For Kristine Ashton-Magnuson
Image from Spotify
I first discovered rock music when I was 12 years old. I think it started when I heard a song by Linkin Park on KROQ, and it spoke to me in a way that other music never had. I played classical piano and flute, listened to P!nk and KT Tunstall, grooved to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and I enjoyed it. But the music never spoke to me, it never reached into my being, saw what was there, and released it. When I first heard Linkin Park, that all changed.
From Linkin Park, I found Rise Against. From there, Affiance and All That Remains and VIZA and Pierce the Veil and Nothing More and La Dispute. These bands played music that spoke to my soul. But something was missing. I never saw myself in these bands. Women didn’t really have a place in the male-dominated world of rock and metal, genres that often featured misogynistic lyrics. I wanted that to change.
Halestorm came along, and I became obsessed. Lzzy Hale was my everything, my inspiration. But every song she wrote was about sex, drugs, and rocknroll. I admired Lzzy Hale, Taylor Momsen, Maria Brink, and the Butcher Babies, but they were selling sex. Their on-stage image didn’t reflect my own relationship with rock music, and it made me uncomfortable. I wanted metal music by women to speak for itself.
Last year, I saw Bad Omens open for Underoath. I didn’t listen to any of the other bands ahead of time, and didn’t know what to expect. When Spiritbox took the stage, I did a double-take. Courtney LaPlante walked on stage, dressed in totally normal, everyday clothes, and I knew I’d found what I was looking for. She switched between the fiercest screams and the most gorgeous singing. I was just as taken by “Holy Roller” as I was by “Eternal Blue.” And through it all, she never sexualized herself. She just performed.
From Linkin Park, I found Rise Against. From there, Affiance and All That Remains and VIZA and Pierce the Veil and Nothing More and La Dispute. These bands played music that spoke to my soul. But something was missing. I never saw myself in these bands. Women didn’t really have a place in the male-dominated world of rock and metal, genres that often featured misogynistic lyrics. I wanted that to change.
Halestorm came along, and I became obsessed. Lzzy Hale was my everything, my inspiration. But every song she wrote was about sex, drugs, and rocknroll. I admired Lzzy Hale, Taylor Momsen, Maria Brink, and the Butcher Babies, but they were selling sex. Their on-stage image didn’t reflect my own relationship with rock music, and it made me uncomfortable. I wanted metal music by women to speak for itself.
Last year, I saw Bad Omens open for Underoath. I didn’t listen to any of the other bands ahead of time, and didn’t know what to expect. When Spiritbox took the stage, I did a double-take. Courtney LaPlante walked on stage, dressed in totally normal, everyday clothes, and I knew I’d found what I was looking for. She switched between the fiercest screams and the most gorgeous singing. I was just as taken by “Holy Roller” as I was by “Eternal Blue.” And through it all, she never sexualized herself. She just performed.
Courtney LaPlante recording "Rule of Nines" (Image from YouTube)
For me, Spritibox is so much more than a supremely talented metalcore band. Spiritbox is proof that women have a place in the rock and metal world, not because they are fun to look at, but because they are talented musicians. To Courtney, thank you.
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I also want to give shoutouts and thank yous to Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), Jeanne Sagan (All That Remains), Elize Ryd (Amaranthe), Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie), Lela Gruber (VENUES), Maria Lessing (Future Palace), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), and so many other amazing women rockers.
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I also want to give shoutouts and thank yous to Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), Jeanne Sagan (All That Remains), Elize Ryd (Amaranthe), Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie), Lela Gruber (VENUES), Maria Lessing (Future Palace), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), and so many other amazing women rockers.
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