Le Tigre Annouces Live EP

Everyone's favourite electro pop, feminist band Le Tigre have announced the release of a new Live EP.


Le Tigre Live!, released on 13 March, features recordings from the band's tour in 2004 - 2005. The EP will be released on the band's own Le Tigre Records.

The release will be a relief for fans who have been waiting for news since the band went on hiatus after their last album This Island in 2005.

Currently JD Samson and Johanna Fateman are working on the project MEN, who released their first album last year, and Kathleen Hanna is in the middle of recording an album with her new outfit The Julie Ruin.

Le Tigre Live!

1. Deceptacon
2. Hot Topic
3. What’s Yr Take on Cassavetes?
4. Mediocrity Rules
5. Well Well Well
6. F.Y.R.
7. Keep on Livin’

Happy Anti-Valentine's Day

**FROM THE ARCHIVES**

In my travels across the interweb I stumbled on this amazing footage of a full Bikini Kill concert from their Reject All American tour in 1996.

It features a great performance from the band and a awkward scene at the beginning when Kathleen realises she is being filmed.

Any footage of the band is pretty hard to find so finding a whole filmed gig is a pretty rare so enjoy and there will be more material from the archives coming soon.



Bikini Kill @ Newhaven, CT, 1996 from Sara Roca on Vimeo.

The Punk Singer

It wouldn't be Don't Dance Her Down Boys without regular updates from the K.Hanna camp would it. Remember that Kathleen Hanna documentary that we told you was being made a couple of months ago well now it's moved closer to being seen by our very eyeballs.

The film, directed by Sini Anderson of Sister Spit fame, now seems to have the working title of The Punk Singer which seems apt. It will also give the chance for Hanna's fans to be involved by submitting their own videos of themselves answering the question Who is Kathleen Hanna, and why should people know who she is?

It does not have to involve any fancy video editing or complex concepts just a simple video detailing your thoughts on Kathleen Hanna and how you feel about her.  They are even looking for submissions from those who aren't too fond of the Hanna though I'm not sure that will work out well really.

If you want to get involved then head over to The Kathleen Hanna Project for details on how to submit your video.



The Kathleen Hanna Project: Submit a Video! from KathleenHanna Project on Vimeo.

For more information: thekathleenhannaproject.wordpress.com

Everyday Is Summer For You Man...

Julie Ruin is Back

You probably heard the best music news this year already but if not I shall enlighten you.

Riot Grrrl legend Kathleen Hanna has announced she will releasing new material under the name The Julie Ruin.

Hanna made the announcement whilst performing at her own tribute show, a fundraiser for the upcoming documentary about Hanna's life.

Hanna said: "Thanks you so much for coming. This is a really special night for me. We're The Julie Ruin and we're writing a new album but we're going to do some oldies."

The Julie Ruin also features Kathi Wilcox bassist in Bikini Kill and The Frumpies.

The Julie Ruin seem to be the full ensemble version of Hanna's 1999 solo outfit Julie Ruin of which featured cult hits such as 'Stay Monkey' and 'Aerocide'.

Hello, Hello, Hello Kathleen

Kathleen Hanna The Tribute Show

Well it's been a good year for Kathleen Hanna lovers. This summer saw the opening of the Bikini Kill archive blog detailing the lives of the 90s band like a diary from Hanna herself, the Le Tigre: On Tour documentary showed in London this Autumn, news that there will also be a Kathleen Hanna documentary and now...gasp...a Kathleen Hanna tribute show.

If there is anyone from punk history that is due their moment of glory then Hanna is certainly right up there, with Poly Styrene and The Raincoats right behind her those ladies were mind-blowing.

The show, Rah Rah Replica, features some of Hanna's contemporaries, friends and probably those who idolised her as a awkward teenage picking up the mic to perform covers of Hanna's most popular songs. You know that's going to turn into one huge sing-along after 5 minutes.

Unfortunately it's at the Knitting Factory in New York for those England-based Hanna lovers like me. But New Yorkers can also let out a little cry because it's already sold out, ha!

All proceeds from the show will go towards Sini Anderson's documentary on Hanna which is in production now.

Reports say that Anderson will be filming the entire show so fingers crossed we'll be able to be there, if only by watching on a dvd or youtube, soon.

