Scan barcode
Reviews
What are You Doing Here?: A Black Woman's Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal by Skin, Laina Dawes
thekimberlyann's review against another edition
4.0
A thoughtful, well researched, and enlightening read.
thebechdelbitch's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Honestly? I'm quite disappointed. The results of the survey were interesting, and the idea as a whole is of course very valuable to have - but the WHOREPHOBIA in this book was frequently soooo uncomfortable to read. Some of these women just HATE other women (there was one instance where this was something which was discussed and dissected, which was great but only one example in a book full of them).
It was also very repetitive - I think that there was enough info here for a good article, not enough for a full book.
I got some good music recommendations though.
It was also very repetitive - I think that there was enough info here for a good article, not enough for a full book.
I got some good music recommendations though.
craftingchange's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty solid, tho parts felt a little slut shaME-y and outright anti hip hop (as in it is a music form that subjugated WOC more than Rock/metal)
tricapra's review against another edition
4.0
I know what it's like to be an "outsider" fan, so this was an interesting look at what a different intersection of women faces in the scene. The book was definitely interesting, although the editing left something to be desired.
pastaylor's review against another edition
4.0
The perspective of black women in metal was interesting and powerful to read about. However, the editing on this was a little off. It read like a series of blog posts rather than a cohesive book, and was kinda all over the place. Still, it's worth reading for a perspective that is too often ignored.
sumayyah_t's review against another edition
5.0
As someone who has spent most of her life as the "weird kid" in many, many different places, I must first thank Laina Dawes for writing this book. "What Are You Doing Here?" offers a glimpse of what it is like to be a Black, female metalhead in this (very often) racist and sexist sphere of music. Including information gleaned from interviews and personal experiences, this book also includes historical tidbits about the music industry, as well as facts about the punk and metal scene that you probably never knew. I highly recommend "What Are You Doing Here?" to any who has been asked that question from anyone, including themselves.
n8duke's review against another edition
3.0
A good book. I only wish I’d been able to read it ten years ago when it first came out.
kevingentilcore's review against another edition
3.0
Going into this book I thought it was going to be about racism in metal as a whole, particularly from a black woman's point of view, which I assumed, was not a pleasant experience. It is about that, but there's so many ins and outs about this book and topic I found the whole thing just utterly heartbreaking and illuminating, and inspiring all at once.
The book covers racism in metal, punk, rock, from a larger perspective. The author doesn't get bogged down in niche, fringe elements, or micro scene politics so much as examines why there's a larger problem with a general nonacceptance of black people playing heavier music or being involved in those scenes. There's much discussion about the American music industry and overall treatment of black people and how they're marketed in music differently and how theres come to be a very specific idea of what black people should enjoy and champion, entertainment wise, that comes from both black and white communities. One of the things I was not prepared for was how many of the black women interviewed in this book were essentially shunned or abandoned by their family and community for being into heavy metal or punk, or more extreme forms of entertainment. There's the idea that they're abandoning their culture, something black people strived so hard to attain in America. But all they wanted is to express themselves, and what is punk and metal if not a way to give a voice to the challenged and the angry?
The book isn't about how metal is racist, it's about how there is racism in metal, but it's really about how everybody is and should be welcomed there and how if you're passionate about something you fight for it.
The book covers racism in metal, punk, rock, from a larger perspective. The author doesn't get bogged down in niche, fringe elements, or micro scene politics so much as examines why there's a larger problem with a general nonacceptance of black people playing heavier music or being involved in those scenes. There's much discussion about the American music industry and overall treatment of black people and how they're marketed in music differently and how theres come to be a very specific idea of what black people should enjoy and champion, entertainment wise, that comes from both black and white communities. One of the things I was not prepared for was how many of the black women interviewed in this book were essentially shunned or abandoned by their family and community for being into heavy metal or punk, or more extreme forms of entertainment. There's the idea that they're abandoning their culture, something black people strived so hard to attain in America. But all they wanted is to express themselves, and what is punk and metal if not a way to give a voice to the challenged and the angry?
The book isn't about how metal is racist, it's about how there is racism in metal, but it's really about how everybody is and should be welcomed there and how if you're passionate about something you fight for it.