the public itself that caused a struggle, and as Babe stated in the program Anna in Wonderland: Rockbitch had no problem with lads out for seeing breasts, as they were a component of the audience, there were always others seeing the deeper meaning and both groups had a good time: They generally made up for a great combined atmosphere.
Via their website, on which members could also view their community life, they had contact with straight/bi/lesbian women reaching as far as Borneo, Chile, Japan, India and the US, all of whom expressed a sense of empowerment and justification by the stated beliefs of Rockbitch.
Outside the UK (and censorship problems it also encountered in Germany)[citation needed]audiences were sympathetic, particularly in Holland, where they drew vast crowds of men and women from all walks of life.[citation needed]
The Rockbitch lineup became entirely female. Original lead guitarist The Beast retired, taking over management/production. Babe moved into lead guitar duties (from rhythm) while Luci, previously a "Stage Slut" (one of the nude dancers and sexual band/crowd liaisons) instead strapped on a rhythm guitar.
After the release of its first studio album, Motor Driven Bimbo('99 Steamhammer/SPV), which, incidentally, received critical acclaim in many countries (The Netherlands (OOR Magazine), The Uk, and Japan)Rockbitch were sacked by their record company for refusing to drop sex and nudity from its stage act.
A second, goth-influenced album called Psychic Attack (which featured the song "I Wish I Were," written by American poetess Erzsebet Beck), was never released.
Following continued pressure about its sexually-driven themes and performances, Rockbitch ceased performing in 2002 and was the subject of a 30-minute documentary on BBC Choice the same year [1] and an hour-long documentary broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK in 2003.[2]
In 2005, the entire latter day Rockbitch lineup emerged, but under the name MT-TV. This was a music-only project--no sex or nudity of the Rockbitch days (but it incorporated stage theatrics). After a UK tour in summer 2005, they performed throughout the United States.[citation needed]
[edit] Personnel
Rockbitch was formed from the remnants of the band Red Abyss. The personnel listing on their albums is titled "The Bitches:"
- Julie: Vocals, Priestess of the Warrior Cult
- Luci: Guitar, Stage Slut
- Amanda: Bass, The Bitch
- Nikki: Piano, Flute, Nymphomaniac
- Jo: Drums, Confrontational Predatory Lesbian
- Babe: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals, Webmistress
- Beast: Guitar on Motor Driven Bimbo and producer of both studio albums.
- Chloe: Sex Magick Priestess
- Martina: Sex Magick Priestess
- Kali: Sex Magick Priestess
[edit] Discography
- Luci's Love Child (as Red Abyss)
- Rockbitch Live In Amsterdam (1997)
- Bitchcraft (concert video, 1998)
- Motor Driven Bimbo (1999)
- The Bitch O'Clock news (concert/documentary video, 1998)
- Psychic Attack - unreleased (2002)
- Sex, Death and Magick (concert/documentary video, 2002)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Band website (contains explicit content)
- Rockbitch lyrics
- MT-TV website
