K C O R IN
E? THE TABL A SEAT AT R O F Terry G TIN By Hannah TILL FIGH S E W E R WHY A
The progression of the #MeToo Movement and the increase in organisations highlighting misogyny in the workplace, is shedding light on the rotten core of the rock genre. “People that are doing these things have been raised in this culture where if you’re a famous rock star you can do anything,” says Otter Bickerdike. Sadly, many women can recall at least one incident in their personal or professional life where they are not treated with the respect they deserve, simply because they are not male. Sexism is pervasive in the workplace. A survey by the Young Women’s Trust, found that 39% of women have experienced sexism in their place of employment. This disrespect seeps into the boardroom, too. Weir describes being subjected to sexism by one of “the dinosaurs” at a large music institution, after being invited to a board meeting. At this time, Weir was a Merchandise Manager pitching to a team of distributors. “They said I was lying right in the middle of this board meeting. I was so offended,” she explains. “Then someone else thought I was the secretary and gave me a notepad. That’s the worst experience I’ve had.”
Weir has worked with several labels, including Cacophonous Records, and founded her own label, Visible Noise, in 1998. With her career spanning three decades, Weir has worked with many legendary rock and metal acts such as Bring Me the Horizon, Lostprophets, and Bullet for My Valentine. “Working in rock and metal then, there was me and one other woman that [were] working in extreme music and rock at the time,” Weir adds. Rachel Bolland, the Director of Operations and Head of Diversity for UK Music, explains how diversity in the music industry changed in 2020. She says, “At entry-level, 64.7% of respondents were women. By the time you get to senior level, it’s 40.4%. Every time we looked, [the numbers] just dropped, both for women and people from diverse backgrounds.” To encourage inclusion for all people across the music industry, industryfunding organisation, UK Music, conducts a biennial diversity survey. Data collected from this survey is published as the Diversity Report to highlight areas in the industry that lack representation. “In terms of actual industry people, it was always a total boys’ industry, at least when I was working there. You don’t see very many women high up in the music industry...
There will be a lot of admin type things and people working for people, but someone who is head of a label is very rare,” says Otter Bickerdike. A study by Women in CTRL found that 73% of CEOs across 11 music industry trade bodies were male, compared to 27% of women, all of which are white. Otter Bickerdike believes that change is coming: “It’s a relentless job and it’s still very much a boys’ club. It’s getting better but not by much.” Hackney-based charity, Girls Rock London, provides youth and adult programmes in music-making for beginners and experienced musicians. This space allows for these creatives to amplify their voices, figuratively and literally, and to unlock their full potential in a safe community. Weir says, “Now that I’m at a major label, you see a lot of women at higher levels. Sony is pretty good on that. It’s definitely changed from when I first came through.” The days of women only being seen as secretaries in the boardroom ‘boys club’ are numbered. With new initiatives in place to champion female and non-binary talent, and support networks to help them kickstart their careers, there is finally a seat at the table for them.
Design Laura Sheridan Photography Georgina Hurdsfield 25 | The CHANGE Issue