For now I wanna know what song of Hanna's vast back catalogue you would cover. I get first dibs on Deceptacon.

It's Been A While...

...What can I say no posts for a month but I can explain. You see I moved house and haven't been able to get the internet here till last week. Now I'm working 7 days a week so I won't be able to post as regularly as I would like but I've got quite a few ideas that I want to get out so I'll try and get those up soon.

For now I'll make your day by giving you the film that was almost forgotten in time. It's the infamous Lucy Thane documentary Bikini Kill Changed My Life. It's somehow found it's way onto the internet after all these years.

Enjoy x.x.x.

The Kathleen Hanna Project

Yes it's the documentary that we've all been waiting for, a documentary on riot grrrl icon and feminist Kathleen Hanna is finally being made by Sini Anderson, co-founder of the spoken word performance group Sister Spit.

We've waited a long time for this but we may have to hold out a bit longer as Sini sent out a letter via Facebook asking for donations to pay for the expensive equipment needed to make the documentary.

If I had a million pounds I would give it all to them, well I would pay off my student debts and buy myself a flat first, because I think this film is so vitally needed.

Spread the word as it would be a shame if this never saw the light of day.

For more information: Facebook.com/TheKathleenHannaProject

And The Winner Of The Julie Ruin T-shirt Contest Is...

....Joshua Elowsky aka Joshua Shame.

It's a very simple design and I think it works really well.

Click here for more information.

Christina + Le Tigre = Woohoo

Wanna hear what it sounds like when you mix 3 parts Le Tigre with 1 part Christina Aguilera, add a dash of new hip hop sensation Nicki Minja and shake.

Well it sounds like this, pretty good if you ask me.

ps. I think woohoo is slang for their vaginas but don't say anything it's a secret shhhh.

Julie Ruin Design Competition

Kathleen Hanna has decided that since all of her other bands had a tshirt design to remember them by it's only fair that her solo outfit, Julie Ruin, is remembered in such a way.

Every band I’ve been in has a t shirt, except poor Julie Ruin. So I thought it would be fun to have a T- Shirt Design Contest (thanks to lesley arfin for the idea). So here’s the deal, design a tee shirt and send it to me tshirtcontest@kathleenhanna.com and if you win you will get a hundred bux and a super special cd mix made by me.

Le Tigre Confirm X-Tina Rumours

To be honest we already knew it was happening but recently through their official website Le Tigre confirmed the rumours that they were working with diiirty pop princess Christina Aguilera.

Johanna Fateman stated:

I just saw the Marie Claire with CHRISTINA AGUILERA on the cover and I realized we are waaaay overdue for an update. Yes, the rumors are true. . . Le Tigre wrote and produced a couple of songs with Christina! Not wanting to break the spell of this magic opportunity as we wait in suspense to hear if our tracks make it on the album, we’ve been quiet on the topic. But now that the buzz is getting crazy I just can’t contain myself. Needless to say, for a feminist band obsessed with pop music, it was pretty much a dream come true.

Apparently everyone's favourite feminist electro band are fans of Aguilera and are not immune to putting their heroes on pedestals like the rest of us.

Meeting Christina and working with her at her home studio was simultaneously super comfortable and normal-seeming while also kind of a mind-blowing window into another world....... Curling up in sweatpants, puzzling over lyrics and checking her blackberry while the beat loops forever. . . Hey Christina is just like us after all! She is totally cool and hilarious and down-to-earth.

I really wanna know what this X-Tina track sounds like now. It's been rumoured that the result is a sparse, Fever Ray sound, see below:


In other Le Tigre related news, Jo mentioned  that they will be releasing a live DVD in the future which I can't wait for.

letigreworld.com 

Kathleen Hanna Talks to GRITtv

Kathleen Hanna gave an interview to GRITtv this week where she talks about Bikini Kill, the early 90s and donating her zine collection to New York University.

Bikini Kill Needs You

Being the dedicated Riot Grrls that I know you all are you've probably seen that Bikini Kill have put a call out to all of those who have a memory, thought or personal anecdote about Bikini Kill to send her your thoughts.

