Mavis Bayton

In the following essay, Mavis Bayton explains how feminists in the 1970s created a new type of music that reflected their political views. According to Bayton, these women stood apart from their male counterparts lyrically and musically; the lyrics tended to focus on issues such as motherhood and lesbianism, while the music was generally lighter and softer. Feminist musicians also emphasized cooperation between each other and between the performer and the audience. Bayton is a tutor in sociology at Ruskin College in Oxford, England. She has also written numerous articles on rock music and is the author of Frock Rock: Women Performing Popular Music.