The Femme Collective

Photo: Ellen Offredy

Name, where are you from?
The Femme Collective:
Grace Goslin, living and studying/working in London and Basingstoke. 
Dani Ran, from Saint Albans but currently living and working in Brighton.

Describe your style in three words?
Grace: Cool lesbian mum.
Dani: Fashion faux pas.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Grace: It was probably seeing Mitski this year. It was one of those moments where I didn’t think I would be able to make it, and then I could, only to be confronted by her rolling around the stage in knee pads. It was quite something.
Dani: Kanye West, Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury 2015. Although he’s a problematic fav, I basically grew up listening to Kanye, with Graduation being the first album I ever downloaded digitally. It really felt like something I’d spent nearly a decade waiting for, and almost a moment in history. I mean, Kanye performing at Glasto was a genuine glitch in the Matrix and it’s Bound 2 never happen again. (Shameful pun, I know).

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Grace: Put me on a line up with some boss ass women and I will be happy, but I would have to say ABBA and LCD Soundsystem. ABBA because they are hands down the best band of all time and a reunion with me on backing vocals is well overdue. LCD because I’ve never seen a band with quite so many synths, just getting the chance to watch that spectacle side of the stage would be stunning.
Dani: Talking Heads and Madonna. Both artists are incredibly influential to my current tastes and throw a hella party.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Grace: The Riot Grrl movement has certainly had a massive influence on me and my feminism. It was a scene of powerful women with a political agenda, and they used their music and stage presence to vocalise their resistance of the patriarchy. Feminism has progressed even further since then, but there is still a large fight to be fought!
Dani: Punk 100%. Growing up, I always questioned social norms, conformity, and authority, partially because I was a bit of a smart-arse who thought I was above the law, but mainly because it was the first subculture to truly question politics and society through music, fashion, and identity.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Grace: Prince! My mum is a massive Prince fan and managed to see him live a bunch of times and would always say that he was completely mesmerising. I think spending time with any musician who is so outwardly performative and uncovering a different truth within them is so interesting. I wish that journalists still had the funding and accessibility to go on tour with bands. Imagine being in Prince’s tour bus during the ’84 Purple Rain tour!
Dani: I reckon I’d wanna have a smoke with Rihanna and talk about the universe or something. She singlehandedly made her way to the top of the music industry, boasting 8 Number 1 singles and 30 Top 10s in the space of 5 years. She’s mad passionate and in recent years became a fashion powerhouse with Fenty. I just wanna wrack her brain, she’s truly an icon.

Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Grace: The venues which are most important to me are The Windmill in Brixton and The Joiners Arms in Southampton. The Windmill has punctuated nearly every vivid wild night out/gig memory I’ve had whilst living in London. It’s also the place where I’ve met some of my best pals. It’s an all-around must go, a bit of a musical mecca. As for the Joiners, after college, my mates and I would often jump on the train from Winchester, down a bottle of Lidl wine in the park and watch a gig at the Joiners. Some memorable teenage gigs there include Alvvays and The Wytches. I would also often watch my mate's bands play there, they’ve now combined to form the next best boy band, Hotel Lux.
Dani: I haven’t really been to that many venues outside of London, but I’d say my favourite venue thus far is DIY Space for London in Peckham. Volunteer-run, cheap drinks, intimate, and has a chill-out room that its punters can relax in if they’re feeling anxious/need to sit somewhere quiet. I see no flaw.

Your greatest hero or heroine in music?
Grace: Kate Bush. Despite her being a Tory, I think musically there is no artist that I would aspire to be like, quite as much as her. The fact that she wrote ‘The Man With The Child In His Eyes’ at age 16 says it all. My favourite tracks are definitely ‘This Woman’s Work’ and ‘Cloudbusting’.
Dani: Ari Up of The Slits is one of the coolest people to ever exist. From reading about her and watching her performances with The Slits, it’s evident that she didn’t really give a shit of what people thought of her, the way she dressed, the way she acted, and the way she performed on stage. She was musically competent with virtually every instrument and a passionate feminist before she even knew what feminism was by definition, forming The Slits at just 14 years old. Without her, I don’t think the way women are seen in bands would be anywhere near where it is today. She was a true revolutionary force for both feminism and the post-punk movement.

Grace Goslin and Dani Ran are the co-founders of The Femme Collective, a multi-platform project dedicated to increasing gender equality in the music industry, including a printed zine edition and website. Recent featured artists have included Jockstrap, Nilufer Yanya, The Orielles, Pixx, Girli, Suzi Wu, Confidence Man, Sassy 009 and many more.

Find out more at www.thefemmecollective.co.uk