I keep finding myself wishing I could see them live (they broke up in 1998), because from what I can tell there just wasn't a concert like a Bikini Kill concert. Women were brought up from the audience to talk about politics on stage. The mosh pit was forced to the side so that women could be in the front. I feel like the concerts are just like the music- a little odd, very unexpected, but if you're in the mood, it's absolutely perfect.
CD Version of the First Two Albums, 1992. "Double Dare Ya", "Feels Blind", "Rebel Girl", "Outta Me"
This was so unexpected to me, mostly because the first two songs "Double Dare Ya" and "Liar" seamlessly flow into each other (not what I think when I think punk), and the other songs feature screaming and enthusiastic, breathless talking. Like, "here's one expectation broken, and now we're going to break that- ha!"
The lyrics are often very repetitive, and the chanting serves to make you think about the words more thoroughly, I found. The message sinks in and a lot of time, I laughed because I was thinking, "Well yeah. Fuck yeah! I don't need you, boys! Back off!" It was empowering in a weird way, but at the same time, I had to think, we don't need boys, but fuck, I still want them around. I don't even date them, I just like having guys in my life because too much estrogen is a nightmare. And for the straight girls, well you do kinda need a guy for sex. Maybe they take the feminist message a little far, but it's still worth it.
Pussy Whipped, 1994. "Alien She", "Magnet", "Starfish", "For Tammy Rae" (Listen to this at least. It's so sweet)
I'm ashamed to admit that the more I listen to this, the more I want to make a drastic change. I want to take all the risks I'm too much of a pussy to actually take. Maybe this is good, but knowing me, it isn't and I need to step away from the cd now. But I won't. This is also the point where I realized that the songs are actually pretty short, about a minute and a half long. The energy is so intense, though, that you end up drawn in and mesmerized, not realizing exactly how much time is passing. Sometimes it feels like none at all, and sometimes like hours in one song.
Reject All American, 1996. "Jet Ski", "No Back Rub", "Bloody Ice Cream"
The vocals are screamed, shouted and pretty distorted, but in a sense you don't have to know them to like the music. It helps, though, or otherwise you'll hear a single word (usually "FUCK!") and be really confused. Unless, like me, you like the word "fuck" and "dyke", in which case you'll be kinda delighted. While listening to this album I informed my girlfriend that punk music makes me want to do stupid things in fast motion (this has been tried and true through the years) and she just laughed. I think it's because she isn't in the same time zone as me and therefore doesn't have to deal with my stupid consequences.
Bikini Kill is very different from what I'm used to, but once I got in the Bikini Kill mood, I really loved the music. "The Bikini Kill mood", so you know, is disaffected, maybe a little lonely, kinda angry and in need of a cathartic release. The music serves as that very necessary release.
Bikini Kill is medicine of sorts. Take two singles and call me in the morning.
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