Elise Major is mad about the perception surrounding female guitar players — and she’s not dealing with it anymore.
“Everytime I tell people that I have a band, they’re like ‘Oh, is it a girl band?’ and I’m like, no!” the 25-year-old guitarist/vocalist said.
“Though even if it was we would still be good.”
Major, who lives in Baltimore, started her career the way a lot of musicians do — with classical piano lessons. But in high school, when she overheard some of her peers saying that good female guitarists practically don’t exist, Major became obsessed with learning the instrument.
By day, Major is a music instructor; by night, she performs regularly with her band, shattering the stereotypes that come along with being a girl rocker.
When did you switch from piano to guitar?
I really got into guitar in high school. I became obsessed. Everything revolved around my guitar. Something subconscious just clicked, and I was like, I have to be in a band. So in college I took all of my classical piano training and transformed it into guitar. Being a musician kinda grew from there. I never though I was really good, I just had a lot of inspiration to be better. I got addicted to rock and roll.
Let’s face it, you’re in a male-dominated genre. Do people ever bother you about it?
Honestly, it doesn’t happen that often, it’s just little comments that stand out. Like once I was traveling with my guitar, and this guy comes up to me like “Ugh, is that YOUR guitar?” I just gave him some snide response.
But when we go out to play, people are really cool. I hear a lot of “I’ve never seen a girl play like that before,” or “You’re a girl, but you play like a guy!” [laughs]. I guess it’s because I listen to a lot of guy bands, like Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Led Zeppelin, stuff like that.
What are you doing when you aren’t performing?
I’m teaching private guitar, as well as a class at the Musicians Institute of Baltimore, and a little for Mobile Music Group. I’m all over the place.
If you go
Elise Major with 3 Easy Payments, Failure to Excel, A Heart Felt Lie, Playground Etiquette and An Early Ending
» Venue: Rams Head Live, 20 Market Place, Baltimore
» When: 7 p.m. Saturday
» Tickets: $9
» Info:
www.myspace.com/elisemajor
