Bikini Kill is a feminist punk band that was based in Olympia, WA and Washington, DC, forming in 1990 and breaking up in 1997. Kathleen Hanna sang, Tobi Vail played drums, Billy Karren (a.k.a. Billy Boredom) played guitar and Kathi Wilcox played bass. Sometimes they switched instruments. Bikini Kill is ...
The infamously fierce feminist punk pioneers, Bikini Kill, offer a glimpse into the history of their very first demo tape, the feminist punk movement, riot grrrl, and reveal the previously unreleased “Ocean Song” today with The New York Times. The track comes in anticipation of the band’s Revolution Girl Style Now reissue, set for release onSeptember 22 via Bikini Kill Records that features three previously unreleased songs: “Playground”, “Ocean Song”, and “Just Once.”
The Revolution Girl Style Now demo tape was originally self-released in May of 1991. The demo was recorded by Pat Maley at the ABC House in Olympia, WA earlier that year. Bikini Kill played one of their first shows at the house the night before and left their equipment set up to record the demo the next day. For this reissue, the songs were mixed by Guy Picciotto (Fugazi) and mastered by John Golden.
“Ocean Song” premiered with The New York Times today.
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Comprised of Kathleen Hanna (vocals), Tobi Vail (drums), Billy Karren (guitar), andKathi Wilcox, Bikini Kill was a feminist punk band based in Olympia, WA and Washington DC, forming in 1990 and breaking up in 1997. Bikini Kill actively encouraged women to start bands as a means of cultural resistance and used touring as a way to create an underground network between girls who played music, put on shows and made fanzines. This informal network created a forum for multiple female voices to be heard and built a feminist community through the punk scene.