Riot Grrrls

W♥M
Jul 14, 2007 at 2:55 PM
11 comments

In answer to Cock Rock and Wizard Rock, comes: Riot Grrrl!

Let's be clear about this, this is not a definitive guide to all things Riot Grrrl, but just some selections of music that I have and liked.

I've always been fond of this music genre, which started in the early 90s through music and fanzines. The origin of the name seems to have come from Jen Smith (Bratmobile) writing a letter to Allison Wolfe about how the Summer of 1991 was going "to be a girl riot." Soon afterwards, Wolfe, Kathleen Hanna and Tobi Vail were inspired to create a fanzine called Riot Grrrl.

The explosion of Riot Grrrl music and political and social message leaked into the mass media. Soon, there was a backlash of Grrrl being "anti-men". Imagine that! By 1994-1995, there were hundreds of bands in this genre. Although Riot Grrrl still exists to this day, it's not that prevalent (at least in music).

Here are some Riots I like:

BIKINI KILL
THE Riot Grrrl band. This is just a quick summary, I'm sure I will be revisiting for a more in-depth look at Kathleen Hanna's career.

The first song I heard from them is "New Radio", so I got into them late in the game. But it was the most amazingly different song I've ever heard.

I didn't have a record player for the longest time, so I'm glad they compiled all the 7" into Singles on CD in 1998 (by which time they had broke up).

Bikini Kill - New Radio

1 comment

BRATMOBILE
The other band that's closely tied to the Riot movement. I have Pottymouth (1993), but I did not actually see them live until years later when they reformed and toured with Le Tigre.

I picked up Ladies, Women and Girls (2000) immediately and discovered that after a seven years gap, that they sound EXACTLY the same! There's something very comforting in that.

Trivia: I think one of the girl dated Graham Coxon, so they did a medley of "There's No Other Way" and "No You Don't" on John Peel's radio show.

Bratmobile - Cheap Trick Record

TEAM DRESCH
I only have Personal Best (1994), which I'm assuming the cover is also a recreation of Mariel Hemingway's movie "Personal Best" (1982). They're known as a queercore band, but I've never really thought of them that hardcore (loud) as Lunachicks or Babes in Toyland.

They broke up, but reformed in 2004 for some shows.

Team Dresch - Fagetarian and Dyke

2 comments

THE SMEARS
I have always associated these three girls to be part of Riot, but I don't think these girls actually wanted to be part of that movement.

Their album Love is Fer Suckers (1994) is fantastic. I believe they named their album off a Twisted Sisters song!

They sound like a girls version of the Ramones!

The Smears - Honey Jar

EXCUSE 17
Excuse 17 was a short-lived band, releasing only two albums, Excuse Seventeen (1994) and Such Friends Are Dangerous (1995), before breaking up.

Carrie Brownstein went on to join this band called Sleater-Kinney.

Excuse 17 - Special Guest, Me

2 comments

HUGGY BEAR
I've always thought they were a girl band, but when I bought the album, Weaponry Listens to Love (1994), I was disappointed to hear that it's mostly driven by singer Chris Rowley.

If you're looking for more sound like "No Sleep" off of Taking the Rough with the Smooch (1993), then don't get Weaponry (unless you like Punk music, it's a pretty good punk album).

Trivia: Nude Records wanted to sign these guys really badly. Huggy Bear said they'd only sign if Nude drop Suede. Suede was Nude's biggest money-making band, so of course there was no deal.

Huggy Bear - No Sleep

CHIA PET
Inspired by Riot Grrrls, the girl editors at Sassy Magazine form Chia Pet in 1992. They were not that serious about it, but managed to release one single and contributed one song on the Freedom of Choice CD.

Their "Hey Baby" song is quite good and I think really represented the Riot sound.

Chia Pet - Hey Baby

4 comments

Before you mention that I am missing certain bands, that is because I don't have their albums. I know regrettably I don't really have any Babes in Toyland or Lunachicks. Although I do have cover songs they both did, which may surface on cover lover. Here's Lunachicks' Heart of Glass and watch for a Carpenters cover by Babes in Toyland.

July 14, 2007 2:55 PM vu my w♥m posts vu@weheartmusic.com hot-topic.org/riotgrrrl

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[this is good]

As ever, you are way more exhaustive than I am. Kudos!

[this is good]

awesome. there's also an indepth feature in this month's plan b magazine about riot grrrl, by, er, me. so check it out!

yeah, riot grrl bands are awesome, though very few (mostly the best ones) of them actually created interesting music and didnt focus on the feminist or girl power message, the others just were there like an entourage of stupid messages and being stereotypical "skanks on their periods"

[this is good]

You didn't mentioned another notable riot band - L7 They are said to be pioneers of that movement and making a huge benefit for it.

[this is good]

Nice summary, makes me pine for a return to this method of feminist expression rather than the softcore bullshit the Pussycat Dolls, Xtina and their ilk pass off. Even the more accessible bands of the time (L7, Hole, etc.) had varied layers and messages which reached a broad audience.

derek & jamie, i actually have "bricks are heavy", but you know i've actually never really associated L7 with riot. i think they may have been kind of grouped in, because they were women in bands. L7's sound to me is not punk, but alternative rock.

as for hole, courtney love is all about women-power, but again, i think i was after a certain riot grrrl sound. hole to me have always been too polished alternative and not enough diy punk ?

like i said, nothing against these strong women rockers spreading riot messages, but i only spotlighting bands that had that riot grrrl punk sound.

the 90s was such an awesome time, i will obviously re-visit L7, hole, belly, breeders, in the near future :)

[this is good]

Damn, who knew that Vu would turn out to be our Riot GRRRL.

Hole's first album is really very raw -- not at all as polished as their later releases.

Why did Huggy Bear want my beloved Suede out?

[this is mierda] So, the best riot grrls were the ones that didn't have any feminist messages in their songs and the ones that did were skanks on their periods? Yeah, I can see how you think that riot grrl bands are "awesome".

[this is so awesome it took all weekend to digest it]

So have any of you worldly and knowledgable people read Frock rock : women performing popular music by Mavis Bayton? Inquiring minds want to know?

Little known relation: Scott Plouf of Built to Spill was briefly the drummer in Team Dresch.

I don't think he was actually on any of the recordings, though.

Riot Grrrls

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