Is the TV Series Riot Women any good?

 We've just binge watched the first series of Riot Women, on the recommendation of a few friends (mostly ladies of a certain age), who said it was amazing. It was recommended to me on the basis that I like everything and anything to do with bands, music and rock and roll. I will start by saying my lovely wife Clare thought it was brilliant. Then again she's not been in a rock and roll band, so she just saw it as engaging TV light entertainment. I had rather hoped that it would be an advert for women of a certain age to go out and form bands. Being in a band is the best thing I've ever done with my clothes on! But I am not entirely sure how many women would watch it and think "I really want some of that". This is a real shame, because they should. It seemed to me as if every character in the show was lurching on the edge of a precipice and none of them had anything else to pull them back from the edge. Of course there are plenty of people in such situations, and writer Sally Wainright has to make engaging TV, but for me, the sheer joy and fun of being in a band is missing from the series. There were far too many plot distractions for me. I wish that the writers had spent some time with such a band. 

I will give one example. The scene in the recording studio was all about the sexual relationship between the (female) bassplayer and the (male) younger recording engineer. I was so disappointed that so little effort was made to portray the sheer joy and excitement of taking a track you have written and hearing it sound like a proper record. In the career of The False Dots we've had plenty of smirksome moments in the studio, but they are dwarfed by the joy of hearing the music sound how you want it to sound. Now credit where credit is due, the scene was one of the funniest moments on TV of the year and should be in there, but the moment where you listen to the final mix wasn't and that is a sin. When you are in a band, you never really know what you sound like until you hear that. Often, it all sounds a bit ropey and weird when you are putting backing tracks down. There was none of the bits where a band member chips in and suggests some tiny change, that makes a song. You may think "that would go over the head of most of the audience", but it is the absolute key to a recording a great track. There is another aspect, that may not be appreciated. Everyone in a band should have an opinion that counts, and an opportity was missed to show that it is a collective and sometimes the best bits in music come from the oddest places.

I also felt that the songwriting process was note explored properly. The compromises made, to ensure a song works, the choices, the debates as to whether you are geting the message you want out there. Given the complicated challenges some of the band members had, this would be a great way to get into this. Having had numerous female members in the band, I also felt that the opportunity to show the sort of creeps female musicians can attract was missed. Although the scene with the singers son's stepfather was put in, sadly it is not people who can simply be smacked in the mouth. It is people who exploit artists and then seek sexual favours as a sort of payoff. It is also not usually done in a crowded place. I would have preferred to see these sort of leeches explored, rather than just generic horrible men. An opportunity was missed to cast a spotlight and show some of their dodgy practices.

So all in all my verdict? I'd give it a 7/10. It was pretty good, it kept the viewer engaged. It could have easily been an 8 or a 9 if they'd done a bit more homework on the key theme, getting a band together.

And why does it matter? Well let me put it this way. When I play at the Dublin Castle with my band, The False Dots, I always nick a poster for my wall of fame at home. Here are a few of them that are on the kitchend wall. Here they are

Of all the bands on the wall who played with us, only one are all female. A big shout out to the wonderful Vampyra. A few of the bands have key female members, but the vast majority are all male. There is no earthly reason why females should not form bands. During the Punk era, we saw a few such bands break through, The Slits being the most memorable for me. The industry didn't know how to market them and had little interest in giving them major support. They are quite happy to have pretty girls in vocal groups, but anything more authentic and real is something they have no interest in. One aspect of Riot Women which was really spot on was the decision to make the key song about HRT. I'd be well up for a campaign to make it the Xmas number one. 

I was curious as to how much of what we actually heard was the actresses playing. Being a purist, I'd have liked to see them actually playing, even if it sounded ropey. That is how bands sound when they start. It would have been great to see them actually progress. 

Click for cheap advance tickets

Finally, one last comment. I guess I owe Sally Wainright a word of thanks. After watching it, Clare said "Blimey, I thought you were bad, you are an angel compared to the blokes in this" (or words to that effect). 

I cannot pass up the opporunity to plug North West London's finest Ska/Punk Band The False Dots and our next gig. Please come down. We may not be Riot Women, but I do predict a riot as its our annual Xmas Party!