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Bratmobile

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

Bratmobile is an American punk band from Olympia, in the state of Washington, and one of the first riot grrrl bands. Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman met in 1989 as neighbours in a student house in Oregon. Both came from activist families. Together they took women's studies classes, went to Olympia at weekends and made the feminist fanzine Girl Germs. The musician Calvin Johnson asked them on Valentine's Day 1991 to perform alongside Bikini Kill. They did not yet play any instruments, but they did have songs. A musician advised them to listen to the Ramones. Wolfe did exactly the opposite, so that they would sound different from the boys' bands.

Music and breakthrough

Soon afterwards the guitarist Erin Smith joined and the band became a trio: Wolfe sang, Neuman drummed and Smith played guitar. In 1991 they played at the International Pop Underground Convention in Olympia, an important moment for the movement. Their music is bare and direct, with influences from pop, surf music and garage rock: short songs, simple guitar, solid drums and mocking, defiant vocals. In 1993 the album Pottymouth was released on the label Kill Rock Stars.

Influence

The media attention around riot grrrl put the band under pressure. In 1994 Bratmobile fell apart on stage during a chaotic performance in New York. In 1999 they got together again and went on to make Ladies, Women and Girls (2000) and Girls Get Busy (2002). Like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile showed that girls in punk could claim a place of their own.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Cherry Bomb by Bratmobile from 1993. Notice how simple and raw the guitar and drums sound, and the brash, half-shouted singing of Allison Wolfe.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Mentioned in other articles

Categories: ArtistsRiot grrrl