Punk is a genre that has been around for decades. Often associated with rebellion, controversy and chaos, it’s a music scene that has been viewed in a negative light on multiple occasions.
The overall scrutiny of punk enjoyers and musicians extended far beyond the external perception of those on the outside looking in. At the height of the punk movement came the disease of discrimination relating to gender, race and various other issues that plagued the scene.
Thus came the birth of Riot Grrrl. An underground feminist punk subculture and genre that fights against the unwarranted conflict that was brewing within the punk community. With a heavy focus on the prominence of protecting and spotlighting women and queer people in the scene. The movement was pioneered by various members of all female or female led bands such as Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman of the band Bratmobile who birthed the zine Riot Grrrl. Spearheaded by confrontational female vocals and controversial lyrics, Riot Grrrl broke the boundaries of what the stereotypical punk sound was.
Through the creation of zines and art that placed heavy emphasis on female empowerment and of course punk music. Driven by the fire that “Art is political” the Riot Grrrl movement grew with members and bands such as Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, Emily’s Sassy Lime and many more adhering to the Do-It-Yourself ethos of the movement.
What many may not realise is that the cause behind Riot Grrrl and the Do-It-Yourself spirit of it lived long after the birth of the movement — extending far beyond borders and even inspiring musicians all the way in Asia.
As this generation’s musicians embody the spirit of fighting discrimination, standing up for what’s right, it’s important to remember those who sparked the change. In this article we dive deeper into Riot Grrrl’s influence in the international punk scene and music veterans and newcomers who were inspired by what the movement stood for.
Ginette Chittick of Psycho Sonique
Kicking off the list with Ginette Chittick, one of the frontrunners in infusing the mission of Riot Grrrl into Singapore's early 90s punk scene. Her journey in the scene began with the formation of melodic punk rock band Psycho Sonique. The band embodied the fire of rebellion that was roaring in that era. The birth of Psycho Sonique was during the second wave of Singapore’s underground scene defined by bands such as Stompin’ Ground and The Pagans.
During her time in Psycho Sonique, Ginette embraced the culture of Riot Grrrl and created CherryBomb Press, which was their very own feminist zine. Each zine channeled the DIY mindset driven by the Riot Grrrl movement as she employed collage-like and cut-and-paste styles in creating each piece.
Their music also aligns with the unfiltered and unapologetic Riot Grrrl style. Their track ‘I Don’t Give a Damn’ hits the nail on the head with lyrics such as, “I don’t give a damn what you say / I don’t give a damn what you think” — capturing the challenging arrogance in the tone of the lyrics.
In an interview from 2023, Ginette Chittick sums up the essence of punk and the role of Riot Grrrl as a subculture as she states, “Subcultures like punk and hardcore which have tenets that purportedly reject mainstream expression of culture, economies and politics — the spaces which these subcultures occupy are still very male-driven spaces. Riot Grrrl and feminism are still very relevant as necessary counterpoints to challenge the hegemony and the veracity of these spaces.”
The Linda Lindas
Switching tracks from people who shaped the movement and participated in the thick of it, The Linda Lindas is a band that was formed in 2020 with their raw and unapologetic style of music that stand for exactly the same values as the Riot Grrrl movement. The all girl group features members ranging from the ages of 15 to 21.
The youthful fire that the quartet embodies highlights the trickle down effect of the key messages the movement stood for: female empowerment and abolishing racism. Their song ‘Racist, Sexist Boy’ is a fantastic example of the band Riot Grrrl spirit.
In a now viral live performance of the song, drummer and youngest member Mila de la Garza details the incident that inspired her and bassist Eloise to write the song. She shares that a boy in her class told her that his dad told him to “stay away from Chinese people.” Upon informing him that she was Chinese, he slowly backed away.
These discriminative acts is what Riot Grrrl fights against fundamentally; and The Linda Lindas embodies chaotic energy and defies expectations. The lyrics of the track are simple and effective with lines like, “You say mean stuff, and you close your mind to things you don't like, you turn away from what you don't wanna see (one, two, three), racist, sexist boy, you are a racist, sexist boy”.
Grrrl Gang
Female led Indonesian band Grrrl Gang stays true to their name with their heavy affiliation to the Riot Grrrl genre. Their tracks unleash a harsh honesty that pairs with their indie rock infused punk sound covering topics ranging from feminism, mental health and relationships. Catering to this generation's punk scene especially in a fairly conservative Asian society, Grrrl Gang makes waves with their progressive lyrics that help young girls and women shed the patriarchal roles imposed on them.
Their uncensored honesty resonates with audiences, rewriting the “acceptable social norms” that teenage girls should be adhering to. With the title track ‘Spunky!’ from their 2023 album with the same name, lead singer Angeeta Sentana debunks typical gender norms loud and proud with lyrics such as “My teachers tell me I'm a lazy kid people know I'm a superstar, I was born in the pit, I gave birth in the pit, I never shave my pits, let me swallow your spit”.
In a similar fashion they completely destroy traditional gender roles set for women with ‘Guys Don’t Read Sylvia Plath’ that opens up doors for young women beyond being a mother or a homemaker with fiery lines that say, “I wasn't born to be a mother, I was born to raise hell everywhere I go, I wasn't born to be a wife, I was born to live a life of my own.” It drives home the point that fighting to live your own life outside of being “just a woman” is definitely a form of rebellion against tradition.
Emily’s Sassy Lime
Fun fact, these Riot Grrrl veterans’ band name is a palindrome — read their name backwards and discover that it still spells Emily’s Sassy Lime! Being one of the pioneers in the movement, the Asian American sibling trio showed off their distressed rock style with each of their tracks.
One thing’s for sure, they never sugarcoated their words. They often led with straightforward lyrics such as “You're such a, such a pig, you lay it on real thick, hey, Mr. Moneybags” from their 1995 banger ‘Mr. Moneybag$’.
Their tracks dove in the overbearing patriarchal agenda that ran rampant at a time where women were growing into their independence. They had no care in the world about their lyrics being “too rude” or “distasteful”. The bottom line was, Emily’s Sassy Lime was going to say it like it was, without hiding their true feelings and opinions.
Like what you read? Show our writer some love!
-