The Seven Song Itch – Riot Grrrl Bands

I know this may seem contradictory, but I prefer not to classify an artists into a specific categories; it’s like making blanket statements about people.  I like to take in a artist individually and discover their own greatness.  The difficulty comes when trying to convey the aspects of a artist to someone else.  Some things I like in some bands, I find distasteful in others.  My criteria may seem contradictory, but I believe that each artist needs to be taken into context of their own esthetic.  This may be over-thinking it a bit, but when I say that my two favorite artists are Skinny Puppy and Amy Grant, I get a lot of strange looks.  The one thing that they both have in common is that they seek the truth in their music.  So in discussing music with others, I eventually get to the point where I talk about genres of music.  Just because two people like Grunge music, doesn’t mean that they are talking about the same thing.  So, when I refer to Riot Grrrl Bands, know that it is not meant to be an all encompassing group of groups.  The problem is that there are so many sub-genres to discuss that you end up talking about the music instead of listening to it, which I think is a sin.  Furthermore, these sub-genres are basically marketing terms between record labels and music critics, which I have mixed feelings about.  I like these bands, and usually listen to them in the same setting, so I agree with the term, if only to satisfy my craving for female fronted bands from the 1990s that kick ass and take names, regardless of social and political agenda.  So in summary, there are Grunge, Foxcore, Punk, Metal, Indy, and Pop genres that weave in and out of this music.

Playlist for Riot Grrrl Bands

1. L7 - “Pretend We're Dead”(1992)

It’s no secret that I like female fronted bands, but after The Runnaways, The Go Go’s, and The Bangles hit the scene; I was hungry for a heaver sound.  L7’s “Bricks are Heavy” is essential for any rocker gal enthusiast.  The label that L7 gets stuck with is Grunge, but they developed out of the LA Metal scene in the late eighties.  Their sound is wild and loud and embodies the whole rock and roll esthetic of sex, drugs and rock and roll.  This is the band you party with and hope you survive the ordeal. Squares need not apply.

2. Bikini Kill - “Rebel Girl”(1993)

This band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement, and was notorious for its radical feminist lyrics and fiery performances.  Kathleen Hanna began the nineties fronting this band, but by the end of the decade in another band Le Tigre, which has a more new wave sound, but still edgy.  Kathleen continues her musical journey with her new band, The Julie Ruin, which is recording their first album.

3. Hole - “Miss World”(1994)

Yet another band associated with the Grunge movement, but Hole is more than just heavy guitars and screeching vocals.  Courtney Love keeps the rawness alive in her songs and cuts though the bullshit in life.  This chick is dangerous, and I wouldn’t want to be around her when she’s mad, but I believe in her success regardless of her connection to the band Nirvana.  Her angry anthems have lead a new generation into battle that takes no prisoners.

4. Garbage - “Vow”(1995)

Though technically they are an Indy alternative band, Garbage was intended to be a side project of Butch Vig (The man who produced Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album).  After a few false starts, the band finally got it together and minted a slew of hits throughout the Nineties.  Rumor has it, that they are hard at work on their next album due out in May of 2012—I can’t wait.  This was Shirley Manson’s first foray into songwriting.  I think she did a good job.

5. Veruca Salt - “Volcano Girls” (1997)

Chicago’s very own Veruca Salt is named after a character from the children’s book “Charley and the Chocolate Factory.”  This volatile group, hit the scene a few years previous with their single “Seether,”(1994) which prompted the question, what is a Seether?  Well, if you listen to this song, you may get the answer, but then again, maybe not.  The group pay homage to the fab four with their album title “Eight Arms To Hold You,” which was the working title of The Beatles 1965 film “Help.”

