Riot Grrrl

Riot Grrrl (or Riot Grrl) is a feminist musical movement that reached its height in the 1990s but continues to exert significant influence over alternative music and culture. The term Riot Grrrl is also a genre designation, referring both to the punk rock music made by the movement's initial members, and can also encompass the diverse array of music created in its wake. The term can also refer to individual self-proclaimed Riot Grrrls, who continue to foster a woman-friendly Do-It-Yourself punk subculture by organizing all-female bands, female-centric music festivals, group meetings, and independent publications (or zines).

History

Although the Riot Grrl movement began in the early nineties, musicians such as Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Penelope Houston (Avengers), X-Ray Spex, Crass (especially their Penis Envy album), Joan Jett, The Slits, Beat Happening, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Mecca Normal's Jean Smith are often cited as important influences to the movement. English post-punk, 80's Olympia, 60's girl groups and DC punk were other direct influences. Uses and meanings of the term Riot Grrrl developed slowly over time, but its origins can be traced to racially charged riots in Washington D.C.'s Mount Pleasant neighborhood during the spring of 1991. Writing in Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital, Mark Andersen reports early Bratmobile member Jen Smith (later of The Quails) reacting to the riots by writing, "This summer's going to be a girl riot." Soon afterwards, Allison Wolfe, Molly Neumann and Erin Smith collaborated with Kathleen Hanna and Tobi Vail to create a new zine and called it Riot Grrrl using the spelling of 'grrrl' that first appeared in Vail's fanzine Jigsaw. The musical birth of the Riot Grrl movement centered in Olympia, Washington where the members of Bikini Kill]] and Bratmobile met, but soon also encompassed Washington DC. Inspired to form by late 80's/early 90's all-female rock-bands such as L7, Babes in Toyland and Calamity Jane, Bikini Kill and Bratmobile quickly became seen as the central touchstones for the burgeoning Riot Grrrl movement via their overtly feminist politics. Taking their impetus from punk, each band's presentation emphasized confrontation and content over traditional instrumental skill and they quickly amassed a devoted cult audience. They worked to ensure their shows were safe spaces in which women could find solidarity, and create their own DIY subculture, thus setting the tone for much of the movement. Even as the Seattle-area rock scene became nationally recognized, Riot Grrrl music remained a willfully underground phenomena. Other riot grrrl bands included Excuse 17, Heavens to Betsy, Cheesecake, CWA (Cunts with Attitude), Tattle Tale, and, in the U.K, Huggy Bear, Mambo Taxi, Skinned Teen, Pussycat Trash and Voodoo Queens. Most Riot Grrrl musicians shunned the major record labels, working instead with indie labels such as Kill Rock Stars, K Records, Slampt, Catcall, WIIIJA and Chainsaw Records.

Zines and Self Publishing

Non-musical Riot Grrrl activities included national conventions in Washington D.C., the Pussystock festival in New York City, and the creation of a slew of zines, notably the aforementioned Jigsaw and Riot Grrrl, as well as Girl Germs, created by Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman, Fantastic Fanzine, Ms. America, Satan Wears A Bra and Quit Whining. Many of the women involved with Queercore were also interested in Riot Grrrl, and zines such as Chainsaw by Donna Dresch, Sister Nobody and I (heart) Amy Carter by Tammy Rae Carland embody both movements. Riot Grrrl's momentum was supported by an explosion of self-published zines that covered a variety of feminist topics, frequently attempting to draw out the political implications of intensely personal experiences with sexism, mental illness, body image, sexual abuse, and homosexuality. These zines were archived by Riot Grrrl Press, started in Washington DC in 1992 by Erika Reinstein & May Summer.

Media Misconceptions

As media attention increasingly focused on alternative rock in the early nineties the term riot grrl was often applied to less-political female alternative music acts such as The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Veruca Salt, and Hole. To their chagrin, Riot Grrrls found themselves in the media spotlight during 1992, accused of dragging feminism into the mosh pit in magazines from Seventeen to Newsweek. This increased press coverage led to conflict within the Riot Grrrl community as many felt that Riot Grrrl was being appropriated by the media against the movement's will and its radical message marginalized. Fallout from the media coverage led to resignations of people like Jessica Hopper, who was at the center of the Newsweek article. Lead singer Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill called that year for "a press block". In an essay from January 1994, included in the CD version of Bikini Kill's first two records, Tobi Vail responded to media simplifications and mis-characterization of Riot Grrrl:

The Legacy of Riot Grrrl

By the mid-nineties, Riot Grrrl had severely splintered. Many within the movement felt that the mainstream media had completely marginalized their message, and that the politically radical aspects of Riot Grrrl had been appropriated by the likes of the Spice Girls and their encouraging but non-political "girl power" message.

However, the influence of Riot Grrrl can still be felt in many aspects of indie and punk rock culture. Kaia Wilson of Team Dresch and multimedia artist Tammy Rae Carland went on to form the now-defunct Mr. Lady Records which released albums by The Butchies and Le Tigre. Many of the women involved in Riot Grrrl are still active in creating politically-charged music. Notably, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill went on to found the influential electronic feminist group Le Tigre. Corin Tucker of Heavens to Betsy and Carrie Brownstein of Excuse 17 co-founded Sleater-Kinney at the tail end of Riot Grrrl and in 2005 left Olympia-based Kill Rock Stars to release The Woods on Sub Pop records. Kathi Wilcox joined the Casual Dots, and Bratmobile reunited in 2000 to release two albums, before Allison Wolfe began singing with a new all-women band, Partyline. In addition, girl-positive independent music festivals such as Ladyfest continue to thrive. Many elements of the riot-grrl tradition clearly endure in other contemporary independent female bands including Erase Errata, The Gossip, and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (named after a Bikini Kill song).

Feminism and Riot Grrrl

Riot Grrrl culture is often associated with third wave feminism which also grew rapidly during the same early ninties timeframe. However, Riot Grrrl's emphasis on universal female identity and seperatism often seems more closely allied with second wave feminism. On the other hand, third wave feminism attempted to foster an acceptance of the diversity of feminist expression. Riot Grrrl arose after the Queercore movement, although the distinction between the two movements is at times blurred, given bands such as Team Dresch who embraced both genres. Riot Grrrl lyrics often address issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality and female empowerment.

External links

Alternative music | Punk | Feminism | DIY Culture | Third-wave Feminism

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