-r'* f\7rr COMMUNITY old. Design. MAGNUM OPUS It's True, Boys ... The Girl's Got Groove DJ Jenny LaFemme documents sexism in dance-music through Girls Gone Vinyl: The Untold Story of Female DJs. By Pamela A. Zinkosky enny Feterovich, alias DJ Jenny 11LaFemme, is used to being the minority. In 1989, when she was 14, her family fled anti-Semitism in Moscow and settled in suburban Detroit. As a student at Berkley High School, LaFemme absorbed the popular culture, where Madonna and Michael Jackson were en vogue. But she never forgot her roots. "You want to be assimilated into the culture, but you also want to be with your DJ Jenny LaFemme with fellow female DJ Dahlia own people," she says. DJ Modest. Music became her bridge between East- ern European and American cultures. In basement of music nerds who would mix the 1990s, she became a fixture in Detroit's sounds and edit songs at home. underground music clubs, where she first "Girls at that age are doing different heard electronic music and the way a disc things," says Derthick. "Boys tend to nerd jockey could meld musical elements that out in their basements" in their teenage spoke to the crowd and make them dance. years more than girls do. "There were no Says LaFemme: "I saw the music. I saw other women to look up to," LaFemme the energy. I saw the vibe, and I just fell in adds. "It was a boys' club!' love with it!' Girls Gone Vinyl aims to inspire women Her desire to create that soulful, carefree who are interested in the industry, La- environment for fellow Russians was the Femme says."It's not a bitch-fest," she says, impetus for a new hobby — hosting dance but an opportunity to tell how successful parties — where she played Russian music, female DJs have made their mark. disco and other genres. "It will give a younger girl someone to More than a decade later, LaFemme emulate and see where they started from," has created a side career out of spinning Derthick explains. electronic music — more specifically, a Derthick and LaFemme began filming subgenre of sexy, melodic electronica she at the Movement Electronic Music Festival calls"house."Her day job is as a principal and are seeking seed money for the proj- and co-founder at Clawson-based Parlia- ect on Kickstarter.com , where artists can ment Studios Inc., a video production appeal to the masses for donations. company. "We plan to travel around the world and As one of the few well-known female get as many stories as we can;' LaFemme DJs in the electronic music industry, an ar- says. "I'd like to go to more than 100 [fe- guably small group, LaFemme says she DJs male DJs] and cover from the '70s and '80s anywhere she can create a dance environ- all the way up to the modern DJ who just ment, including locally in Detroit, as well started spinning a couple of weeks ago!' as in Miami and Moscow. Girls Gone Vinyl includes the story of LaFemme and music-event producer Anja Schneider, who began as an elec- Maggie Derthick have collaborated annu- tronic music producer for German radio, ally on an all-female DJ lineup that coin- owns the record label Mobilee Records cides each year with Movement, Detroit's and happens to be pregnant. annual spring electronic music festival. Also included in the interview lineup are When they met up to discuss this year's up-and-coming electronic music producer event, LaFemme said she had an epiphany. Deniz Kurtel, Chicago-born producer Kate "It literally struck me. I have a studio. I Simko and the DJ duo Dollz at Play. have an opportunity to do something very What's more, says Derthick, the film important," says LaFemme. includes women like her who work in busi- The festival, which ran May 28-30 in De- ness and public relations for the industry troit's Hart Plaza, featured only six female and could act as a touchpad for young DJs out of 107 total acts and was "par for artists. the course," say LaFemme and Derthick."It "There's this whole new generation of is a very segregated industry," LaFemme people coming into this music;' Derthick adds. "We are consistently told we're pretty says."Electronic music is going to become good for girls." more mainstream quicker than anyone The women began planning a docu- thinks!' mentary — Girls Gone Vinyl: The Untold Where a lack of female DJs might have Story of Female DJs — highlighting female scared some women away from the indus- DJs and their challenges in a male-domi- try, LaFemme says that only bolstered her nated industry. drive. Derthick, an electronic music veteran, "I think differently. I like a challenge. If says the industry is slanted toward males they can do it, I can do it," she says."There's for multiple reasons.The most obvious still a stigma that we're pretty good for is in the way the industry began: Elec- girls. I don't want to be pretty good for a tronic music production grew out of the girl. I just want to be good." ET www.colonialevents.com Full-Service Event Design for Weddings & Special Events 4 Spring is here! Warm up to a whole new look with help from the Wittock remodeling experts! Plus save up to 40% on your purchase! Aisles of inspiration filled with the latest styles. Friendly experts who can help with your spring remodeling project. Plus an opportunity to save 40% on any one item storewide.* You'll find it all – and more – at Wittock Kitchen and Bath. Birmingham Also visit us in: 950 S. Old Woodward Avenue Gaylord Birmingham, MI 48009 Shelby Township (248) 283-8400 Traverse City *Offer good on select products. 40% discount off the price of any one item storewide, with ad, on qualifying products. New orders only. Wittock Kitchen and Bath PIAJAVINO, HEATING and MFQI1ANIGAk www.Wittook.00m THE BOLD LOOK OF KOHLER. .40 these magical moments for a bietiMe... t‘i Shriners Silver Garden Events Center is the perfect venue for any occasion. With the stunning stained glass and picturesque waterfall- garden you can have an elegant indoor event or in warmer months a beautiful outdoor Wedding or Mitzvah. Let our experienced event planners guide you in creating your magical moment. Our first class chef will help design a unique and personalized celebration that you and your guests will forever remember. 24350 Southfield Road Southfield Mi 48075 Formally the venue that housed Congregation B'nai David 248-569-2299 infogsilvergardenevents.com • www.silvergardenevents.com www.redthreadmagazine.com RED MOD July 2011 9