Bikini Kill, Viv Albertine, and Songs of Summer #bikinikill #rebelgirl #riotgrrrl

On the way to Bikini Kill with two of three @cannibalgirlsnyc! — in New York, New York.

Half my heroes were in the audience. Everybody was there - Anna, Brennan, Monica, Virgina. Thanks Kathleen!! Thanks Bikini Kill!

Bikini Kill, REBEL GIRL, w Joan Jett, Kings Theater, BK,6/4/19. Bikini Please Kill Me. Amaze. #bikinikill #rebelgirl #riotgrrrl

Photo by Brennan Cavanaugh 

         

 All summer long, the talk has been music and fashion, food and travel, activism and Viv. 

“All you ever talk about is Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys,”  Viv’s mother berated her.  Hence the name for her memoir. 

“For those in a hurry … Sex references: here, here, here, here, here, here Drugs references: here, here, here, here Punk rock references: here, here, here, here, here,”
― Viv Albertine writes early in the book.

A poignant story about music and growing up, feminism and culture, its perhaps the best music biography I have ever read.  Certainly, the best memoir.

Its  all there. 

Viv squats, grows up, meets Mic, of the Clash, in  the mid-1970’s.

Off and on, they march through the punk years.

He’d take the train to see her.

Often in vein.

Hence the  name of the Clash’s best song,

Referring to  their best song,

“Typical Girls.”

More than  this,  it’s a story about growing  up,

Having kids,

Abortions,

Cancer and resiliency.

And being human.

I think about it and her every day,

Alternately full of anguish or joy.

Our teenager told me about the book.

I told her about Riot Grrrl.

We watched a documentary about the movement when she was in  7^th grade.

She didn’t say anything.

The next week, she asked that we watch it again.

A narrative girls and music, autonomy and feminism,

She was gripped with DiY culture.

Last night, we went to see the seminal band of this movement, Bikini Kill at the Kings Theater on Flatbush.

The teenager, her sister, and Maya, of the Cannibal Girls together.

My first show was the Dead Kennedy’s when I was in 7^th grade.

We brought the 7^th grader along.

Wearing  pink and green pants,

A pleather jacket,

And  white platform boots.

Are there going to be more people your  age or my age asked the little one?

Walking inside the majestic theater, the answer was somewhere in between,

Although a lot of my friends were at the show.

The music did not all translate.

And we were separated from the mosh pit, because  of the seating.

But I loved hearing Kathleen Hanna talk.

And when she introduced Joan Jett, the theater erupted.

“Rebel Girl” she played, Kathleen singing along, the kids dancing  in their seats.

“That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood
She's got the hottest trike in town
That girl, she holds her head up so high
I think I wanna be her best friend, yeah

Rebel girl, rebel girl
Rebel girl you are the queen of my world
Rebel girl, rebel girl
I think I wanna take you home
I wanna try on your clothes, uh

When she talks, I hear the revolution
In her hips, there's revolution
When she walks, the revolution's coming
In her kiss, I taste the revolution

Rebel girl, rebel girl
Rebel girl you are the queen of my world
Rebel girl, rebel girl
I know I wanna take you home
I wanna try on your clothes, uh

That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood
I got news for you, she is!
They say she's a dyke, but I know
She is my best friend, yeah

Rebel girl, rebel girl
Rebel girl you are the queen of my world
Rebel girl, rebel girl
I know I wanna take you home
I wanna try on your clothes

Love you like a sister always
Soul sister, rebel girl
Come and be my best friend
Will you, rebel girl?
I really like you
I really wanna be your best friend
Be my rebel girl”

Songwriters: Kathleen Hanna / Billy Karren / Tobi Vail / Kathi Wilcox

Be my rebel girl.

Thanks for reminding us we can all be our own DiY heroes.

Thanks Bikini Kill!!!!

Kings Theatre
1027 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11226
MAP IT

June 4

Bikini Kill is a feminist punkband that was based in Olympia, WA and Washington, DC, forming in 1990 andbreaking up in 1997. Kathleen Hanna sang, Tobi Vail played drums, Billy Karren(a.k.a. Billy Boredom) played guitar and Kathi Wilcox played bass. Sometimesthey switched instruments. Bikini Kill is credited with instigating the RiotGrrrl movement in the early 90's via their political lyrics, zines andconfrontational live show.The band started touring in June 1991. In addition to touring the US severaltimes, they also toured Europe, Australia and Japan. Bikini Kill recorded andreleased a demo tape, two EP's, two LP's and three singles. Their demo tape wasself-released,while their first two records came out as a full length CD/Tapeand their singles were posthumously collected on CD.Bikini Kill believed that if all girls started bands the world would change.They actively encouraged women and girls to start bands as a means of culturalresistance. Bikini Kill was inspired by seeing Babes in Toyland play live andattempted to incite female participation and build feminist community via thepunk scene. They used touring as a way to create an underground network betweengirls who played music, put on shows and made fanzines. This independent mediamaking and informal network created a forum for multiple female voices to beheard.