Femme musicians are becoming more and more prevalent in the music industry, but there’s still so much to be done, and the world most certainly has not seen as shocking of a feminist movement as Riot grrrl.
Starting off in the 1990s, Riot grrrl was formed in Olympia, Washington. it actually started off as a series of meetings between women, which acted as a safe space to spend time together and discuss the current state of sexism in the music industry. Girls at the time were almost always at the back of the crowd, being forced to make way for their male counterparts who often displayed violent behaviorisms and an unsavoury attitude towards women. They were even made to hold their boyfriends coats, thus making it very difficult to actively be a part of the audience.
The escalation of such incidents in the punk subculture led to the creation of Riot grrrl, which was originally a zine. Yes, although it is glossed over today, writing was just as large of a part of the movement as the music was. It gave women the opportunity to represent themselves and take up space in a scene that previously left them with none. It gave them a voice, and a loud one at that.
At first the crowds were predominantly women, but as the general disdain towards a female-fronted band (crazy, right?) died down, everyone started to realise that these new groups brought new talent to the table. They did not want a replica of male punk, they wanted a new, fresher sound that went against the oppressive nature of the scene at the time. Key Riot grrrl punk bands at the time included Bikini Kill, Heavens to Betsy and Bratmobile, but this list is not exhaustive - girls from all around the world were beginning to form their own ensemble.
(Above: Bikini Kill)
It didn’t matter if you had experience in music or not. It didn’t even matter if you could play an instrument - as long as you’ve got three chords down, even roughly, you’re good to go. Oh, and you need a strong lead to carry the band, capture the audience and rub the boys the wrong way. Sometimes the entry fee was cheaper for the girls, which caused even more of an uproar.
Riot grrrl did everything right and made huge moves for the music industry, but despite this, it was still a relatively underground subculture. There are still countless stories of female artists being exploited and mistreated in the industry, especially when you take into account live shows, where it is sometimes unsafe for a woman to be left alone. However, a few punk bands reminiscent of the Riot grrrl movement remain, who definitely deserve some more recognition.
In my opinion, the most worthy band to point out is Amyl and the Sniffers, a girl-led punk band from Australia (what’s not to love, plus Amy has a bleach blonde mullet). Ane of their most notable songs is ‘Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled)’ which is a quintessentially punk song accompanied by echoed and distorted vocals about not being able to be controlled. They are definitely a group to listen to if you’re looking to fulfil your contemporary Riot grrrl needs.
(Above: Amyl and the Sniffers self-titled album cover)
Overall, a movement like Riot grrrl is still greatly valued and needed in the music industry today. Even though the genre is no longer as popular, its contribution will forever be valued, adored and idolised.
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