Punk Rock Misandrist: Bands you should know!
When I lived in Sydney, the area that I had moved to before
I left was, as I had come to know it, was filled with cliquey subcultures, and
a general air multicultural openness. I wouldn’t say that that was a bad thing but
more so an observation of a -for lack of a better word- vibe. My favourite
thing about living in the middle of the clutter, was the opportunity to see a
lot of unknown and local artists and bands experiment and showcase their
artistic spirit.
The BVH, was by far the most superior pub in the area– and I
still recommend it highly, very beside the point, but they made an amazing soft-shell crab taco!
I remember thoroughly enjoying a punk rock band so much that
I caught up with one of the bassists, who was a friend (?) of a friend, and we
got to talking about their bands influences. It was fairly inspirational
because I remember spending that weekend listening to London Calling by the
Clash and learning how to play the bass (I’m still no good at it, finger dexterity is the death of me).
Now I’m not aficionado, nor will I provide a comprehensive history of the genre, but I think you should know about more about Punk Rock.
In the early 70’s the inspiration for the subculture was already alive. A
lot of what I’ve come to understand as punk rock is generally known to have
been extrapolations of underground scenes and music in New York and London – think experimental and garage rock. Rock and roll was the precursor to
the metaphorical big bang that gave us Punk, it was extremely mainstream and there
was an air of subversive rebellion that was more performative than authentic.
Rock Stars went from being grungy pillars that signified the fringes of
society, to clean, and polished posts disconnected from the roots. In the US, bands
like the Ramones were greatly influential, their 1976 self-titled album – a
great listen - gave the world a taste of punk that was subsequently the
standard for the genre.
Through the defining decade of punk rock, the UK in the 70’s was in a crisis. There was political, and economical turmoil that left a lot of
the youth and former public service employees unemployed. The
desires and frustrations among many ways culminated in protests. Dissent was in
excess and found an artistic way of expression. The great desire for change was
realised in and by groups like the Sex Pistols and the Clash. While the
importance of these groups cannot be overlooked, the energy that punk tapped
into that made it different and counter-cultural was that it also was a space that
allowed for different voices and perspectives, especially women. While men
still made up and very much were associated with punk, women were included carved
their own space and left an etching in the halls of Punk Rockdom.
Considering that a lot of punk bands and the scene occurred in the 1970’s there is a great deal to be said on the compounding effects of second wave –and quite radical– feminism on the genre, groups, and society during and post 1970’s. While men had their ways of breaking norms, and were afforded a general status of defiance, society had strict expectations on womanhood. However, and fortunately for us, due to the evolving zeitgeist, the punk rock scene provided the perfect backdrop to challenge social expectations. When told to act demure, they told you to get fucked. Punk was and is not just about the music: it’s a culture.
Among women, and those of prominence within the scene, the genre reflected these changes. Artists such as Suzi Quatro, and Joan Jett highlighted and sought to address sexual harassment, while also promoting body positivity through their music embracing an almost masculine–perhaps better phrased as strong feminine– presence. While the ideologically feminist punk movement continues to exist, it has evolved through the 70’s and 80’ to have given us the Riot Grrl movement of the 90’s that focused on the female rage and celebration of sexuality while also highlighting strong female voices overlooked or left undiscovered due to male dominance within the genre, and music in general.
Read the Riot Grrrl Manifesto here!
I’m not sure if many people know who Sandi Thom is, but her song,
the minimalistic and somewhat nostalgic track, ‘I wish I was a Punk Rocker(With Flowers in my Hair)’ very much alludes to the thought pattern I was in to
write this, so if you’re looking for a rabbit hole to fall down this is one is
quite interesting.
Again, not a comprehensive list, however a couple highlights
and recommendations (and a playlist) from yours truly:
Patti Smith
While not what one would think of as a punk rocker, Patti
Smith is noted as being important to the movement due to her exploratory mix of
poetry and rock music, perhaps in a way that people could consider as a poet
with a band – consider listening to Horses (1975) (How good is Redondo Beach?).
As a lot would consider, she was Punk before Punk. Her message and delivery
cemented her status as a punk icon.
Poly Styrene (X-Ray Spex)
The front woman for the band X-ray Spex. When the group
broke into the scene, the scene was very much white, and male dominant. As a
biracial frontwoman who appeared outside of the allegorical ideal form, she
became an archetype for feminist punk, exemplifying the rejection of societal
expectations. Check out ‘Oh Bondage, Up
Yours’, and ‘I Am a Poseur’.
Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie and the Banshees)
Growing up in in the suburbs, and seeing and feeling the
disconnect of not ‘fitting in’, the radicalised artist found a likeminded
community in those drawn to the punk movement. Fans AND friends of bands like
the Sex Pistols, she became known and distinguishable by her efforts to expand
the culture through her fashion sense often combining glamour and bondage
essentially becoming the original goth. Check out Jigsaw Feeling (or their
whole debut album) Arabian Knights for post-punk, or revel in the alt-rock of
Cities in the Dust, or The Passenger.
Joan Jett
A member of the all-woman punk band Runaways, Joan Jett maintained
an energy of rebellion through the styles she embodied, think dyed black hair
and leather outfits. Following the end of the Runaways in 1979, she started a
solo career and becoming fairly successful through the 80’s with her backup
band the Blackhearts, releasing in 1981 hits like ‘I love Rock n Roll’, and
‘Bad Reputation’. With the 90’s, in particular the Riot Grrrl movement, Jett’s
career was revived when she was highlighted as a pioneer of rock, and an
inspiration to many of bands from the new era. I’d recommend trying some of the
Runaways self-titled debut (1976) specifically ‘Cherry Bomb’, or ‘American
Nights’, then the Pure and Simple (1994) album that features collaborations
from among other Riot Grrrl bands like the Bikini Kill, and Babes in Toyland.
The Slits
Another favourite, and perhaps an all-time recommendation,
the Slits were made up of a revolving door of people, however at the release of
their album, the Cut (1979), Ari Up, Viv Albertine, Tessa Pollitt. In the late
1970’s, an all-woman rock band was an unfamiliar thing. The scene they were in
did not allow them the space to be. The dichotomy of masculinity and femininity
was stereotypical, the formation of the band, and the release of their debut
album was radical. I’ll let you decide if I’m mad or not for liking this, but
it is among my favourite albums and I would highly recommend listening to the
whole Cut (1979) album, if you’re pressed for time I’d recommend, ‘Newtown’ or
‘Typical Girls’.
The group was so ingrained in the culture, that almost 40
years after the release of their debut album they have inspired a collection of
records, named ‘Typical Girls’ by Emotional Response [Records] that showcases
some of the current greatest female fronted and independent pop, and punk bands
from around the world. While I haven’t listened to all of the six collections,
some highlights I’ve loved include Claudia Kishi by the Linda Lindas and, Oland
by Earth Girls.
A surprising fact I’ve recently found out is that
‘Typical Girls’ is among 50 of Kurt Cobain’s favourite songs– and honestly,
rightfully so!
Shonen Knife
A Japanese all-woman punk band, Originally the effort of sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano, and Naoko's college friend Michie Nakatani formed in the 1980’s, they provided a subdued version of punk explored by some others on this list. Originally inspired by groups like the Ramones, and the Beachboys, they have an eclectic writing style that is a mix of Japanese and English with topics ranging from killer fruits to cute cats. Shonen Knife is significant due to the recognition they brought to Japan’s underground and alternative cultures. If you’re curious about them, think of them as a sort of precursor to Kero Kero Bonito, in an even more stripped down and raw way. Consider listening to their Burning Farm (1983) album.
Crazily enough, Kurt Cobain was also a massive fan of Shonen Knife.
Somewhat closer to modern day, and responsible for one of my
favourite bands Le Tigre, Kathleen Hanna is an outspoken feminist who was one
of the important voices that led to the Riot Grrrl movement in the 90’s. The zine in which the movement got its name, was a call to action for women to
embrace feminism, and fight for equality in punk rock scenes. The zine was a
conglomerate of information that ranged from political ideas to etiquette and
safety in male dominant spaces. As an artist Hanna was in a handful of bands,
as well as a solo artist. She was a member of Bikini Kill which gave us cool
tracks like Rebel Girl (1998) and Double Dare Ya (2014), and Le Tigre which
gave us the –personally amazing– self-titled debut album (1999) with hits like
Deceptacon and Eau D’bedroom Dancing clearly embodying the soul of punk. Crazy
enough she had also had a solo project, Julie Ruin, that she had made entirely in her room, a sort
of precursor to the bedroom pop we’ve seen through the 21st century.
In an almost surprising way, I have also found another
connection to Kurt Cobain– but I suppose that is fair considering he did
express that the future of rock belongs to women.
The famous song ‘Smells like Teen Spirit’ is named after a
phrase Kathleen Hanna had written on Kurt Cobain’s wall noting that he smelt like
the 90’s deodorant ‘Teen Spirit’ . He thought it was revolutionary and that is how we got the track.
Gosh what an introduction huh?
Anywho, thank you for coming by, and enjoy the playlist:
~M~
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