Mixtapes

The Doom of Desmond, 2022-10-02

Young Desmond is a fan of Doom Metal, and I endeavor to expand his horizons. download

Definitely Metal - for Katie, 2020-04-20

A good sampling of the extreme metal I was excited about in 2020. download

Not Metal - for Katie, 2020-04-01

The first of a couple mix tapes for my nephew’s partner. This is a selection of tracks by indie bands that are (mostly) still going concerns in 2020 – I tried to avoid bands that were at their peak when she was in diapers. download

New Old Stock

A selection of mostly early 90s tracks from bands that didn’t get a lot of commercial radio airplay. Put together for a friend who wanted new-to-him music that sounded like what he loved in his youth. download

Riot Grrrl Retrospective

An introductory class on the Riot Grrrl movement, at least as I experienced it. download

The Beginnings of the Movement:

  1. Dickless :: Saddle Tramp :: The Grunge Years (1990)
    Yes, that’s a woman “singing”. Dickless was a half-joking project by the receptionist at Sub Pop Records. A few years later she put together a “real” band called “Teen Angel” with a similar sound.

  2. Babes in Toyland :: Swamp Pussy :: Spanking Machine (1990)
    Kat Bjeland, this band’s frontwoman was in a band with Courtney Love (along with one of the founders of L7). It’s widely believed that Courtney took a lot of her schtick from Kat.

  3. Hole :: Burn Black :: Teenage Whore EP (1991)
    Eventually Courtney Love married Kurt Cobain, and later turned into a celebrity trainwreck, but back in ‘91 she was making some visceral music.

Riot Grrrl Arrives

  1. Bikini Kill :: Suck My Left One :: There’s a Dyke In the Pit (1992)
    These gals were the “founders” of the Riot Grrrl movement. Cranky feminist punk. Kathleen Hanna eventually married one of the Beastie Boys. There’s a good documentary about her, “The Punk Singer”, available on Netflix Instant. This track (and the next one) come from a 7" single I bought in ‘92.

  2. 7 Year Bitch :: Dead Men Don’t Rape :: There’s a Dyke In the Pit (1992)
    Exploring some anger issues here…

  3. The Gits :: Another Shot of Whisky :: Frenching the Bully (1992)
    Not exactly Riot Grrrl, but Mia Zapata, the frontwoman, was very influential. Sadly she was raped and murdered in 1993.

  4. Team Dresch :: Hate The Christian Right! :: Personal Best (1995)
    A major Riot Grrrl and queercore band. All the members were out lesbians, and most of the songs addressed lesbian and feminist issues.

  5. Sleater Kinney :: A Real Man :: Sleater Kinney (1995)
    Early Sleater Kinney music was very confrontational and political, with a strong feminist bent. Ten years later Corrin Tucker (the singer on this track) had changed her mind about men, marrying one and having a child. Carrie Brownstein is half of Portlandia.

Where it Went From There

  1. Pet UFO :: Razor Burn :: My Name is Esther Cohen (1995)
    They have much of the sound of Riot Grrrl, but not so much of the politics.

  2. Ruby :: Tiny Meat :: Salt Peter (1995)
    Ruby is a semi-solo project of Lesley Rankine, formerly of the punk band Silverfish. Doesn’t sound very Riot, but the themes are definitely Grrrl.

  3. Quails :: Taken :: We Are The Quails (2001)
    By the turn of the century the Riot has turned to introspection.

Indie Rock - 2014

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  1. Discount :: Broken to Blue :: Crash Diagnostic (2000)
    Allison Mossheart’s first band.

  2. Sleigh Bells :: Bitter Rivals :: Bitter Rivals (2013)
    Chunky sounding pop music.

  3. Team Dresch :: Fagetarian And Dyke :: Personal Best (1995)
    Another killer track from the best lesbian punk album ever.

  4. Come :: Dead Molly :: ElevenEleven

  5. mr. Gnome :: Slow Side :: Heave Yer Skeleton

  6. The Dagons :: I Am Not Nice :: Upon The Dull Earth (2011)

  7. Julie Christmas :: Six pairs Of Feet and One Pair Of Legs :: The Bad Wife (2010)
    Julie was the front woman of Made Out of Babies.

  8. Ben Frost :: The Teeth Behind Kisses :: A U R O R A (2014)

  9. mr. Gnome :: Bit of Tongue :: Madness in Miniature (2011)

  10. Sleigh Bells :: A/B Machines :: Treats (2010)

  11. Witch Mountain :: Psycho Animundi :: Mobile of Angels (2014)
    This chick has serious pipes.

  12. Come :: One Piece :: Gently, Down The Stream
    IMNSHO the best album of the mid 90s.

  13. Marnie Stern :: Vibrational Match :: In Advance Of The Broken Arm (2007)
    Marnie looks like Cameron Diaz and shreds like Eddie Van Halen.

  14. Consolidated :: You Suck :: Play More Music (1992)
    Crass humor, but a great dance track.

  15. Atari Teenage Riot :: Atari Teenage Riot :: Atari Teenage Riot 1992 - 2000
    Crazy German punks making horrible noise. One of their songs is “Destroy Two Thousand Years of Culture”.

  16. Matson Jones :: A Little Bit Of Arson Never Hurt Anyone :: Matson Jones (2005)
    A cello trio making rock music. “Think Yeah Yeah Yeahs, not Yo-Yo Ma”.

  17. Kevin Hufnagel :: Perpetual Shadow :: Ashland (2013)
    Solo baritone ukulele. You don’t hear that every day.

Metal - 2013

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