riot grrl: facing the (electroclash) music
recently, i watched The Punk Singer, a documentary about Kathleen Hanna, the most well-known name in the riot grrl movement. she fronted the bands Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, and now leads her current band, The Julie Ruin. with these bands, the riot grrl movement sparked a lot of feminist activism and aimed to create a safe space for people of any gender, race, and sexuality. after watching the documentary, i really got into listening to these bands.
i’ve been binge-listening to Le Tigre in particular, which is made up of Kathleen Hanna, JD Samson, and Johanna Fateman. the synth driven punk (or electroclash, as wikipedia has informed me) exhibits a wealth of sounds that fit together perfectly. the use of these synths and drum machines are great inspirations when i am experimenting with different aural textures for velcro team music. listening to Le Tigre always sparks my creativity and gives me a chance to absorb great music that is explicitly inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. JD Samson, who has declared herself a ‘gender outlaw’, takes the stage in the song ‘Viz’ off of their 2004 album ‘This Island’. This song is an anthem about butch lesbian visibility and the pride that accompanies being yourself.
so far, velcro team has been an emotional endeavor for me, all of the lyrics being very personal (mostly gay love songs), but Le Tigre has really inspired me to use velcro team as a platform to speak about the female reality and the queer reality on a broader scale. there has been a lot on my mind about raising awareness of trans and genderqueer experiences, as well as other topics such as the issue of police brutality in America and mental health awareness.
i hope you like politics with your candy.
<3 velcro team