The Woman in the Band

Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth
14 x 11 inches, oil and spray paint on canvas, 2019

Mark E Smith and Brix Smith of the Fall
14 x 11 inches, oil and spray paint on canvas, 2019

Gaye Advert is billed as the first female punk rock star. She played bass in the Adverts. I think she may have inspired women to pick up a rock band instrument as (I assume) Suzi Quatro inspired her to start playing bass. Many guy bands following the Adverts had a women in their line-up. Often she is or becomes married to another band member. Brix Smith Start, guitarist in the Fall was married to Mark E Smith, Tina Weymouth who plays bass for the Talking Heads to drummer Chris Frantz. Kim Gordon, bass player in Sonic Youth to Thurston Moore. In Sonic Youth all members were equal and when the marriage between Gordon and Moore ended the band split up. The Fall, however, always was Mark E's band and when Brix and him split the guitar player was simply replaced. The band finally broke up in 2017 when Mark E Smith became too sick to perform. He died in 2018. 

The punk-rock movement certainly empowered women to pick up instruments traditionally played mostly by men, and to form their own bands. The process towards gender equality in rock music started in 1976.