Women's History Month: Misogyny in Live Music and Gigging
Grace Halter is a 20-year-old musician known for being the bassist in local bands Polaroid Fade and Te Vista. She has been playing bass since her early teen years, and began playing music long before, thus cementing herself as a serious musician. Grace has played with a multitude of original and cover bands and has been gigging since high school. She offers a unique perspective in the music industry as a full-time college student who is active in the live music scene. As a bassist playing locally, Grace has experienced misogyny in a different lens. Through a linking of mutual friends, I met with Grace to discuss her upbringing in music and the experiences she has had throughout her career.
This interview took place on March 21st, 2024.
How did you get into music? Were you in band as a kid or did it just naturally interest you?
I work at School of Rock right now, so I teach music lessons, and I went there as well. School of Rock ended up flooding though [when I was taking lessons], so I went to this thing called Zachademy…and it was like School of Rock on CRACK. We were doing like crazy prog stuff.
School of Rock teaches you how to be IN a band correct?
Yeah. Zachademy was like that too, but it was much more hardcore. It was stressful.
Did you always play bass there?
Yes.
Obviously, that is your main instrument, but is that all you play?
No, I actually started on piano when I was three! I mostly play classical for piano though.
Do you still play at all?
Yeah…I still take piano lessons haha. My piano teacher is really cool! I have been taking lessons with her since I was like…six. I am not going right now though because it’s way too much with my classes this semester. I honestly think I’m just afraid of change, so I don’t want to tell her I’m stopping.
That’s cool though. It is easy to hate on lessons, especially as we get older, but they’re nice! They keep you in check with your instrument. When did you start playing bass?
I think I was twelve? I bought a guitar for like forty bucks, and then I started playing bass just on the first four strings until I was able to actually get a bass.
Is that around the same time you started School of Rock?
Yeah. I started at twelve on keys. Then I bought the guitar and went for guitar. They needed someone to play bass though, so my teacher said, “Just try it.” Once I tried it…I knew like, “This is my thing.”
Bass is the best; it is so underrated. It is the driving force for all music.
That’s what I’m saying!
When did you stop attending School of Rock, and when did you start working there?
I went from 2016 to 2018, and then Zachademy after. After Covid, Zachademy fizzled out. So, my first “official” band came after that.
What was your first band?
…It was a Pink Floyd cover band.
Wait, I love that. I love Pink Floyd.
One of the people I was in Zachademy with was like, “Yo. I’m in a Pink Floyd tribute band and we need a bassist.” So, I was like, “Alright!” and joined that.
How old were you then?
I was fifteen.
Ok so you were playing gigs in high school, what was that like? I assume it was hard with school and what not.
Not really, surprisingly. I was playing mostly on the weekends so it’s actually harder now.
When did you join Polaroid Fade? And how did that start?
2021 or 22? So, full circle…the Pink Floyd band was one band and then there was a lot of disagreements, so we had a new lineup. We needed a drummer for the new lineup because we kind of lost everyone. The original drummer moved to guitar, and it was just me and him. We both had to learn to sing, and then we had to fill every other spot. This guy Tyler went on drums for a little, and then ended up calling me later saying, “I have this project. It’s original stuff. Do you want to be a part of it?” And I was like, “Yeah, why not?” And that was that.
Right before that call, were you at a point where you felt like, “I’m tired of covers. I want to do original stuff.”
Yeah. At that point, I was already in other cover bands too and wanted to try something else.
Ok, cool! Are you officially a part of Te Vista now as well?
Yes! I officially joined in December. Our first show with me as their bassist was at the end of December.
Are you working in any other bands right now outside of those two?
Yes, I’m still in another cover band. I do gigs for all three still.
Oh my God?? Your schedule is probably crazy then?
Yes, I go to school and then work until 9pm after certain days. When I’m not working after school, I usually have 1-2 practices. Then gigs are on Friday and Saturday.
Growing up, was anyone else in your family a musician?
No, it’s just me. I like it because I have my own thing. My parents love music. They raised me on GOOD music and go to concerts all the time. They are super supportive.
What were your biggest influences growing up?
…Pink Floyd haha. My dad is the biggest Pink Floyd fan. My mom was into 80’s new wave stuff. My dad was into grungy rock stuff and my mom more so the 80’s pop stuff. They’ll intersect though.
You’ve been doing music for a while…is this something you want to keep doing in the future?
