Laney told me that the Rock N' Dolls are only about four months old now and already many exciting things have happened for her. When she originally had the concept for the Dolls she was fortunate enough to have found a business advisor/partner and once she teamed up with him the ball started rolling. They put on one of their first shows, which I attended, at the Delancey and the featured acts were what about frank, the Low Flying Jets, Me Talk Pretty and Situationist International. I need to write more about all these bands but have previously reviewed Me Talk Pretty which was the act I went to see that night. These bands were all serious talent and I think it was amazing that she pulled that show together at the outset of her adventure into the business world. It was at this performance that she debuted the Dolls in their full groupie regalia and tested her theories of rock promotion. At that performance and after it at the party that followed on the third floor of the Delancey, they filmed the promotional DVD which you can view a clip from here.
A few weeks later I sat down with Laney at the coffee shop she used to work at and talked about the Dolls. She was dressed in an old t-shirt and a pair of jeans. I wasn't used to seeing her look so "normal" and thought to myself that it was like seeing Superman without the cape. At any rate, as we talked we sipped on coffee and grubbed out on chocolate chip cookies. Laney explained how the Dolls were started and where they were going. She said that there was a merger in the works between the Dolls and a New York City-based record company in order to allow the two to exploit their respective assets to their mutual benefit. She was enthusiastic abut this merger of resources but asked that I not name the record company as the arrangement was not finalized when I talked to her.
The development of this venture has been fast enough that Laney says it keeps her head spinning just trying to stay on top of it all. She initially had two other girls working for her and is now up to around five. She runs the show though and likes it that way. She told me that she is considering branching out into other areas besides NYC and that there is an open recruting/casting call out for girls (at least 21 years old) who might want to live the rockstar lifestyle as a Rock N' Doll.
Article comments
1 - Sister Ray
Fascinating and perturbing.
Could you spell out for a middle-aged rock fan, exactly what services the bands are paying for? If a band hires them, is it understood that sex is part of the deal?
Is her goal to be hired by a record label to handle publicity? I don't think women who want actual, credible careers in publicity would want to encourage the idea that sex with the act is part of their job.
Half of me is thinking, "go, girl," and the other half is seeing the potential for sexism and exploitation, which are not exactly unknown in rock 'n' roll.
In a brutally honest, cynical way, I question the appeal of a rock band that has to pay young women to be its groupies.
2 - enki
Interesting take on the story... On the one hand I don't think that having sex with anyone is a requirement of the job any more than the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are required to have sex with the team. But the team does pay the cheerleaders to be there because they add something to the show and the fans like them being there. The cheerleaders promote the team.
In the case of the Dolls the scope of the job is larger. The Dolls set up the gigs that the bands play at so it is more like the dolls are paying the bands than the other way around.
As far as the "services" go, beyond booking the bands and "cheerleading" they would include whatever else needs to happen to make the show a success from schlepping some equipment to giving out schwag from the sponsors to keeping the band supplied with bottled water or whatever during the performance.
The idea, as I said seems to be adding another dimension to rock promoting and the best analogy really is probably to think of them as rock cheerleaders.
3 - Sister Ray
OK, the cheerleader analogy makes sense...new concept in rock fandom....nice work if you can get it; sounds like fun :->
4 - Al Barger
This is great if it works for her, but I don't see it. Now, it might be just that she and her girls do great business based largely on traditional marketing type functions.
But the cheerleaders thing seems like it would end up backfiring. I would regard it as fakery, and once an audience starts figuring out that the groupies are on payroll I'd think they'd turn on the band. Actually paying people to go out in the crowd and pretend to cheer for your band would be like a preacher hiring congregants to come in and pretend to be moved by the spirit, or a faith healer paying shills to fake a healing to work the crowd up.
That'd certainly be the end of your preaching if you got caught at it. Who wants to listen to a band that has to pay chicks to squeal for them? The only way they could even maybe salvage a bit of rep at that point would be if it were clear that the Dolls really were putting out- and in particularly perverted manner, with pictures.
5 - enki
Al,
I don't see any deception involved. The show is billed as being put on by the rockin dolls and the dolls MC the show. The girls do it because they like the music and I don't think they are going to book bands that they don't like so if they want to cheer I think it is genuine. I have been to several shows that the dolls put on and it seemed to me to be all in good fun and I think everyone there knows that. I still think it is a cool concept.
6 - Lady Lanes Cousin
Don't let these peoples negative attitude reflect your dreams keep it up Lady Lane !!!!! (See you in a few days !)
7 - shayla rene white
why are you doing this.
8 - Rock and Roll
Sounds like a good idea, this isn't really that groundbreaking though - dance clubs have had attractive hostesses paid to dress up and add to the vibe of the club for a long time - this is a natural extension into the rock and roll scene.