Girls Rock: How to Get Your Group Together and Make Some Noise

Girls Rock: How to Get Your Group Together and Make Some Noise by Robyn Goodmark (Billboard) ISBN: 978-0-8230-9948-1

Summary 

Goodmark's book is an exhaustive, informative, straightforward, and fun guide to putting together an all girl band and making music. And Goodmark is specific: when talking about finding bandmates, she writes, "think about girls you already know, as well as other girls in school or after-school activities who might contribute to your band" (p. 9).  The book details what should happen at your first meeting, how to determine the rolls of each member, what you ought to do at your first rehearsal, how to record music, how to get a gig, and how to promote your band.  It even discusses the difference between 1/4" instrument cables and XLR microphone cables -- with a drawing showing how to tell them apart.

Critical Evaluation

Goodmark is careful to be extremely detailed.  Unlike some how-to-guides, Goodmark's doesn't assume that you already know how to play an instrument (or that you'll be able to figure out the difference between instrument and microphone cables).  In this sense the work is really a demystifying of what often seems like a mystical world.  Her tone is friendly and encouraging: "If you've never picked up an instrument or sung a note in your life, have no fear: It is never too late to learn.  There are plenty of people who don't start bands until after college, or even later.  You are lucky to be reading this now.  Once you decide what instrument you want to play, you are not far from being able to play it" (p. 33).  For even more inspiration, Goodmark includes quotations from women in bands like Tegan & Sara or Edie Brickell, and Kim Gordon writes the introduction (makes me proud to own a Jazzmaster to include in the picture above).  In another attempt to appeal to girls, Goodmark includes quizzes on topics like "What Role You Should Play," or whether "This Book is Right For You" or not.  The book is colorful with lots of great drawings.

Reader’s Annotation

Are you a girl who wants nothing more than to play music, but you have no idea where to start?  Start at Robyn Goodmark's Girls Rock.  Goodmark carefully lays out each step.  Goodmark is so thorough that it will not only sound simple, it will actually be simple.

Information about the author

From the Kanine Records site (biography is about the author's band): 

Northern State is Spero, Hesta Prynn, and Sprout. Their web site claims their government names are Correne Spero, Hesta Prynn, and Robyn Goodmark, respectively. They grew up on suburban Long Island and “formed a band” in 2000. By 2002, after gigging around all of lower Manhattan and passing out their four-song demo “Hip Hop You Haven’t Heard,” they started to receive some sweet attention – including 4 stars from Rolling Stone, for their demo! The torrent known as Northern State continued with the 2003 release Dying in Stereo (Star Time International) – so successful it quickly led to 2004′s All City (Columbia Records), dates with Le Tigre, De La Soul and Talib Kwell and several trips to Scandinavia. In 2005, Northern State continued touring with acts like Tegan and Sara, made a formal break from Columbia and then made moves to start recording with Chuck Brody (Shitake Monkey). Add Adrock from the Beastie Boys production talent, an unprecedented amount of singing, and a ban on writing sessions at the Rodeo Bar- you get their best album to date (even if it is currently untitled), and Kanine jumping at the chance to put out the first single. (Kanine Records, 2009).

Genre

Nonfiction/How-to

Curriculum Ties

Girls Rock might be useful in music instruction, but the book is really about developing a band as an extra-curricular or non-curricular endeavor.  Because it approaches music as a vocation or avocation, it won't likely fit in cleanly with curriculum.

Booktalking Ideas

1) Play a song by Northern State.
2) Administer some of the book's quizzes.

Reading Level/Interest Age

5th grade and up. 

Challenge Issues

None to speak of.  However, some patrons may oppose secular music.

I would openly greet any patron who presented a challenge to the work, giving them ample time to detail their complaint.  I would listen attentively.  To respond to these challenges I would have some reviews of the work on hand.   I would be prepared to explain that as a public institution libraries "cannot limit access on the basis of age or other characteristics" (ALA, 1999).  I would have copies of the library's collection policy on hand.  I would be prepared to politely discuss that parents can control what their children are exposed to by coming to the library with them and examining books they check out.  If the Teen Advisory Group had written reviews of the book I'd have them handy.  While it may be of little comfort to certain parents, I would also be prepared to discuss my staunch support of intellectual freedom and abhorrence of censorship.  As a last resort, I would be sure to keep copies or a reconsideration form on hand.

Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?

I like to play music; this looked exciting.

References

Goodmark, R. (2008). Girls Rock: How to get your group together and make some noise. New York: Billboard.

Kanine Records. (2009). Northern State. Retrieved from http://kaninerecords.com/northern-state