School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Bikini Kill

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Bikini Kill is an American punk band from Olympia, in the state of Washington, formed in October 1990. The singer and lyricist Kathleen Hanna, the bassist Kathi Wilcox and the drummer Tobi Vail knew each other from The Evergreen State College. The guitarist Billy Karren completed the band. Hanna also made a fanzine called Bikini Kill. The band became the vanguard of riot grrrl, a feminist movement within punk.

Music and breakthrough

Bikini Kill's music is raw, fast and abrasive, with influences from hardcore: short songs, hard guitars, rattling drums and Hanna's screaming, sharp voice. The lyrics dealt with sexism, violence against women and power. At concerts the band asked women to come to the front and handed out lyrics. Hanna sometimes jumped into the crowd herself to remove men who were heckling her. After a first demo, an EP appeared on the label Kill Rock Stars, produced by Ian MacKaye of Fugazi. The debut album Pussy Whipped came out in 1993. Joan Jett, who saw Hanna as an early example of riot grrrl, produced the single Rebel Girl.

Influence

The media attention for riot grrrl became so great that the band asked for a media blackout, because they felt they were being misrepresented. At concerts the band also met with a great deal of hostility. After Reject All American (1996), Bikini Kill broke up in 1997. Hanna went on to start Le Tigre. Since 2019 the band has been performing again. Bikini Kill showed that punk, which considered itself rebellious, was also a man's world.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Rebel Girl from 1993. Notice the stomping drums and the simple, hard guitar riff, and how Kathleen Hanna shouts the words rather than sings them.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Mentioned in other articles

Categories: ArtistsRiot grrrl