Yorkshire’s real riot women: The female bands keeping punk alive

Penny Brazier, 44 and Kath Hartley, 41, are members of Tiger Island – a garage rock band with members in Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield.

Both women have played in bands throughout their lives, starting as teenagers, taking a break in their early 30s and now coming back to music in their early 40s.

They agree it’s a fairly common trend for women in bands.

Kath says: “I definitely missed doing something creative and I think you miss the camaraderie of being in a band and around other musicians.

“It’s not just about playing music, it’s getting to go and watch loads of other people play music and feel inspired. I missed being part of that scene.”

Penny says music has helped her maintain an identity separate from being a mother, especially during her children’s younger years.

“Music is so valuable for me, and when I don’t have that in my life, I struggle a bit.

“I’ve got two little boys now and I’ve become very consumed with my identity as a mother.

“Being able to go and stand in rehearsal room, make loads of noise or stand on a stage and be somebody playing a really loud guitar, for me that is amazing. It gives me part of my identity that I might have lost otherwise.”

She says the trend of seeing young people and older people on stage – with a gap of those in the 30s – is something she’s also seen in the demographic of listeners.

“I went to a gig on Monday night but it was noticeable to me that there were lots of really young people there and a lot older people there. And the bit in the middle was kind of missing.

“I don’t know what that phenomenon is. Maybe you call it a midlife crisis. Maybe it’s just realising what matters to them.

“There were lots of reasons where you get to that kind of early 30s stage where people start to have other priorities. But then you hit 40 and you realise just how much you’re missing music.”