6. The Donnas - “Take It Off”(2002)

This was the band’s major breakthrough, though many Donnaholics (their loyal fan base) witnessed their birth back 1993.  Well, technically, each ‘Donna’ was born in 1979—the rock and roll came a little later.  Their party sound is akin to seventies rock as well as eighties glam.  They do really good covers of Kiss songs, though they can tear it up with their own music.  This band is a testament to DIY girls across the land.  Just like their godfathers the Ramones, the Donnas didn’t get mainstream airplay till late into their career, and even then, it was mostly college and alternative rock radio.  These four are a tight knit group that blazes a trail of rock and roll reality that other girls can follow.  I swear that Allison Robertson (Guitar) is the bastard child of Angus Young and Joan Jett.

7. The Dollyrots-“Because I’m Awesome”(2007)

And we’ve come full circle, in a way.  The Dollyrots signed to Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records in 2006 and continue on the tradition of Riot Grrrl bands.  They incorporate many of the styles listed above, but have their own fresh sound.  Maybe it’s because they are ‘Naturally deodorized.’ Whatever the case, this song is a great commentary on reality based talent competitions.  They prove what I’ve always believed, keep at it, don’t let the crowd sway you, and get your riot on!

Bonus Video: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

After all of that North West influence Grunge music, I figured that I needed a Nirvana break.  Here is the band that started the riot, well…depending upon who you ask and what genre.

 

List of Riot Grrrl Acts

7 Year Bitch, Adickdid,  Autoclave,  Babes in Toyland,  Bangs,  Bellies,  Bette Davis and the Balconettes,  Bikini Kill,  Bitchslap,  Blood Sausage,  Bratmobile,  Brilliant Colors,  Broken Water,  Brothers,  Budget Girls,  Bulimia,  Cadallaca,  Calamity Jane,  Candy Panic Attack,  Canopy,  Casual Dots,  Chaps,  Cheesecake,  Cold Cold Hearts,  Coping Saw,  Corey Orbison,  Courtney Love (band),  Death of the Elephant,  Delta Dart,  Dickless,  Dominatrix,  Drunk Granny,  Emily's Sassy Lime,  Erase Errata,  Excuse 17,  Fever Fever,  Fifth Column,  Finally Punk,  Frantic Spiders,  Free Kitten,  Frightwig,  Golden Starlet,  Gossip,  Gretel's Revenge,  Growing Up Skipper,  Harum Scarum,  Heavens to Betsy,  Heartless Martin,  Hello Cuca,  Hole,  Hooker,  Huggy Bear,  Husbands 'n' Knives,  Jack Off Jill,  Jesus and His Judgemental Father,  Julie Ruin,  Kaos Klitoriano,  Kids Love Lies,  L7,  Le Tigre,  Linus,  Lolita Storm,  Lucid Nation,  Lunachicks,  Lungleg,  Mambo Taxi,  Manic Coughh,  Matrimony,  Mecca Normal,  Meltdown,  Menstruação Anarquika,  Mika Miko,  Modern Reveries,  New Bloods,  Pagan Holiday,  Panty Raid,  Partyline,  Party Weirdo,  Pens,  Petty Crime,  Phantom Pregnancies,  Pussycat Trash,  Quix*o*tic,  Raoul,  Red Aunts,  Rough Kittens,  Scrawl,  Shoplifting,  Shotgun Won,  Shrag,  Sister George,  Skinned Teen,  Skinny Girl Diet,  Slant 6,  Sleater-Kinney,  Spider and the Webs,  Spitboy,  Sta-Prest,  Suture,  Swan Island,  Tattle Tale,  Team Dresch,  The Brownies,  The Butchies,  The Coathangers,  The Element of Crime,  The Ethical Debating Society,  The Fakes,  The Frumpies,  The Gits,  The Quails,  The Need,  The Scissor Girls,  The Shondes,  Third Sex,  TPM,  Trash Kit,  Tribe 8,  Valerie,  Vile Vile Creatures,  Violet Violet,  Viva Knievel,  Voodoo Queens,  Weird Menace,  Wetdog,  White Lung,  Wild Flag,  Witchknot,  Witches Of Oz, and Woolf