Riot Grrrl UK

Ok, the old profile is fixed-DON'T add the new one, i'm going to delete it...sorry about all this!

 

http://www.myspace.com/riotgrrrluk

OK...some twat has screwed up the RGUK myspace profile....so please don't add it/talk to it.... I'm setting up a new one and it would really speed things up if you added it now rather than wait for me to get round to adding you again (if we were already friends on myspace that is!)

 

the new profile can be found at...

 

http://www.myspace.com/164852054

 

sorry it isn't particularly glitzy yet!

Our friends the Venom Seeds will be playing at The Buffalo Bar in London tonight (2nd March!!!) So go check them out!!

 

 

Our pals Virginia Slint are doing a tour-Londoners-you have no excuse!

 

Sat 10th February.........Rifleman, Hounslow (SW London)

Fri 9th March.............The Peel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey

Thurs 29th March..........The Ship, Croydon (S London)

Tues 24th April...........The Hope&Anchor, Highbury and Islington, London

 

It's here, as promised-now go join up and talk!

 

Black Dog Publishing require interns to help with the initial stages of
research and to help oversee the smooth running of the project until
completion. In addition to research, work duties will include liaising with
contributors, fact-checking and potential editorial work/writing.

The ideal candidate must have excellent research skills and the proven
ability to write to a high standard. Applications will be accepted in the
form of a covering letter and CV.

All applications should be sent to Blanche Craig: blanche@bdp.demon.co.uk before
the 12th January.

1. To extend RGUK even further; especially to the grrrls that aren't on myspace-you must be out there somewhere!
2. To set dates for RGUK meets.
3. To attend these meets-funnily enough :p
4. To get even more people involved than before, with regular involvement and contribution.
5. To establish a forum that isn't on myspace to encourage people to talk more.
6. To attend more of your gigs because listening over the internet just isn't enough anymore (email me if you've got one coming up!)

If i've missed anything you wanted to see, that you think I could do (and is actually doable!!!) email me: riotgrrrluk@hotmail.co.uk

 

I hope you've all had a smashing christmas and enjoy the new year-looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible!!!!!

I managed to hunt down this article, certainly worth a look, would love to hear your responses on this one!

(in grrrl journal)

Now that I'm getting to grips with this whole website malarky I've been able to set up a comments and ratings box on the Essays and Rants page. In short, I will set up one of these boxes every time a new article is posted (you'll find it underneath the article) for you to express your own opinions on what other people have written about!

Please do not use the comments box as an excuse to be hostile, constructive criticism is fine but I won't tolerate any uncalled for animosity.

Now go get talking!!!

dx

                    

RGUK was very lucky to catch up with Kate from The Priscillas after a great set at Leeds Festival in August. The lovely ladies agreed to do an interview especially for you grrrls and voila!

RGUK: I was hoping that through this interview I could
introduce a few people to the band (some of the RGUK
grrrls are already fans) so here we go…

RGUK: Which artists would you say had the biggest influence
on you as a band, both lyrically and musically?

Jen: I'm not going to rattle off a whole load of bands
as we all have so many different influences, some we
agree on, some we don't, but the spirit of punk rock
is definitely prominent in our music--melodic punk,
mind you. Something you can sing along to, at least in
the ooh-ah parts.
Kate: Anything with balls, a tune, or that makes me
cry.

RGUK: I’d say your style is refreshing yet pretty hard
to come by in a music scene which is dominated by a
lot of (excuse the generalisations) .."emo.." and
.."indie.." , ! have you found it hard to establish
yourselves as a serious band and are there any
obstacles which have proven particularly trying?

Jen: We are a serious band. Our goal is to do this for
a living. Just because we are not standing on stage,
forlorn and dressed as if we just rolled out of bed,
doesn't mean we aren't. So it's all subjective,
really.
Kate: We sometimes get tagged as a ‘novelty’ because
we’re girls. And because we’re not grim faced and
singing about “serious” subjects means people think
we’re a joke band. Who says you have to sing about
heartbreak and politics to be serious? The Who sung
about Boris the Spider, and Black Sabbath sung about
fairies wearing boots. And no-one accuses them of
being a joke.

RGUK: What were your aspirations when the band first formed?

Jen: To write great songs, play them, and reach as
many people as possible.
Kate: To make people’s hearts beat faster.

RGUK:Would you say you’ve already achieved/exceeded them or
is there more to come?

Jen: We've gathered a whole load of fans world-wide,
played some great places (and some dives, some of
which were also great!), and we love doing it. There
is much more to come. We have been writing up a storm,
lately, and our next step is to go into the studio.
Kate: We’ve done some amazing things so far – played
around the world – the USA, all across Europe,
Glastonbury, Bestival, been on the BBC. And we’re so
proud that we’ve done it all ourselves – no manager,
no agent, no label right now! Which we’re. That’s not
to say we couldn’t do with some help… But there’s tons
more to come. We want to record a proper album, and
play bigger shows, play Japan, a proper US tour, the
moon on a stick…!

RGUK: And following on from the last question, what
would you say are the high and low points of being in
the band so far?

Jen: The highest for me are when we come up with new
songs. Having those creative juices flowing and
finally getting it right, and then playing them on
stage. It's a rush.
The lowest: lugging gear after a gig, although it
gives you good muscles.
Kate: High points – playing Bestival and having the
whole crowd sing along through Superhero when Guri’s
amp broke, playing a session for WFMU and being
interviewed on 6Music, playing with The Damned and my
mum coming to watch us play with The Cramps at The
Astoria in London.

RGUK: A lot of girls come to me complaining that it’s
harder to get places in the music profession because
the scene is dominated by males. On the other hand
many argue that this isn’t the case, often referring
to the success of various female fronted bands, My
Ruin and Hole to name two of many bands who are often
referred to. What would be your take on this matter?

