Melbourne Musician Forced To Apologise After Giving A Trainwreck Interview About Diversity
"This is the worst interview i’ve ever heard. Get educated, step outside the comfort of your Boiz Club."
A member of Melbourne heavy outfit Ocean Grove has been forced to apologise for his very tone-deaf response to a question about the issue of diversity on festival line-ups.
Bassist Dale Tanner was being interviewed by Music Feeds on ground at Melbourne’s Download Festival when he was asked for his opinion “the whole gender diversity thing on line-ups”. His response… well, it left a little to be desired
“I just believe that if it’s a good band, they deserve to play,” Tanner began. “Regardless of what gender they are, what colour they are, what beliefs they have. If you’re a good band and you play good music, then you deserve to be there. I think that should be the only filter.”
“I think when other things come into play… like ‘You’re gonna get that spot just because you’re from a certain demographic…’. I feel like things get really blurry when we start to do that kind of thing. I get the intention behind it, it’s very honourable. But at the end of the day, it should just be about the music.”
“Sometimes, you see the intention and the intention is great,” he continued. “But I think people get angry because it’s like ‘Oh are they just there because of a certain quota to fill?’ And then that causes a whole argument of like ‘Well are we just filling a quota?’ But shouldn’t you just be happy to be there?”
“Hey, write good music, be passionate — and that’s all that matters,” he finished. “That’s my two cents.”
Hear that, ladies? Just write some good songs and the structural inequality of the music industry will completely disappear!
His comments didn’t sit well with pretty much everyone who watched the video, and bands such as Luca Brasi and The Hard Aches were among those who called out Tanner for his comments.
This is the worst interview i’ve ever heard. Get educated, step outside the comfort of your Boiz Club @oceangrovemelb
— The Hard Aches (@TheHardAches) March 24, 2018
Brains trust right here.
— Luca Brasi (@LUCABRASIAUS) March 25, 2018
Are you really so privileged that you believe we live in a meritocracy @oceangrovemelb ? That u have been awarded the exact same opportunity as POC & women & queer people? If u think these festivals r an accurate representation of the music community YOU r missing out severly. https://t.co/Nx6BSqZKgv
— Kelly-Dawn Kelso (@sideshowkelso) March 24, 2018
It’s like cool, yeah good bands should play. But the only bands who are usually offered the opportunity to play are white cis men.
I hope the band have some conversations with others about why their perspective is really damaging ☹️
— Georgia Cooke (@georgiaaa7) March 24, 2018
Tanner has since addressed the criticism in a lengthy thread on Twitter, writing that he realises now his response was “misguided”.
I would like to apologise to any individuals and fans I have offended with my response yesterday. Watching back this morning I have realised the errors in my misguided response, on a topic that I have not been questioned on before and have never openly discussed.
— Dale Tanner (@nahdale) March 25, 2018
I understand I am not in a position to have felt the effect this inequality plays in the industry, and so I apologise if my response has come across as entitled. I am all ears to any insight anyone may be able to offer me on this topic…
— Dale Tanner (@nahdale) March 25, 2018
..as I don’t feel educated enough on the complexities of the issue to have made an informed opinion. There is no doubt that gender inequality exists within the music industry, and I am fully supportive of any efforts that can be made to positively abridge this imbalance…
— Dale Tanner (@nahdale) March 25, 2018
…and ensure everyone is given a fair go. Once again, I am very apologetic and didn’t mean to cause any offence, and am going to make a concerted effort to educate myself further on this topic.
— Dale Tanner (@nahdale) March 25, 2018
His comments are especially hard to digest given heavy music’s long history in Australia with male-dominated line-ups.
Download Festival was recently skewered by the Instagram account ‘Lineups Without Males‘, who called the festival out for only featuring five female acts (that’s acts with at least one female involved — not necessarily majority-female acts) among a 2018 line-up of around 30 bands.
Last year Victoria’s UNIFY Gathering was forced to issue a statement addressing criticism of their 2017 line-up — which featured just two female acts. They committed to improving in 2018, booking five female acts for their 2018 bill.