In answer to Cock Rock and Wizard Rock, comes: Riot Grrrl!

Let’s be clear about this, this is not a definitive guide to all things Riot Grrrl, but just some selections of music that I have and liked.

I’ve always been fond of this music genre, which started in the early 90s through music and fanzines. The origin of the name seems to have come from Jen Smith (Bratmobile) writing a letter to Allison Wolfe about how the Summer of 1991 was going “to be a girl riot.” Soon afterwards, Wolfe, Kathleen Hanna and Tobi Vail were inspired to create a fanzine called Riot Grrrl.

The explosion of Riot Grrrl music and political and social message leaked into the mass media. Soon, there was a backlash of Grrrl being “anti-men”. Imagine that! By 1994-1995, there were hundreds of bands in this genre. Although Riot Grrrl still exists to this day, it’s not that prevalent (at least in music).

Here are some Riots I like:

BIKINI KILL
THE Riot Grrrl band. This is just a quick summary, I’m sure I will be revisiting for a more in-depth look at Kathleen Hanna’s career.

The first song I heard from them is “New Radio”, so I got into them late in the game. But it was the most amazingly different song I’ve ever heard.

I didn’t have a record player for the longest time, so I’m glad they compiled all the 7″ into Singles on CD in 1998 (by which time they had broke up).

BRATMOBILE
The other band that’s closely tied to the Riot movement. I have Pottymouth (1993), but I did not actually see them live until years later when they reformed and toured with Le Tigre.

I picked up Ladies, Women and Girls (2000) immediately and discovered that after a seven years gap, that they sound EXACTLY the same! There’s something very comforting in that.

Trivia: I think one of the girl dated Graham Coxon, so they did a medley of “There’s No Other Way” and “No You Don’t” on John Peel’s radio show.

TEAM DRESCH
I only have Personal Best (1994), which I’m assuming the cover is also a recreation of Mariel Hemingway’s movie “Personal Best” (1982). They’re known as a queercore band, but I’ve never really thought of them that hardcore (loud) as Lunachicks or Babes in Toyland.

They broke up, but reformed in 2004 for some shows.

THE SMEARS
I have always associated these three girls to be part of Riot, but I don’t think these girls actually wanted to be part of that movement.

Their album Love is Fer Suckers (1994) is fantastic. I believe they named their album off a Twisted Sisters song!

They sound like a girls version of the Ramones!

EXCUSE 17
Excuse 17 was a short-lived band, releasing only two albums, Excuse Seventeen (1994) and Such Friends Are Dangerous (1995), before breaking up.

Carrie Brownstein went on to join this band called Sleater-Kinney.

HUGGY BEAR
I’ve always thought they were a girl band, but when I bought the album, Weaponry Listens to Love (1994), I was disappointed to hear that it’s mostly driven by singer Chris Rowley.

If you’re looking for more sound like “No Sleep” off of Taking the Rough with the Smooch (1993), then don’t get Weaponry (unless you like Punk music, it’s a pretty good punk album).

Trivia: Nude Records wanted to sign these guys really badly. Huggy Bear said they’d only sign if Nude drop Suede. Suede was Nude’s biggest money-making band, so of course there was no deal.

CHIA PET
Inspired by Riot Grrrls, the girl editors at Sassy Magazine form Chia Pet in 1992. They were not that serious about it, but managed to release one single and contributed one song on the Freedom of Choice CD.

Their “Hey Baby” song is quite good and I think really represented the Riot sound.

Before you mention that I am missing certain bands, that is because I don’t have their albums. I know regrettably I don’t really have any Babes in Toyland or Lunachicks. Although I do have cover songs they both did, which may surface on cover lover. Here’s Lunachicks’ Heart of Glass and watch for a Carpenters cover by Babes in Toyland.