Sounds like teen spirit
T
hose in the know often say there is no place more peaceful than Athens in the summer. The town seems to empty, and campus is quiet and calm. But if you’re near ARTS/West in July, don’t be surprised if the placid air is pierced by an electric guitar’s wail or a young girl’s voice belting lyrics about food fights. Welcome to the Athens Rock Camp for Girls, a whirlwind of creativity, collaboration and a whole lot of pluck. Girls ages 12 to 18 come together to learn an instrument (electric guitar, electric bass, drums, keyboards or vocals), form a band, write songs and perform a sold-out show for the community — all in just one week. “Students range from kids who have never even been around instruments to kids who sometimes have more experience than the teacher!” says Ohio University student Cindy Crabb, co-founder. Despite vast age differences and varying musical experience, the girls always deliver applause-worthy results. “I’m impressed by how these young girls can write such wacky but amazing songs in a week,” says camp volunteer and Ohio University graduate student Kelly Kathleen Ferguson. “They don’t have an internal censor yet so the creativity flies out.” It’s not all silliness, though. Campers’ songs also reflect topics
covered in a host of nonmusical workshops, such as nonviolent communication, self-defense and anti-street harassment. “Our mission is to help empower teenage girls, and these workshops really affect what they feel like they can sing about,” says Crabb. “We tell the girls it’s fine to write a love song, but there are all kinds of other topics to sing about. They get inspired. Girls in years past have written songs about self-defense, gay rights, gender presentation and eating disorders.” An all-female volunteer staff provides a safe space where girls can check self-consciousness at the door, make new friends and explore their unique voices. “They feel comfortable presenting in this forum,” says Crabb. “They’re just so supportive of each other. We focus on creating that kind of atmosphere.” It’s an atmosphere that persists even after camp comes to a close. Many girls maintain the bands and friendships formed during the week, destined to rock out in basements across Athens County until next year’s session. “When the girls leave, it’s like a noise tornado just passed. Suddenly it’s so quiet,” says Ferguson. “You’re relieved, but then miss the tornado, too.” » lindsey burrows
Top 10 Albums to Introduce a Young Girl to Women in Rock: 1 PJ Harvey, “Stories From the City, Stories from the Sea” (2000) 2 Heart, “Heart” (1985) 3 X-Ray Spex, “Germ Free Adolescents” (1978) 4 Hole, “Live Through This” (1994) 5 Blondie, “Parallel Lines” (1978) 6 The Breeders, “Last Splash” (1993) 7 The Pretenders, “Greatest Hits” (2000) 8 L7, “Bricks Are Heavy” (1992) 9 Tracey Bonham, “The Burdens of Being Upright” (1996) 10 Mazzy Star, “So Tonight That I Might See” (1993)
» Kelly Kathleen Ferguson, doctoral candidate in
literary nonfiction and drum instructor Photograph by Steven
Turville BSVC ’13
spring 2014
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