This week we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Bikini Kill's debut studio album P***y Whipped, released via the independent riot grrrl label Kill Rock Stars. The record was home to the group's doubtlessly most iconic single Rebel Girl, which has become part of the soundtrack to the feminist punk rock genre.
Bikini Kill - P***y Whipped
The all-female punk group from Washington fronted by Kathleen Hanna recorded the album at Avast! Studios in Seattle; the home of records by Soundgarden, The Gits and Supersuckers, and run by producer Stuart Hallerman who is credited with pushing the grunge movement further out of the confines of the city.
Bikini Kill are best known for the album's tenth track Rebel Girl, originally produced along with the song New Radio by Joan Jett. Thought to be inspired by feminist artist Juliana Luecking, the single is now one of the biggest riot grrrl anthems ever, largely because of the unapologetic lesbian themes within the song ("In her kiss, I taste the revolution" and "They say she's a dyke") but also because it represents a solidarity between women that even in this day and age needs to be pushed.
Lyrics like: "That girl she holds her head up so high" and "Love you like a sister, always/ Soul sister, blood sister", represent the feelings women should be having towards other women for the sake of our own progression, especially in a society where we are encouraged from childhood to be competitive and judgemental towards our own gender.
Before P***y Whipped, Bikini Kill had previously self-released a demo called Revolution Girl Style Now!, as well as a split LP called Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah with touring mates Huggy Bear. They'd also released a self-titled EP (produced by Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat) which, together with Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah made up their 1994 compilation The C.D. Version of the First Two Records.
The band split in 1997, releasing their final album - Reject All American - the previous year and later unveiling their last compilation entitled The Singles. Their brief career influenced the likes of Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Gossip and Sleater-Kinney, with Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day previously confessing that Rebel Girl solely inspired his 2004 song She's a Rebel.
Bikini Kill remain an important part of feminist culture and continue to be remembered for changing society's perspective of women in music.