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Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk (May 14, 2024)
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As you know, we’re big fans of Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, Julie Ruin, riot grrrls… so it it was a delight to read
Kathleen Hanna’s memoir Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk. The book came out in mid-May and became an instant New York Times Bestseller. You can find the book at your favorite book store... even Target has the book, next to Taylor Swift’s book, of course.
The book is written by Hanna, in her own voice, so it was a very easy read. She has a surprisingly good memory, writing about herself when she was the lead role of Annie in a local school play. She was generous with photos of her life, which are sprinkled throughout the book.
The first part of the book reveals a lot of personal family details. Everything from her sister “Goodtimes”, to her father leaving (and blaming Hanna breaking up the family), to when her mother started having an affair with the veterinarian, to when she was a nudie dancer (she even has photos of her stripper costume). Things like that, I would be too embarrassed by them… but not Kathleen Hanna. You can tell that all these things made her who she is.
For most fans, they might be more interested in the second half of the book, which covers her when she formed her first band. It’s their first tour and they played some dead shows, but the one in Minneapolis, she had noted how Babes in Toyland hooked them with a decent gig. They were opening for an AC/DC cover band, and that group’s singer said to Hanna, “You’re not even a real band. You’re just a novelty band. The only reason you got this show is because you’re girls.” I had to laugh. Like he would know, being in a real band.
When the Riot Grrrls movement exploded, thanks to Hanna’s band Bikini Kill band, songs like “Rebel Girl” became an anthem. That movement and music style inspired a generation of girl bands then and now.
The book is written by Hanna, in her own voice, so it was a very easy read. She has a surprisingly good memory, writing about herself when she was the lead role of Annie in a local school play. She was generous with photos of her life, which are sprinkled throughout the book.
The first part of the book reveals a lot of personal family details. Everything from her sister “Goodtimes”, to her father leaving (and blaming Hanna breaking up the family), to when her mother started having an affair with the veterinarian, to when she was a nudie dancer (she even has photos of her stripper costume). Things like that, I would be too embarrassed by them… but not Kathleen Hanna. You can tell that all these things made her who she is.
For most fans, they might be more interested in the second half of the book, which covers her when she formed her first band. It’s their first tour and they played some dead shows, but the one in Minneapolis, she had noted how Babes in Toyland hooked them with a decent gig. They were opening for an AC/DC cover band, and that group’s singer said to Hanna, “You’re not even a real band. You’re just a novelty band. The only reason you got this show is because you’re girls.” I had to laugh. Like he would know, being in a real band.
When the Riot Grrrls movement exploded, thanks to Hanna’s band Bikini Kill band, songs like “Rebel Girl” became an anthem. That movement and music style inspired a generation of girl bands then and now.
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