Tuff Muff are an increasingly popular Melbourne band playing out of Rock and Roll High School in Collingwood. After performing at the recent Survival Day concert Erin and Lisa spoke to Militant.
Militant: Where did you meet?
Lisa: We met at school before going to Rock and Roll High School. In Year 7. Being young women it was hard to get band to play with us at first.
Militant: Do you see music as a form of expression or a political tool? Erin: Both. When you play to people, some look up to you and you're in a position of power to influence people. But it shouldn't be the only thing you do.
Militant: What do you think of the Spice Girls, another all-girl 'band'?
Erin: We're split on the Spice Girls. The band completely divided. I think it's really bad so many women pick on them. The represent something new. Feminism is dead and the Spice Girls are trying to appeal to young girls. They totally represent independence for women. Eight year olds find feminist literature boring - but through 'Girl Power' its easily interpreted.
Lisa: A few points on the Spice Girls. When the came to Melbourne, they went to the Casino. Second, they are Conservative supporters and were manufactured by a record company. They've got five images for the masses. They're the most disgusting marketing ploy of the 1990s.
Erin: Only two are Conservatives, Ginger and Victoria. Scary and Emma are anarchist and Emma is Labour. They appeal to 5-15 year old girls like feminism never did.
Militant: How would you describe your politics?
Lisa: They anti-corporation, anti-preferential voting system, anti-big business. There are many things in the world incredibly wrong and if we do nothing we'll all die. We can't continue to fuck with the world's environment. She's not to take it.
Erin: I'm very political. I watch everything I eat. I try not to eat mass consumer products like Coke. As far as politics itself goes, I hate capitalism, I hate consumerism. I hate everything about politics, the way it's used. Politics should be about equality not power and who's got most money.
Lisa: Politics shouldn't be about private lives (like Clinton) but what he does. The Liberals and Labor are for economic rationalism, their social policy has nothing to do with people.
Militant: Do you want to be rich?
Lisa: I want to be able to make a comfortable living.
Militant: Would you change the way you dressed or your songs if asked to by a record company?
Erin: Never. Whenever I made money I'd put it back in, with space for women's bands, set up our own independent label. We wouldn't spend big money on perfect shoes.
Lisa: We'd give bands free recording space. If we had money we'd help other individuals and groups
Militant: What do you own to Rock and Roll High School (R+R HS)?
Lisa: Everything we are, is due to Rock and Roll High School.
Erin: The beauty is they never say owed. The media is down on R+R HS, but it's about women wanting to play music but we don't discriminate (against men). It's about 10 to 1 women. The industry just ignores it. (Despite what people say) R+R HS don't all sound the same. We have metal, industrial pop, industrial. It's all down to Stephanie Bourke who started it.
Erin: Volume 3 of R+R HS records is out soon. Around Easter. There's twenty bands, it's one of the most amazing records I've heard. It kicks arse.