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Bikini Kill

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For this band's EP of the same name, see Bikini Kill (EP).
Bikini Kill

Bikini Kill was a United States punk rock band. Formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990, the group consisted of vocalist Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, drummer Tobi Vail and bassist Kathi Wilcox. The group is widely considered to be the pioneer of the “riot grrrl” movement, and was notorious for its radical feminist lyrics and fiery performances. Their music was characteristically abrasive and hardcore-influenced.

While occasionally collaborating (politically and creatively) with high-profile acts such as Nirvana and Joan Jett, Bikini Kill was well-known for shunning major labels and the mainstream rock press. After two full-length albums, several EPs and two compilations, the group disbanded in 1998.

History

The band was formed by Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox and Tobi Vail. They began working together on a fanzine called Bikini Kill and, with the addition of former-Go Team guitarist Billy Karren, formed a band of the same name. The band wrote songs together as a group and encouraged a female-centric environment at their shows, urging women to come to the front of the stage and handing out lyric sheets to them.

After an independent demo cassette, Revolution Girl Style Now, Bikini Kill released Bikini Kill EP on the indie label Kill Rock Stars. Produced by Ian MacKaye of Fugazi and Minor Threat, the album began to establish the band's audience. In 1993, Bikini Kill went to England and began working with Huggy Bear, releasing a joint recording together and touring the UK. The tour was the subject of a documentary film by Lucy Thane entitled It Changed My Life: Bikini Kill In The U.K.. By the following year, Riot Grrrl was receiving constant attention in the media, and Bikini Kill were increasingly referred to as leaders of the movement. Hanna called for a "media blackout" amongst Riot Grrrls, as those within the group felt the band and the movement were being misrepresented and commodified.

Upon their return to the United States, the group began working with Joan Jett of The Runaways, whose music Hanna described as an early example of the Riot Grrrl aesthetic. Jett produced the single "New Radio/Rebel Girl" for the band. The band's final album was Reject All American (1996). Shortly before breaking up in 1998, a collection of singles released only on vinyl between 1995-1996, titled The Singles was released.

Post-breakup

During the summer of 1992, Vail, Wilcox and Karren began to perform and record together with Molly Neuman of Bratmobile as The Frumpies, who toured as late as the early 2000s with similar Italian punk band Dada Swing.[1][2]

Vail, notorious for her numerous side projects and being in several bands at a time, later resurfaced in a band called Spider and the Webs, and she is now playing with the Old Haunts. Kathi Wilcox plays in the Casual Dots and Bill Karren is in GHOST MOM. Hanna first contributed to an LP as a member of The Fakes, and then turned to more dance-based New Wave music (with similar feminist lyrical themes) on her solo debut, Julie Ruin. She then became a member of the political New Wave outfit Le Tigre, which saw Hanna become far more comfortable with major record labels and the press.

Influence

Bikini Kill are recognized as an influence by Sleater-Kinney, The Gossip, Jack Off Jill, Mika Miko, and countless others. Mike Park (of Skankin' Pickle, The Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band, and founder of Asian Man Records) has a song about the band titled "Tobi Vail 4 President" on the album Beans & Toast from his acoustic solo project. J Church's album Prophylaxis features a song called "Why I Liked Bikini Kill", a criticism of the responses to the band and their message. Although music journalist Steve Palopoli has attributed the meaning of "Why I liked Bikini Kill" to be aimed at an "unspecified critic of Kathleen Hanna," not the band itself.

NOFX has a song titled "Kill Rock Stars" on their album So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes, written as a response to Kathleen Hanna labeling the band as misogynists.[3]

Bikini Kill's song "Rebel Girl" is number 445 in Blender's ranking The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born, along with L7 and their song "Pretend We're Dead" (#438).

Discography

Albums

Singles

Compilations

See also

References

  1. ^ "Frumpies News of April 2000". Retrieved on August 17, 2009.
  2. ^ [1]. Komakino zine, Retrieved August 17, 2009
  3. ^ http://radiofreepuma.wordpress.com/tag/bikini-kill/
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