Jen: Well, if you have a defeatist attitude to begin
with, that's not going to help. If you believe in what
you do, you shouldn't consider that to be an obstacle.
Maybe it is harder. I don't know. I've never been a
man. The music business sucks. The winners are the
people in suits who sit behind desks, or so they
think. You have to be determined and don't let anyone
tell you you should give up because it's too tough a
business. If a had a penny for everytime....ugh!
Kate: I don’t think it’s tougher to be a girl in a
band per se, but it is more difficult to get beyond a
certain level. We kick arse live, but we can’t get an
agent. We have great songs, but we don’t have a record
deal. And there are a lot of bands at the same level,
with the same glass ceiling, who happen to be girls.
It took the Long Blondes winning an NME award before
they got signed! I think it’s because there are a lot
of men who work in the industry and they’d rather hang
out with boys in bands, take drugs and fuck groupies
with them, than girls. Sad but true. But hell, we
don’t care.

RGUK: With an impending feature on female musicians to
appear on the RGUK website, it would be great if you
could give us an insight into how you broke the
rock/alternative music scene as female musicians
yourselves. Is there any advice you would give the
RGUK grrrls out there?

Jen: Follow your passions. Keep your chin up. Be
persistant. Don't be apologetic. If you have any
self-doubt, question it and work on it. Don't stop
being creative. Have a sense of humour. It goes a long
way.
Kate: Have your own opinions. Be inspired by different
people to everyone else. Seek the obscure and
celebrate that. Don’t be afraid to look like a twat.

RGUK: Speaking of advice… I saw you girls on stage and
in action and when I was waiting to speak to Kate I
witnessed how well you put up with those sleazy guys
down the front. Again, I commend you on how well you
handled it, (saints-the lot of you!) So,
hypothetically, a drunken guy’s being
all….well…drunk…give us your best come back for when
he so charmingly asks you to either .."get your tits
out for the lads.." or asks if .."it hurt.." (when you
fell from Heaven, that is) Feel free to be as comical
or vulgar as you like!

Jen: I have directed such men to the "strip joint down
the road" adding that he must have walked into the
wrong club.
Kate: Best thing is to be very sweet to them and grin
and bear it until you can smile no more. If they
persist in being arseholes, a good kick in the nads
will often persuade them to leave. It’s hilarious how
many chaps think that because they’ve paid into a show
or bought a record, they’re entitled to a snog.

RGUK: Returning to the subject of the band, have you
got any plans for the future at all, gigs,
releases…whatever?

Jen: Oh, yeah. A few coming up before the New Year. We
will be recording this month, so fingers crossed....
Kate: We’re recording a super new pop single, so
that’s something to look forward to. We’re also
playing some shows in Europe as well as the UK.
Hopefully we’ll have an album out next year, and then
be international superhero rock n rollers. Yeah!

RGUK: And finally have you got any words of wisdom for the
riot grrrls of the
UK?

Jen: Moisturize daily.
Kate: Feminism isn’t a dirty word.

Please go check these girls out, I think that they're fantastic, visit http://www.thepriscillas.com or add them on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/thepriscillas

A visual feature on female musicians is being arranged but more interest is still needed for it to go to plan!!! ( ;) hint hint! ) so if you're interested just get in touch at the usual address: riotgrrrluk@hotmail.co.uk

 

<3

If you want to be kept upto date with what's going on then simply send a quick message to riotgrrrluk@hotmail.co.uk and I'll add you to the mailing list...news i can tell you now, priscillas interview coming soon and visual feature on female musicians

lovely

:)

Since Sleater-Kinney's recent announcement that the band is going on "indefinite hiatus"  was posted on their official website, many people have contacted Riot Grrrl UK and it is blindingly obvious that they have had a great influence on many people. Here we will look back on the band.....

Sleater-Kinney, for the most, originated from Olympia WA, when Carrie Brownstein met Corin Tucker back in 1992. The band originally began as a side project, as Brownstein and Tucker were busy with their own projects, Excuse 17 and Heavens to Betsy, respectively. Sleater-Kinney gained its name from a local freeway offramp and was completed in 1994 when the band gained its first long-term drummer, Australian Lora MacFarlane just before the successful self-titled debut was recorded on the label Chainsaw  (Donna Dresch's label) in 1995.

The success of both the debut album and 1996's Call the Doctor encouraged coverage from the media and also cemented the band's reputation as a political, provocative and most certainly feminist band. This was indeed a refreshing change to what had become a male dominated indie scene.

New drummer Janet Weiss joined in time for 1997's release, Dig Me Out, the first to be released on Kill Rockstars, which was followed two years later by Hot Rock and 2000's All Hands on the Bad One. 2005 saw the band release The Woods on Subpop, an album which is widely thought to utilise a creatively liberating style which was nurtured on a tour with Pearl Jam two years earlier. The Woods is also recognised as being very particularly reflective of the political situation of the time.

Which leads us to 2006, when Sleater-Kinney announced their "indefinite hiatus" starting after the remaining tour dates, leaving this message on their website:

 

After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings.
 
We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.
 
But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.
 
With love and thanks,
Sleater-Kinney

 

I thought so.... I really think that alot of people visiting this site will be interested in this....

Seiraline support female musicians, tattooists and artists of all kinds, even if you haven't got your own project that requires support there's tonnes of interesting stuff and links-make sure to visit the proper website (off myspace). 

Hello, welcome to the brand spanking new myspace free website! I know we started on myspace but there are alot of people out there who disslike it/don't have it for whatever reason and I didn't want to leave them out!

There will be pleanty more coming soon so please keep checking this page, until then feel free to keep visiting the myspace profile...

dx