Sometimes when I’m listening to music – particularly music written and/or performed by women – it occurs to me that the music I’m listening to would probably annoy or even anger Men’s Rights Activists. And that makes me want to share this music with the world. So I’m starting a new series here: Music to Annoy MRAs With.
First up: Meredith Monk, an avant garde composer/performer/filmmaker/etc probably best known for her “extended vocal techniques” which one music critic has described as a melange of “extraordinary ululations and incantations, vertiginous leaps, drops, cries and other wordless acrobatics.” That seems about right.
If you’re a fan of The Big Lebowski, you’ve heard at least one song of hers: when the lovably pretentious feminist artist Maude Lebowski makes her memorable entrance, swinging naked through the air on a harness in a darkened studio, splattering paint onto a giant canvas, it’s the voice of Meredith Monk that provides the musical accompaniment. (Monk found the scene hilarious.)
Anyway, here are some Meredith Monk videos for you all. You may like them, you may not – Monk is sort of an acquired taste — but one thing is virtually guaranteed: they will confuse and annoy the hell out of any MRAs who happen to watch. A critically lauded female composer/musician making music they don’t understand? Noooooooo!
The first video is a selection from a longer piece called Dolmen Music; essentially, we’re supposed to be listening to a conversation in a strange language amongst Neolithic Brits (or perhaps space aliens, as Monk has suggested). I may have posted this before, but I’m posting it again, dammit.
The second is a clip from her film Book of Days depicting a variety show of sorts in a somewhat unusual Medieval village; stick with it until the end. I think I posted a shorter version of this once as well.
The final video is Monk performing a solo piano piece that actually has words; try to ignore the really patronizing voiceover.
Her official site is here, though I was having trouble reaching it today.
@girlscientist give in. You know you want to. 😉
Damn Eurovision colonisers … ::draws line in the
carpetsand::Turn Soonest to the Sea by Protest the Hero; has a gang chorus at the end about building a monument out of dicks that were – given a liberal interpretation of the song – taken from men in a potential future where women overthrow the patriarchy. I imagine that’s liable to rustle a few jimmies.
OT, but has anyone had trouble logging in to comment? Someone posted this message on twitter:
@titianblue: nooooooooooooo! I went to see “The Magic Flute” on Friday night, and I’m still savouring it. No pop music for me this week-end.
By the way, someone needs to write “The Magic Flute 2” in which Pamina and Papageno figure out together that Sarastro’s temple is actually a cult, and they work together to help Tamino and Papagena to fight the brain-washing they’ve been submitted to, recover the Magic Flute (which Sarastro has taken from them) and escape.
I mean, the Queen of the Night is hardly an example of someone who reacts intelligently to her daughter getting kidnapped by a cult, but Sarastro is a complete creep.
This will probably not annoy many MRA:s, despite it being a feminist song, since they’d miss the sarcasm.
I’d say Beyonce bothers them the most, because no matter what they do, they can’t possible avoid her music and presence. Say what you will about the artistic merit, her songs often do have positive messages for women and girls as well.
*possibly*
May I suggest Comanechi, for reasons that will become obvious when you listen:
David – no, I haven’t had any trouble logging in.
Screaming Females. Some guys – and it’s almost always guys – just can’t wrap their worldview around the fact that a tiny little lady can be so loud and awesome.
David, I had one brief moment when I clicked on a link to a comment & WP sent me who knows where but when I immediately back-tracked, it was fine again.
How did we forget to mention this riding the cock carousal classic?
WWTH, good one.
How about Salt n Pepa’s None of Your Business?
Also, this is kind of late, but I listened to that Emilie Autumn song, and surprisingly I actually liked it. I can’t imagine listening to her very often, but that song wasn’t too bad.
I’m going to be listening to these as soon as my wife wakes up. I don’t have ear-pieces handy.
And speaking of ear-pieces, music and things that annoy misogynistic pieces of shit, Pharyngula highlighted this just recently:
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/files/2014/05/earbuds.jpg
Frank Chickens!!!!
Lis Phair’s Exile in Guyville would irritate them.
I like Emily Autumn. Here’s Thank God I’m pretty. It addresses the issue of men being oppressed by sexy lady butts perfectly.
I’m sure that Nina Simone would send them into fits.
How ’bout some Earth Kitt?
Missy Eliot
Ciara
Loretta Lynn
Freemage,
Earbuds are misandry! It was only a matter of time before someone complained about this.
Apparently it never occurred to this guy that we wear headphones or ear buds in public specifically to ward off “cold approaches” AKA harassment.
Or it did occur to him and he’s really angry because of course his right to bother women is more important than their right to be left alone.
Freemage,
I just read the post and the comments. There are, predictably, folks coming around to ask where our compassion for the poor widdle, angry, slighted, PUA turdburger is and how his reaction to a woman not existing for his pleasure could be construed as entitlement.
That reminds me. I need some new ear buds. My kitties like to eat mine.
There was a troll on Yes Means Yes who basically argued this exact thing: “his right to bother women is more important than their right to be left alone.”
Long live earbuds for pissing off street harassers. I wear them all the time on public transit so that men I don’t know ignore me. (Women generally aren’t the ones who make me feel unsafe.)
Freemage, that’s kind of hilarious!
How dare women not be receptive all the time to my talking! They only wear earbuds to strangle my happiness! It’s not like they have the ability to appreciate music, or anything! MISANDRY!!!
Here’s something else found at FTBs:
The comments under Shelley’s video are full of angry misogynists.
She’s perfect.