I would like to. I mean hey, if Te Vista or Polaroid Fade blow up and go somewhere I will gladly drop out of school and quit my job for it. I do not care what I’m doing, I would drop it. I just didn’t want music to be what I went to school for.
Have you ever toured?
Well, “toured.” In Zachademy we did some Queen shows in New York. It was like a couple shows and we got to go on a bus and stay in a hotel. I was fifteen and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I would like to tour though.
Obviously, I am here to talk about misogyny and women within the industry. I feel like, and again I could be wrong, it probably happens a lot to you especially as a female bassist.
Yeah.
People just always assume the women are singers. The most comfortable they can get past is a guitarist, and even then, it’s rare.
Yes. Everyone assumes you are the singer. There is nothing wrong obviously with being a girl who sings, but it shouldn’t be the default.
Have you gone to venues to play, and they address you as the lead singer?
Yes, or I’ve had, like loading stuff in, “Oh you’re helping your boyfriend out?”
Do you say anything back?
I’m very confrontational but I’m also very quiet so it depends. It happens more outside of gigs though. There is a music store around here, and I went in a few years ago looking for a fretless bass. I saw one and called a worker over, “Hey! Do you mind if I play this?” and the worker goes, “Well, if you’re just starting out you probably don’t want to get a fretless one.” I just smiled and said, “Ok! You’re right!” and walked out.
It's like, why are you assuming I have never played before?
Yes. Another place around here, I had to stop in for a cable. Mine broke on the way to a bar gig. I was looking and the worker came over to help me. He said, “Yeah for practice you probably don’t want xyz foot cable. You should just get a ten foot.” I couldn’t do the same thing as before because I was there, and I needed something. I just said, “Um actually I am on my way to a gig, and I need a new cable so I’m good with what I have thank you.”
If you want to be helpful why not just word it differently? That is my constant issue and why I want to talk about this with as many women in the industry as possible because it gets to be so frustrating at times. It feels like you are being talked down too.
Yes, and even the compliments are like that too. They are so backhanded. I always get people saying, “Oh when I saw a girl was in the band, I didn’t think you would actually be good,” or “I didn’t think you actually knew how to play bass.” I had one man come up to me and say, “Wow! They really knew what they were doing when they picked you!” “You don’t have to be a good bassist if you look like that!”
Is that another recurring thing? Do people just assume you’re there because you’re someone’s date or the guys think you’re pretty?
One person told me, “You know they only asked you to join the band because they want to go out with you?” This was a while ago too, but it is still weird.
I don’t want to sound bitter all the time or anything, but this stuff does not ever happen to guys in bands. Do you have any specific instances where someone was so rudely ignoring or speaking that way towards you that you want to share?
A lot of the gigs I have played in the past, it is someone I personally know doing sound. Some shows it is just the venue’s staff though. I will be holding my bass ready to soundcheck and they don’t put together, “Oh she is the bassist.” I’ll get, “Are you ready to check your mic,” a lot too – while holding my bass. Once when I was younger, I had a man try to manually show me how to plug in my bass and turn my amp on. Everything these men do and say to you is so acceptable too. I remember working a bar gig once right after turning sixteen. It was about 4 hours and we got paid $50 each, which at the time I was like, “This is so cool.”
Haha, I feel like whenever you’re that young any money seems like a lot to you. Do you get a lot of weirdo comments at bars because of all the drinking?
Yes. It’s usually just comments on me being a girl in the band or being a bassist instead of singer.
Wrap Up Questions
Do you have any new music/shows/anything coming out soon?
Yeah! There is a Polaroid Fade show on April 5th at Anchor Rock Club and the 6th at an Arts Festival on Main Street in Glassboro. We have a new song coming out soon, I honestly forgot the date haha. We are working on some new music! Same goes for Te Vista, I don’t know when though. People tell me stuff and it just slips my mind.
Final question because I love asking everyone this stuff, but what is your favorite album, artist, and song right now?
That is such a hard question. I have been listening to Look Sharp! by Joe Jackson a lot. Also, I don’t even know actually…just that honestly for album. I have been using Airbuds lately. (Grace made it clear she is NOT talking about the basketball dogs) It’s a music sharing app that shows your listening stats to friends. My top artists right now are Echo & the Bunnymen, Squeeze, and Steely Dan. I have been listening to a LOT of Green Day too. I really like The Cure. I listen to everything, so I am panicking a little here.
Go check out Polaroid Fade and Te Vista on all music platforms! Follow Grace on instagram @ graceehalter and keep supporting local musicians, ESPECIALLY the women playing and working in the local music scene.