HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Pussy Whipped – Bikini Kill

If there is any song from the riot grrrl genre that would illicit a response in most people, there is no shadow of a doubt that it is Rebel Girl by BIKINI KILL. Whether you’ve heard it watching Orange Is The New Black or playing Rock Band 2, it is a song that many can acknowledge with a small head nod or tap of a foot.

For those who are unaware of what riot grrrl means, it’s a movement that was formed in the early 90s and quickly found its home in Washington and Seattle. It is so much more than just a movement though – it’s a scene and a whole music genre, as well as the movement. It was established as a reason for groups of women to get together, play music, have meetings, pass microphones around at shows to share experiences ideologies and create DIY zines. Through one of these zines Kathleen Hanna sought inspiration to create the BIKINI KILL zine, which would later become basis on which the band was formed. Like many other artists and peers from the movement BIKINI KILL focused heavily on equality and politics, particularly if the politics in question involved feminism in any form. Hanna would go on to co-found one of the most important and influential punk movements of all time: riot grrrl.

Riot grrrl placed a heavy emphasis on normalizing female rage & anger and celebrating their sexuality – both topics that had been taboo until that point. Bands like SLEATER-KINNEY and TEAM DRESCH were already doing this with tracks that allowed them to reclaim queer language and put themselves in the shoes of men in rock music. Upon the release of Rebel Girl, BIKINI KILL were able to do the same.

The track itself is a love song laden with adoration for the women who are unafraid to live their truth. Boasting three different recordings, it signalled a pivotal shift for BIKINI KILL, catching the attention of artists like JOAN JETT, who features on guitar and backing vocals on one of these recordings. Though the three versions all possess completely different qualities, there is no doubt that they are all the same iconic song. Even though it never became a hit single or managed to chart it is critically acclaimed by professionals and the public alike, being included in Rolling Stone’s list of Most Excellent Songs of Every Year Since 1967, and Blender’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born.

Though it may be the most instantly recognisable song on the record, Pussy Whipped consists of so much more than this to make it essential listening for any self-proclaimed punk fan. Its release came at a time when BIKINI KILL had already been performing for years and so gave their fans a reason to get really swept up in the riot grrrl movement and listen to the messages the band was spreading clearly and succinctly.

Pussy Whipped covers a range of topics across its 12 tracks, from defective sexuality and the disappointment that comes after a bust on Star Bellied Boy, to wanting to kill the traditional female part of yourself on Alien She. Hanna makes sure to scream out her refusal of the pornographic narratives that men have force fed women, suggesting that she can finally be satisfied in a female-centric utopia. She also takes substantial aim at the music industry and press in Star Fish and Hamster Baby. The press of yesteryear collided heavily with BIKINI KILL at the height of their fame, attacking Hanna and labelling her as a girl that would just perform in her underwear, choosing to take her quotes out of context and knowingly misprint her words.

The album itself feels rough and ready, emulating the true DIY feel that is synonymous with riot grrrl and other 90s punk bands. The amateur nature is purposeful and creates a grunge-laden sound that when mixed with the female vocals of all natures, be it screamed, shouted, melodic or guttural, provides the perfect balance and carries the massive weight of the heavy lyrics. This DIY approach is messy and imperfect, yet extremely personal.

The language used and topics referenced throughout Pussy Whipped aren’t exactly foreign in the landscape of today, as they were in the early 90s. Instead of being part of the underground, the ideologies that BIKINI KILL sings about and stands for are mainstream today, with huge corporations opting to support Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day and feminist theories – a relatively new concept. These ideas are commonplace today, not just a rumbling of the underground scene that so desperately wanted to make a change.

With Kathleen Hanna at its helm, BIKINI KILL helped bring a desperate message to the masses. It’s one of empowerment, taking control, and attitude, all delivered with strength. Though the message may be a little redundant today with its lack of intersectionality and diversity, the overarching message of fighting and questioning still stand 30 years after the original release of Pussy Whipped. The album offers alternative opinions and views that were not seen in music at the time, with less commercial appeal and more importance. Though the riot grrrl movement and BIKINI KILL may have only been active for a few short years, its legacy lives on in the new wave of the riot grrrl and the impact that it had on punk and rock as a whole. The movement taught people to respect and celebrate each other – something that we so desperately need in all corners of the scene today.

Pussy Whipped was originally released on October 26th 1993 via Kill Rock Stars. 

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