Not Sick of Sick of Sarah

How can you not love this all-female indie rock band?

Grooveshark sure is a gem.  Along with the other sometimes hardcore sometimes sultry bands Metric, and Hunter Valentine, I discovered another band that already has a line-up in my work-out, studying, and hanging out playlists: Sick of Sarah.  Great vocals, harmonies, and a rocking set-up… and they sure have the perfect image.  Part of my confusion was, how in the world are they not more popular?

Part of the issue is that they constantly have to face the public perception of being a band with members who are openly lesbian or queer.  The band constantly tries to make their music appealing to the larger community, embracing the LGBT fanbase, but singing for the mainstream community.  Another blog post has a great interview with the opinions of Abisha Uhl, the lead singer.

And the band does savvy things, their last great album 2205, went platinum incredibly quick.  The secret?  Releasing it through bittorrent, where users could easily download all their songs for free.

But still, it bothers me a little bit that such great talent will be ignored by some through a simple label — some of their members’ sexuality.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m as clean-cut of a straight guy there is, but living and communicating with those associating themselves with the LGBT community has really opened my eyes to the travails that they often have to face.  Sure, the prejudice is not so transparent, and living in Canada, on paper the community is fully accepted.  But there is always the extra stretch and extra pain that must be proven that one is more than just a label.

As a scientist, it is a huge concern of mine as well — just as Sick of Sarah is facing in the music industry, many people like to pigeon-hole those who are in science.  If someone has a theoretical physics background, they are a theoretical physicist and can only contribute to matters of that sort.  Likewise, someone in sedimentary geology should only be allowed to contribute to their specified field.  I think this is the exact opposite of what should occur.  In issues such as climate change, it is of utmost importance of communication within disciplines, and each scientist with a specialized field can contribute to the larger concept.  Perhaps the key to the biggest problems is held by someone in an unrelated field, in fact, I think that’s how innovation is even derived.

And consequently, the fact that Sick of Sarah is indeed not a mainstream band contributes to the fact that they can be innovators in the music industry, and that they lend a new perspective that is valuable for everybody in their music.

For this, I hope that Sick of Sarah gains as much success as possible to prove to the world, that no matter the sexuality, and no matter what one decides as their personal life choices, talent is talent, and this should be appreciated.

Peace and Love!!