Please add your Bikini Kill story to this blog! It can be totally off the top of your head and doesn’t need to be fancy. Maybe it’s your reaction to a song we wrote, something weird that happened at one of our shows, a personal anecdote or just WHATEVER. Feel free to send images too!

Send yr story to bkillarchive@gmail.com and we will post it or just leave a comment somewhere on the site. Thanks!

She's also looking for videos and photos of old Bikini Kill shows so hopefully this online project will turn into a documentary of some sort, so it looks like we have something to look forward to.

For more info: bikinikillarchive.wordpress.com

*MIXTAPE ALERT* The Best of Riot Grrrl- part 2

The second part of my Riot Grrrl mixtape, enjoy x.x.x.

The Best of Riot Grrrl Part 2 tracklisting:

Her Jazz- Huggy Bear

We Don't Wanna Go Home- Frumpies

Girl Germs- Bratmobile

(Yr So Sweet) Baby Donut- Cold Cold Hearts

Stepping Up To The Mic- Kathleen Hanna

More Than a Feeling- Sleater-Kinney

Resist Psychic Death- Bikini Kill

Terrorist- Heavens To Betsy

Tony Randell- Bikini Kill

Call The Doctor- Sleater-Kinney

Violet- Hole

The Punk Singer- Julie Ruin

There's No Other Way (Blur cover)- Bratmobile

Get On The Internet!!!

News in the Blogosphere is that our favourite riot grrrl, Kathleen Hanna, has her own blog here kathleenhanna.wordpress.com.

Apparently from her latest post Kathleen and Le Tigre band mate, Johanna, went on Neurotic's radio show to talk about zines. let's hope this means there will be at least an EP soon to satisfy the fans. We're dying out here.

Thanks to Grrrlsounds for the heads up.

It's the Spice Girls All Over Again...

Dear reader, you must be wondering why on earth I would make a reference to The Spice Girls on what is supposed to a reputable music blog. Well I have good reason. I am referring to the female singer/songwriter snowstorm that we have had of late. You can't turn a corner without being hit in the face by the Little Boots' 'New In Town', an awful song and stupid video featuring dancing homeless people considering we're in the middle of a recession, La Roux's 'In For The Kill', actually a good song if you don't mind that she's singing about 10 notes out of her range, and any of Florence and the Machine's over the top warbling, you're not Mariah Carey Florence.

Now technically this is what female artists have wanted for decades. For their work to be commercially and critically accepted along with everything else out there.

This has certainly been the case for all three of our girls. La Roux's third single 'Bulletproof' entered the charts at number one and was nominated for the prestigious Mercury prize. Everyone from the NME to Esquire magazine have heaped praise on the Blackpool born Little Boots who scored a top 20 hit with 'New in Town'.
Florence comes last in my list but by no means least. Flo has been used as shorthand for every eccentric hippy girl out there by the music press. Along with La Roux, Flo was nominated for Mercury Prize and has been highly rated by every critic out there.

This all sounds like a good thing, an amazing thing, a breakthrough for women in music but my pessimistic side is telling me to beware the heavenly glow of this recent movement and look to what is festering at the heart of it.

It all reminds me of how well the spice girls were marketed in the 90s as a girl friendly band, like they were the fourth wave of the feminist movement reborn in platform heels and glittery dresses. Of course they were nothing of the sort. It was all a carefully marketed plan to sell female culture back to girls, with interest.

A recent conversation with a friend had us reminiscing on just how well marketed the Spice Girls actually were. Every tweenage girl had some sort of Spice Girls memorabilia and if they didn't there was always a helpful little guide included in their albums to help you choose what to buy. The Spice Girls leggings or the Spice Girls sandwich maker it's such a hard choice.
Kathleen Hanna talks about the exploitation of female culture for big business in the video for her song Aerobicide.

I wish Flo, La Roux and Little Boots well but it's hard for me to imagine they will do anything spectacular with their time in the spotlight, such is the problem of being signed to a major label. You have to make money for the man which all involves selling your souls to consumerism.

Remembering the Original Rebel Grrrls

Head over to penjamin's channel on Youtube to watch more unseen videos of Bikini Kill. I haven't watched all of them yet but this vid is my favourite so far. I love Kathleen's spontaneous speeches.