Punk Site Poetry With Cherry B: Female Fronted Banned!

Our punked up pumped up performance poet, who has been described as the The Punk Pam Ayers and The Cockney Cooper Clarke, has returned with her latest exclusive poem for The Punk Site, Female Fronted Banned! Cherry B straddles the Shakespeare themes of comedy and tragedy, teasing with laughter, then taunting those undesirables in society. One half of the unique Cherry & Peesh, who have embellished the punk ‘n folk scene with melodical tales and catchy tunes for the past five years. Travelling all over the country, performing at prestige gigs and festivals, Cherry & Peesh will be playing alongside Steve Ignorant later this month as well as appearing at festivals, including 0161, Rebellion, Alternative Aycliffe and Equinox, the duo are also planning to release an album in May. Author, writer, poet, psychotherapist, professional swearer, dyspraxic and opinionated, words that define and illuminate qualities that feature within the personality of Cherry B.

“So this poem is for International Women’s day. It’s about a term that makes me cringe, Female Fronted band! There is no need to use it, male fronted band is never said!” (Cherry B)

Female Fronted Banned!

Let’s embrace equality, let’s be gender neutral, 

Forget about the differences and being overtly brutal.

Because labelling is negative, its purpose fails to stand.

So why do you name it as a female fronted band.

There’s nothing more patronising or contentious to remember

Than the bands musical accomplishment , being defined by a gender.

I don’t know why it’s mentioned, what reason it commands,

Sexualising a singer, in female fronted bands.

We are never a token, or a percentage to consider

When devising your line up, to a man the highest bidder?

Don’t say we don’t exist, we are just some glamour for the fans

Each woman witnessing the gimmick, in female fronted bands.

Oh fuck! There’s a female drummer, or the bass player’s got a pair of tits

It’s contentious and confusing of just where our status sits.

I feel a rise of nausea and a fist forms in my hand

Whenever I hear the term ‘female fronted band’

Cherry B‘s collection of poetry and lyrics, Job Lot Of Rhymes, is now available via Flapjack Press. Job Lot Of Rhymes spans three decades of Cherry B’s performance work. Political, societal and inclusive, it is uncompromising and passionate punk ’n roll poetics firing from the belly of social conscience. Cherry B also appears on her monthly radio show on Totally Wired Radio, Poetry Is The New Rock ’N Roll, that offers an hour of lyric led, spoken versed, genre smashing, musical adventure into the exploration of hidden poetry, that is often camouflaged behind powerful rhythms and riffs. Named after one of their own songs, Cherry & Peesh will travel through the decades and diverse styles to discuss and dissect the meaning of rhyme as reflected by songwriters.