FREUDIAN SLIPS ON THE LINE

Rip It Up, Issue 91, 1 February 1985, Page 4

FREUDIAN SLIPS ON THE LINE

My first question was “Would the Freudian Slips like to support themselves as a band?” (My next: “What stopped you?”) It quickly became null and void as I learned they were breaking up after March. TVvo of the women are going overseas, but that isn't the only reason. They were one of the few all-women bands around in 1981 sort of pioneers. Since then there have been lineup changes and a number of other allwomen bands and they feel another change would mean a different band. Before the big break, however, there’ll be a record and a short tour to Hamilton and Wellington (they can’t afford a South Island tour), then final gigs in Auckland after March 17. The new record, Are You Laughing, should be out about now and they describe it as more polished than the last one (On the Line), more premeditated. It was done on a 16-track at Montage Studios as opposed to an eight-track at Last Laugh. The songs are all original and all different in style and Issue nuclear, orgasm myths, relationships. Their politics are more up front here. Manager Liz: "It’s very difficult for women to record in New Zealand, to get a good quality. The industry is totally run by men, right from who you hire PAs from to recording to record companies. One

record company guy said we didn’t play up front’ enough hard enough. He had no conception that women play differently and that It’s just as valid.” Bid: “Men tend to think in terms of money, too women are

used to being unpaid workers.’’ It’s been a hard slog getting the second record out they've only just finished paying off the first one and will be paying for this one after they've broken up!

On the rare occasions I've seen the Freudian Slips live they’ve been dynamic and fun but not without bite. Mary: "We try to create an unease in our music, rather than mindless music as the drug like discos where people walk away unthreatened, safe. We try to challenge.” The challenge is often misunderstood by men. Harassment happens a lot if not to band members then to women who go along to see the Slips. They all agree it's worse now than it used to be. Bid: “We’re a better band now and therefore more threatening. Some men can't handle that we’re up there making good music and they can’t ignore us. They can’t handle women not acting like advertisements.” Liz: “We can deal with the harassment now, but it can spoil gigs.” In some ways the Freudian Slips’ message is that they are they’re women making music. It’s political in itself. Bid: "It was a conscious decision to have an all-women band. All our time is devoted to women and it was natural that it should be that way.” The breakup isn’t the total end of the Freudian Slips as we know them. Amanda intends to finish her degree. Penny will carry on in music and Mary’s involved in videos for women. It’s tough for a band, let alone a women’s band in a male world: harassed, not taken seriously, comments like "They’re not bad for girls.” Men like that don’t deserve breathing space. Thank heavens women aren’t as dumb. * tr. FIONA RAE