As vocalist of Bikini Kill and beloved figure in the riot grrrl scene, there’s no doubt that Kathleen Hanna would have good taste in music. In a 2005 article for Spin, Hanna discussed nine of her all-time favorite albums, and the choices are top-notch.
Of the albums that Hanna considered life-changing, we singled out the following four as confirmation of her impeccable musical judgment.
‘Faster, Frightwig, Kill! Kill!’ by Frightwig
Deanna Mitchell and Mia d’Bruzzi formed Frightwig in 1982, releasing two albums in 1984 and 1986 before taking several hiatuses. The band was influential in the rise of the riot grrrl scene of the 90s, with many prominent artists in the movement taking inspiration from Frightwig. Allegedly, Courtney Love, Kat Bjelland, and Jennifer Finch of L7 were all at the same Frightwig show, and they decided to start their bands the very next day. Love once called Frightwig the “true grandmothers of riot grrrl.”
So it’s not a surprise that Kathleen Hanna considers Frightwig’s second album one of her favorites. “Frightwig was just a hugely influential band on Bikini Kill,” Hanna told Spin. “There are lots of radical political moments on this album—really feminist, but it was also really funny and really beautiful.”
‘Cut’ by The Slits
The Slits released Cut in 1979. Their unique blend of punk, reggae, and offbeat pop influences made this album a total experience. Unapologetic and effortlessly interesting, The Slits informed the riot grrrl movement as well as later post-punk bands. Cut pushed boundaries, but did so with curiosity, impulse, and unpolished instinct.
Kathleen Hanna has since stated that The Slits had a profound impact on Bikini Kill. They were also an inspiration for Le Tigre, along with bands like The Raincoats and ESG. But Cut was a formative record for Hanna as an individual as well. “I remember getting stoned and listening to Cut in my apartment in Olympia, and being, like, ‘This is the most bugged-out s**t I’ve ever heard,’” she said. “Really theoretically smart and sonically full.”
‘It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back’ by Public Enemy
Public Enemy released It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back in 1988. Their second album has gone on to become a highly influential record across several genres, but notably in the punk and alternative hip-hop scenes. And it definitely makes sense that Public Enemy influenced members of the riot grrrl movement as well. For Kathleen Hanna, this album became a way to channel anxiety, but she also found it to be a great creative motivator.
“I had this album on cassette and used to jog to it while I was on tour with Bikini Kill,” said Hanna. “I had a lot of nervous energy, and this just lit a fire under me. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s possible. Making a near-perfect record is totally possible.’”
‘Blue Angel’ by Blue Angel
Blue Angel was a short-lived band that featured Cyndi Lauper on vocals before she went solo. They released one self-titled album in 1980, which Kathleen Hanna admitted was incredibly formative for her. There’s no doubt that Cyndi Lauper can sing, obviously. But something about her earliest work with Blue Angel hit Hanna differently.
“I bought the vinyl right when I moved to New York in 1997,” she explained. “[Cyndi Lauper’s] voice is just incredible. I found it at a record store that had ten copies, and I bought all ten. I have four sealed copies left, and I’m keeping ’em for when mine wear out or if I meet someone who’s really into singing. There’s a certain pitch that she hits, and I start crying, and I can’t stop, and I don’t know why. Something about the truth in her voice.”
Photo by Brigitte Engl/Redferns
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