The Aquadolls And The Power Of “Mermaid Rock And Roll”
The Aquadolls not only granted me access into their fantasy world, but reminded me that rock and roll is for everyone to enjoy and create.
Written by Katie Karp
Photo courtesy of The Aquadolls
Rock and roll has always fascinated me: it has the ability to connect, inspire, and translate feelings of anger and excitement into art. Posters of The Clash and David Bowie hang above my bed at home. In high school, I wrote two separate research papers about “Almost Famous,” Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical film about his experience following the Allman Brothers for Rolling Stone. When I moved to Austin for college, I got to see the famed music town’s fresh faces of rock perform live. I loved these concerts: the music, the excitement, the nerves and talents of the young musicians. But when I raved one time to a friend about a show I saw, he laughed and called me a groupie.
It felt like he threw a dagger to my heart. I was immediately offended, but, even worse, I began to question my music preferences. I felt a sense of embarrassment and frustration that I wasn’t seen as a “real” rock and roll fan simply because I was a woman. To be coined a groupie — a term with a long misogynistic history of dismissing female rock fans — made me wonder if there was a space for me within rock music. But my love of the genre does not stem from its masculine roots, but rather the electric energy that the music gives me. It was not until I was introduced to The Aquadolls that I realized that rock and roll has neither boundaries nor gender restrictions.
My friend, who had been hooked on the band since she saw them perform at last year’s Austin City Limits festival, invited me to see their Valentine’s Day concert. Though I had listened to some of their songs before the show, I had not yet fully appreciated the complete demagoguery of The Aquadolls. From the moment they strapped on their matching glittery, pastel instruments until they said goodbye to their "sweet angels," the group demonstrated to the audience the power of what they define as "mermaid rock and roll."
Lead singer and guitarist Melissa Brooks started The Aquadolls in 2012. The following year, the band released their debut EP, We Are Free. The EP showcases the band's disregard for the expectations of what rock music should be; instead, they follow their own fun route. "Pizza Party" encapsulates the excitement of sleepovers with friends, while "Wander" details a dreamy, psychedelic experience. Later, in Stoked On You, their 2014 debut album, The Aquadolls leave their sleepover and bring you to the Santa Monica Pier. They experiment with both psychedelic and surf rock in songs like “Wacky Surf Trip,” while sticking to their playful, bedroom-rock roots in “Guys Who Sk8.” Sounding like the beach and tasting like cotton candy, their second album paints a California dream. Meanwhile, 2018’s The Dream and the Deception perfectly blends punk, surf rock, and their own touch of glitter. Between bringing their fans to the sunny, movie star-world of “Hollywood” and sharing their slumber party secrets in “Troubled Valentine,” the album embodies the sparkling lightheartedness of mermaid rock and roll.
Whether it be through their “rockumentary” or their music videos, The Aquadolls invite their fans to experience the sleepover, the beach, shopping sprees, and travel on the California roads with them. By filtering such pleasures that are typically coded as immature and girly through their surf-punk sound, the band reminds their listeners that rock does not cater to one demographic.
Photo courtesy of Pure Nowhere
I immediately felt the magic of mermaid rock and roll at The Aquadolls concert. The band sang songs from each of their studio albums, using their music and presence on stage to bring me into their fantasy world. They even paid tribute to Courtney Love by performing a cover of “Miss World.” The Aquadolls have attributed Love, the lead singer of the ‘90s rock band Hole, as one of their greatest influences, admiring both her music and the lasting influence she has as a woman in rock who rose to prominence when the scene was dominated by masculinity. In their hour-long set, The Aquadolls reminded me that the notion of rock and roll belonging to men is merely fabricated; women have played a significant role in the genre for decades now.
Though The Aquadolls embrace the power of women in rock music, they acknowledge that sexism still exists in the music industry.
Their most recent single, “Suck On This,” tackles this issue head-on. The band wrote the song after discussing how they are often mistaken for groupies, and have even been barred from entering the venue in which they are performing. Drummer Jackie Proctor said she’d experienced similar issues playing with other bands as well.
"We kind of just took those shared experiences to make that song,” Brooks told me in an interview. “Not everyone is in a band, obviously, but if anyone that has ever felt like they couldn't do something because of their gender or if people based assumptions on them because of their gender, that song is kind of like a middle finger to that and telling people to suck on it. Suck on this, you know, because gender shouldn’t define who you are."
Not only do they empower their fans, but The Aquadolls ensure that everyone at their shows feels secure, free, and excited. "When we play shows, we want to party, and we want the people that are at the shows to feel strong, feel empowered,” Brooks said. “If there are ever any perverts in the crowd that make people feel uncomfortable, I always say do not hesitate to tell me, to tell us, to tell security, and we will get them the hell out."
By refusing to assimilate into rock’s masculine, self-important history and unapologetically bringing their coastal slumber party to life, The Aquadolls reminded me that music has the power to bring validity to all experiences — fun, girly ones included. Gender should never stand in the way of rock and roll. If anyone says otherwise, have them listen to "Suck On This."