The Riot Grrrl Bands 1990s

Band: Bikini Kill (1990-1998)
Formed: Olympia, Washington
Members: Kathleen Hannah (vocals, drums, bass), Kathy Wilcox (bass, drums, vocals), Toby Vail (drums, bass, vocals), Billy Karren (guitar, vocals)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 5/5
Releases: Revolution Girl Style Now! self released cassette (1991), Bikini Kill EP (1991), Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah split LP with Huggy Bear (1993), New Radio/Rebel Girl 7" single (1993), Pussy Whipped LP (1994), The Anti-Pleasure Dissertation EP (1994), I Like Fucking/I Hate Danger 7" single (1995), Reject All American LP on Kill (1996)
Labels: All released on Kill Rock Stars label except Revolution Girl Style Now! self released.
Comments: One of the instigators of the Riot Grrrl Movement. Never signed to mainstream label and told the media to go f**k themselves. Well not literally but Hannah did say, "I didn't appreciate being made into a leader when i didn't feel like i was ... And it was frustrating that some people i felt really resented me for it. Because i was being wrtten about and being called the leader. And i was like, i never said that."

Band: Bratmobile (1991-1994) (1999-still out there)
Formed: Washington DC
Members: Drummer Molly Neuman (drums), Erin Smith (guitar) Allison Wolfe (vocals)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 5/5
Releases: So many… highlights: Pottymouth (1993), The Real Janelle EP (1994), Ladies, Women and Girls (2000), Girls Get Busy (2002).
Labels: Shit loads including Kill Rock Stars, Simple Machine, Lookout! Records
Comments: Another instigator of the Riot Grrrl Movement. They split in 1994 due to media scrutiny and the problem within the movement. Lucky for us they reformed in 1999 and they are still touring in 2006.

Band: Heavens to Betsy
Formed: Olympia, Washington
Members: Tracey Sawyer (drums), Corin Tucker (bass, vocals)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 4.5/5
Releases: Calculated (1994)
Labels: K Records, Kill Rock Stars, Chainsaw Records
Comments: Tucker fell for Carrie Brownstien (Excuse 17) and they 'got it on' and formed Sleater-Kinney.

Band: Huggy Bear (1991-1995)
Formed: Brighton, England
Members: Oh should I say um um…okay then: Niki Eliot (bass, vocals), Karen Hill (drums), Chriss Rowley (vocals), Jo Johnson (guitar), Jon Slade (guitar) (1991-1993)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 4.5/5
Releases: Rubbing the Impossible to Burst EP (1992), Our Troubled Youth/Yeah Yeah Yeah split LP with Bikini Kill (1993), Taking the Rough with the Smooch EP (1993), Weapony Listens to Love (1994),
Labels: Wiiija, Catcall Records and not Nude Records coz the record company wouldn’t drop the band Suede
Comments: Described by Melody Maker as “an attention seeking collection of spoiled brats who can’t play music for toffee and who are milking the media for every scrap of publicity [they] can get … Revolution my arse.” They were evicted from TV show The Word in England after a “riot” with the Barbi Twins.

Band: Excuse 17 (1993-1995)
Formed: Olympia, Washington
Members: Carrie Brownstein (guitar, vocals), Becca Albee (guitar, vocals), CJ Phillips (drums)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 4/5
Releases: Excuse Seventeen (1994), Such Friends Are Dangerous (1995)
Labels: Kill Rock Stars, Chainsaw Records
Comments: Played with Heavens to Betsy a lot (hense the love affair and Sleater Kinney). Played a big part in both the Riot Grrrl and Queercore movements.

Band: Sleater-Kinney (1994-still going)
Formed: Portland, Oregan
Members: Corin Tucker (guitar, vocals, bass), Carrie Brownstein (guitar, vocals), Janet Weiss (drums)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 4.75/5
Releases: Sleater-Kinney (1995), Call the Doctor (1996), Dig Me Out (1997), The Hot Rock (1999), All Hands on the Bad One (2000), One Beat (2002), The Woods (2005)
Labels: Chainsaw Records, Kill Rock Stars, Sub Pop Records, Candy Ass Records
Comments: Played Big Day Out 2006 they were f**kin’ awesome. Tucker and Brownstein no longer a couple. Tucker is now a Breeder, married to filmmaker Lance Bangs.

Band: Free Kitten (1992-Present)
Formed: New York City
Members: Kim Gordon (guitar, vocals), Julie Cafritz (guitar, vocals), Mark Ibold (bass), Yoshimi (drums).
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 2/5
Releases: Blue Circle 7” (1992), Call Now 10” (1992), Straight up 10” (1992), John Starks Blues 7” (1993), Oh Bondage Up yours! 7” (1993), Special Groupie 7” (1993), Nice Ass (1994), Sexy Boy 7” (1994), Unboxed (1994), Harvest Spoon 7” (1994), , Punks Suing Punks EP (1995), Sentimental Education (1997)
Labels: Kill Rock Stars
Comments: Made up of Pussy Galore, Sonic Youth, Pavement and Boredoms’ parts, doin’ their shit together.

Band: 7 Year Bitch (1990-1997)
Formed: Seattle, Washington
Members: Elizabeth Davis (bass), Lisa Faye Beatty (guitar), Valerie Agnew (drums), Selene Vigil (vocals), Roisin Dunne (guitar) (1992-1996), Stefanie Sargent (guitar) (1990-1992).
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 1.5/5
Releases: Sick 'Em (1992), çViva Zapata! (1994), Gato Negro (1996)
Labels: C/Z Records, AtlanticComments: The band took their name from a take-off of Marilyn Munroe’s film "Seven Year Itch".

Band: Babes in Toyland (1987-2001)
Formed: Minneapolis
Members: Kat Bjelland (vocals, guitar), Lori Barbero (drums), Michelle Leon (bass) (1987-1992), Maureen Herman (bass) (1992-1996), Dana Cohran (bass) (1996), Jesse Farmer (bass) (2000-2001)
Riot Grrrl Affiliation Rating: 2/5
Releases: Spanking Machine (1989), To Mother EP (1991), Fontanelle (1992), Painkillers EP (1993), Nemesisters (1995)
Labels: Twin Tone Records, Southern Records, Reprise Records
Comments: Although they were directly affiliated with Riot Grrrl, they did influence many Riot Grrrl participants.