tribal girl
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2006
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I kinda wanted to start this thread after I finished reading Girls To The Front. However, as I approach the final segment at breakneck speed, I feel myself reconnecting with something I discovered in my late teens once more. It's inspired me to dig out some old records (well, CD's) and listen to everything in a new light, with much greater insight and respect for these women than I ever had before.
Riot grrrl was an underground feminist punk movement based in Washington, DC, Olympia, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and the greater Pacific Northwest which existed in the early to mid-1990s, and it is often associated with third-wave feminism (it is sometimes seen as its starting point). However, riot grrrl's emphasis on universal female identity often appears more closely allied with second-wave feminism than with the third wave. Riot grrrl bands often address issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality, and female empowerment. Some bands associated with the movement are Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Excuse 17, Heavens to Betsy, Fifth Column, Huggy Bear, Adickdid, Emily's Sassy Lime, Frumpies, The Butchies, Suture, Third Sex, Sleater-Kinney, and also lesbian queercore like Team Dresch. In addition to a music scene, riot grrrl is also a subculture; zines, the DIY ethic, art, political action, and activism are part of the movement. Riot grrrls are known to hold meetings, start chapters, and support and organize women in music.
List of Riot Grrrl bands
Back in '98 Britpop was on it's last legs, and I was desperately looking for something with an edge. During this time I'd dropped out of art school and was unemployed, scouring the library each week for CD's I could rent out. This is how I'd got into Hole, PJ Harvey, and Sonic Youth, so was kinda headed in the right direction. I'd pretty much invented the perfect band in my head, but had no idea whether they really existed. It was also during this time in Britain that they aired a series of gay films (the season was called Queer Street). I'd often stay up to watch one of their late night offerings, which often resulted in disappointment. However, one night in particular I scanned the TV guide and noticed something which sounded kinda interesting.
As soon as the opening credits kicked in with Babes In Toyland's 'Hello', I knew I was onto something. Then midway through the film is what I thought were a fictional band, created specifically for the film, song included, and were nothing but a bunch of actresses. But they were near enough the band I'd imagined in my head. It wasn't until quite some time later that I discovered it was actually Mary Timony miming along to one of her own songs (an early Helium track) under the name Coochie Pop.
Scene in question.
I also had my favourite alternative radio station at the time, and later that year I heard something which I thought was near enough similar to the 'Coochie Pop' song. Sleater-Kinney - Little Babies
Pretty much right after that I happened to chance upon another girl who lived up north who seemed to have a vast knowledge of such bands. I started writing to her. She made me mix tapes, I sent her drawings of the bands she's introduced me to. Bikini Kill, Team Dresch, and Bratmobile in particular. From that point on I kinda found my own way, and became obsessed with most of the bands on Kill Rock Stars who were still making music, or were just emerging on the scene (The Gossip, Bangs, Le Tigre, The Butchies etc).
And with the arrival of Wild Flag late last year, all the Riot Grrrl obsessives around the world wet themselves in unison. They were selling out shows before anyone had even heard a single note of their material. Cuz these ladies were a part of where it all began. A 'supergroup', if you like. Janet and Carrie from Sleater-Kinney, Rebecca Cole from The Minders, and of course Mary Timony from Helium.
So will they kick-start the movement again?, or perhaps spark an interest from younger girls?. Who knows?. But if you appreciate any part of the scene, or even loathe it. Feel free to offer your opinion.
I'll leave y'all with some live footage from one of their recent shows.
Wild Flag - SXSW 2011
Riot grrrl was an underground feminist punk movement based in Washington, DC, Olympia, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and the greater Pacific Northwest which existed in the early to mid-1990s, and it is often associated with third-wave feminism (it is sometimes seen as its starting point). However, riot grrrl's emphasis on universal female identity often appears more closely allied with second-wave feminism than with the third wave. Riot grrrl bands often address issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality, and female empowerment. Some bands associated with the movement are Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Excuse 17, Heavens to Betsy, Fifth Column, Huggy Bear, Adickdid, Emily's Sassy Lime, Frumpies, The Butchies, Suture, Third Sex, Sleater-Kinney, and also lesbian queercore like Team Dresch. In addition to a music scene, riot grrrl is also a subculture; zines, the DIY ethic, art, political action, and activism are part of the movement. Riot grrrls are known to hold meetings, start chapters, and support and organize women in music.
List of Riot Grrrl bands
Back in '98 Britpop was on it's last legs, and I was desperately looking for something with an edge. During this time I'd dropped out of art school and was unemployed, scouring the library each week for CD's I could rent out. This is how I'd got into Hole, PJ Harvey, and Sonic Youth, so was kinda headed in the right direction. I'd pretty much invented the perfect band in my head, but had no idea whether they really existed. It was also during this time in Britain that they aired a series of gay films (the season was called Queer Street). I'd often stay up to watch one of their late night offerings, which often resulted in disappointment. However, one night in particular I scanned the TV guide and noticed something which sounded kinda interesting.
As soon as the opening credits kicked in with Babes In Toyland's 'Hello', I knew I was onto something. Then midway through the film is what I thought were a fictional band, created specifically for the film, song included, and were nothing but a bunch of actresses. But they were near enough the band I'd imagined in my head. It wasn't until quite some time later that I discovered it was actually Mary Timony miming along to one of her own songs (an early Helium track) under the name Coochie Pop.
Scene in question.
I also had my favourite alternative radio station at the time, and later that year I heard something which I thought was near enough similar to the 'Coochie Pop' song. Sleater-Kinney - Little Babies
Pretty much right after that I happened to chance upon another girl who lived up north who seemed to have a vast knowledge of such bands. I started writing to her. She made me mix tapes, I sent her drawings of the bands she's introduced me to. Bikini Kill, Team Dresch, and Bratmobile in particular. From that point on I kinda found my own way, and became obsessed with most of the bands on Kill Rock Stars who were still making music, or were just emerging on the scene (The Gossip, Bangs, Le Tigre, The Butchies etc).
And with the arrival of Wild Flag late last year, all the Riot Grrrl obsessives around the world wet themselves in unison. They were selling out shows before anyone had even heard a single note of their material. Cuz these ladies were a part of where it all began. A 'supergroup', if you like. Janet and Carrie from Sleater-Kinney, Rebecca Cole from The Minders, and of course Mary Timony from Helium.
So will they kick-start the movement again?, or perhaps spark an interest from younger girls?. Who knows?. But if you appreciate any part of the scene, or even loathe it. Feel free to offer your opinion.
I'll leave y'all with some live footage from one of their recent shows.
Wild Flag - SXSW 2011
riot g!rl
