Flashback Friday.. Le Tigre - 'Deceptacon'

I've been slaving at a Kathleen Hanna biography for my university Life Writing module for what feels like an age, and naturally this has lead to me doing a load of research to do with the '90's Riot Grrrl movement and feminism. I say this like it's a chore - it's not, I've quite enjoyed the research, reading and watching material on Riot Grrrl et al.

Subsequently this led to this post! If you've not heard of Kathleen Hanna, she is the feminist punk singer of the bands Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and has recently restarted, The Julie Ruin, originally Hanna's '90's solo project and now a band. However, 'Deceptacon' is a Le Tigre song, and it is very addictive jarring and poppy dance punk.

It's largely believed that 'Deceptacon' is a response to the NOFX song 'Kill Rock Stars', where the band really tear into Hanna and the riot grrrl movement, although it is definitely worth pointing out that the lyrics include 'Don't dare tag me misogynist/ I thought the goal here was mutual respect' don't really throw the group in the anti-women pile. 'Deceptacon' itself references the 'Who took the bomp?... Ram-a-lam-a-ding dong' lyrics from the Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies - a cover band including Fat Mike from NOFX - who covered the song 'Who Put the Bomp', and it's worth noting that Le Tigre have altered the lyrics to imply having something taken from them/ being scorned in some way. With prior knowledge, the song is really is a double-middle-fingers-up to the original NOFX tirade.

Like I said, 'Deceptacon' is addictive, and there's really no point in getting all political and argumentative in music if it  doesn't actually sound good. But it is. So listen!

http://www.letigreworld.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LeTigreWorld
http://thejulieruin.com/
http://www.facebook.com/thejulieruin

Wonder Woman of the Week.. Kathleen Hanna!

Welcome to my new weekly Sunday feature - Wonder Woman of the Week! As previously mentioned in my organisation post, this will be a weekly feature where I choose a woman who inspires me (or has been heavily featured for whatever reason in that week) and discuss them and say what exactly makes them so brill! 


So who should my first woman be.... hmm... how about riot grrrl feminist, Kathleen Hanna!

Founder of riot grrrl band, Bikini Kill, and later electroclash outifit, Le Tigre, Hanna has been a poignant and outspoken feminist voice since the early 1990's. 


She first became interested in feminism when her mother, a housewife, took her to a feminist rally where Gloria Steinham spoke when she was aged nine, which left a lasting impression. She later studied photography at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, also working as a stripper to support herself. Her exhibits at this time dealt with issues such as sexism and AIDS, although her work was taken down before public viewing by school administrators in the name of censorship, prompting her to create an independent feminist art gallery called Reko Muse. She also did spoken word sexism and domestic violence and volunteered for a domestic abuse organisation.


Bikini Kill was named after a fanzine that members Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Tobi Vail and Billy Karren created as a response to sexism in the punk rock scene, with the band later writing songs involving such ideals. They released a cassette, EP, split LP with Huggy Bear and two albums - Pussy Whipped and Reject All American before splitting and creating side projects (eg. The Frumpies - minus Hanna, with the addition of Molly Neuman of Bratmobile).


Post Bikini Kill, Hanna started a solo project called Julie Ruin, experimenting with New Wave sounds before later starting political outfit, Le Tigre, who released three albums before becoming inactive.


As someone who is frequently aggravated by sexist comments for sexist comments sake (my guy friends will find themselves quickly shot down), as well as believing in equality, Hanna is certainly an inspiration for me, with herself and her contemporaries challenging a whole scene with their feminist ideals and championing a message that reached new generations across the world. Even now, it continues due to the accessibility of the internet.


Her music is highly catchy, and definitely worth a listen whether you agree with her message or not. 'Decaptacon' by Le Tigre, for example, could easily be the soundtrack to my life, because I am yet to get bored of it! Her image also influences me time and again, as she always looks very put together in with her retro updo's and red lipstick, and wearing prints, tartans. In her Bikini Kill days, she was known to dress as a school girl. Hanna also evidently influenced her friend, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, famously writing 'Kurt smells like teen spirit' on a wall and subsequently inspiring the name of the perhaps the most iconic Nirvana song!


Anyways, check some of the vids below, and I'm pretty sure we have a well deserving first Wonder Woman of the Week.

Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl

Le Tigre - Decaptacon

Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Hanna
http://www.kathleenhanna.com/