Wonder Women: Becky Baldwin – Part 2
Here’s Part 2 of my conversation with Becky Baldwin. Be sure to check out Part 1.
What would you want to change about the music industry?
I don’t like the game you have to play to reach certain heights. There’s too much focus on looks, marketability, what brands you’re willing to promote, your willingness to be silent about blatant issues, your willingness to exploit and disrespect your fans… Starting gossip to make people talk about you, clickbait, making art into a competition… Having to suck up to people who don’t care about you. Maybe it has always been this way, but I think it’s getting worse. Luckily, we have the internet – it makes some of the above worse, but for a lucky few it is possible to have success in music without compromising your integrity… Through fan power!
We usually hear about the downsides of being a female in the music industry. Let’s flip the script; do you see any benefits?
A benefit is definitely when you find other women in music who understand what you face in the industry, and do what they can to lift you up and stand with you in solidarity. You find pockets of them in many places – I find that they stick together!
A benefit of being in the minority is also your ability to stand out, your unique perspective and that people are more likely to remember and recognize you. Still, I regularly get mistaken for the other 5 or 6 black-haired female bass players on the metal scene – so maybe that doesn’t always work!
How did you handle working through the pandemic? How has technology helped (or hindered) you? Any tips to share?
The lockdowns were a mixed bag for me – 2020 was meant to be a big year for my two bands ‘Hands off Gretel’ and ‘Fury’, but when live music stopped, all the careful planning went out the window and things got tricky. I always wonder what could have happened if our trajectory hadn’t been knocked. ‘Hands off Gretel’ did one more tour when lockdowns lifted in 2021, but priorities had changed for many of the band members and we have been on hiatus since. ‘Fury’ released an album (The Grand Prize) in April 2020 with no tour, and we just tried to focus our efforts online. There were some benefits – we reached a lot of new people online, and everyone was hungry for new music to check out. We also got straight to work writing the next album (Born to Sin, released 2022)… I’m glad we kept going! But I think the original plan of touring in 2020 would have been much better!
Personally, the pandemic and lockdowns changed everything. I finally launched a Patreon page as soon as first tour dates got pulled. I had been considering starting one for a long time but I had too much doubt of its success, and I felt like I didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. The loss of income forced my hand, and it turned out pretty good! I adapted to online teaching, developed new skills, and built my online presence a lot. All of these things gave me a more reliable income than touring and teaching only local students, and it meant that I could take my work with me. So I did another thing I had wanted to do for a long time, and moved from Bristol to Birmingham! Now I’m enjoying a new life in the home of heavy metal, where I feel I belong!
What’s an important cause or issue that you support?
It’s hard to pick one, because there are so many issues I think about, but I don’t know how to express them alongside my “badass heavy metal exterior”! I suppose the cause that needs the most support because it has the furthest to go, is animal rights. I believe that as the strong and intelligent beings that humans are, we should do the best with it, and use it to protect and stand up against the exploitation of those who are weaker, or less fortunate. I think this sentiment can help human society too. I think as social creatures, humans do best when they work in community with each other for the benefit of everyone, not stepping on others to get ahead. If we could live by these ideals, we could do a lot to alleviate problems of sexism, racism, classism, ableism and any other nonsense that divides us for the benefit of the most powerful individuals.
Any artists, both established or emerging, that are new to you that you would like to tell us about?
I’d love to mention two hard-working bands from the UK that I have huge respect for – hard rock band ‘Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters’, and new dark progressive band ‘Crimson Veil’ (previously known as ‘BirdEatsBaby’).
To learn more about Becky, her Patreon page, or her projects, check out the following links:
Brittany Frompovich is a highly regarded educator, clinician, blogger, and bassist who currently resides in the Washington DC/NOVA region. For more content from Brittany, check out her blog, her YouTube channel, and her Bandcamp site. She also offers handmade unisex music-themed jewelry through her Etsy store. Get a Wonder Woman Tee!
