Bratmobile
Bratmobile | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Olympia, Washington, U.S. |
Genres | Riot grrrl, punk rock, indie rock |
Years active |
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Labels |
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Members | |
Past members |
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Website | killrockstars.com/.../bratmobile |
Bratmobile is an American
Beginnings
Allison Wolfe (from Olympia, Washington) and Molly Neuman (from Washington, D.C.) met during fall 1989 while living next door to each other in dorms at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.[1][2] The two had been raised in activist families: Wolfe had been raised by a lesbian activist mother, and Neuman's father worked for the Democratic National Committee and had introduced his daughter to leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).[2] Their shared musical influences included punk, hip hop, and the Olympia band Beat Happening.[2][3] Neuman was influenced by the writings of Eldridge Cleaver.[2] Together, Neuman and Wolfe took classes in women's studies and music, traveled to Olympia on the weekends, and started collaborating on influential feminist fanzine Girl Germs in 1990.[1][2][3][4]
History
1990–1991: Origins
Neuman's and Wolfe's friend
Initially, Wolfe and Neuman thought of Bratmobile as a loose organization that would have different branches in different cities.
This lineup with Billotte and Jen Smith released a cassette tape entitled Bratmobile DC.[3][8] Thereafter, Bratmobile became a trio with Wolfe, Neuman, and Erin Smith.
1991–1994: Pottymouth and breakup
Bikini Kill toured with Nation of Ulysses in May/June 1991, converging in D.C. with Bratmobile that summer.
On May 7, 1994, under the backdrop of intense media scrutiny and inner pressures within the riot grrrl movement, Bratmobile infamously broke up onstage at the Thread Waxing Space in New York City.[14][16][17] With the members of Bratmobile already stressed from a lack of practice and having to perform in front on several high-profile individuals, several women in the audience stole the band's microphone to accuse a male audience member of assault whilst also criticizing Bratmobile's failure to provide a safe space, thereby "[stopping] the show for a span of time at least as long as [the band] eventually played", according to Spin journalist Ann Powers.[16][17] Wolfe said: "All of a sudden not only was I supposed to serve as talent that night, I was also supposed to serve as club manager and security! [...] everybody was screaming at each other. It was like slapstick comedy or some kind of crazy performance art, and we just broke up".[17]
1994–1999: Hiatus
After the break-up, Molly Neuman moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and began working at East Bay punk record label
1999–2003: Reformation and second breakup
In 1999, the band decided to reunite for a low-key show in Oakland's Stork Club and the band was relaunched to go on tour with Sleater-Kinney.[citation needed]
In 2000, Bratmobile released their second full-length studio album,
On May 7, 2002, Bratmobile released their third album, Girls Get Busy. On Girls Get Busy, Audrey Marrs, (Mocket, Gene Defcon) added keyboards that gave the album its distinctive new sound. Marty Violence (Young Pioneers) also contributed bass.[citation needed]
After dedicating most of 2002 and 2003 to promoting Girls Get Busy via touring, each of the principal members went back to do other things. While the band didn't formally break up, Allison Wolfe did post a message on January 30, 2004, in the Bratmobile message board concerning the status of the band:[citation needed]
Yeah, sorry to say i think Bratmobile is through. We never had a certain incident where anyone said "I quit" or whatever, so it's been vague and drawn out. Sorry if that's been confusing to people. I think all 3 of us just have different ways of doing things and different things we want to do now, in and outside of music. Molly has just been so busy with managing the Donnas and the Locust, and as co-owner of
Lookout! Records. Erin is also working full time at Lookout! Records. I've been living across the country in Washington DC, working 2 part-time jobs, and now doing other musical things. I'm now in Hawnay Troof, Baby Truth, and also a new girl band in DC called Partyline.In 2018, Kill Rock Stars produced a podcast series about Bratmobile titled Girl Germs.[8]
2019–present: Reunions
In 2019, Bratmobile's original lineup reunited to perform at Tobi Vail's birthday party. In 2023, Wolfe and Neuman reformed Bratmobile again to perform at the Mosswood Meltdown festival in Oakland, California, where they were joined by Tiger Trap’s Rose Melberg on guitar, Marrs on keyboards, and Marty Key on bass.[20][21] Erin was unable to join the band for this reunion due to "other commitments".[21]
Discography
Studio albums
- Pottymouth (1993) LP/CD/CS (Kill Rock Stars)
- Girls Get Busy (2002) CD/LP (Lookout! Records) - US CMJ #17 [23]
EPs
- The Real Janelle (1994) LPEP/CDEP (Kill Rock Stars) - US CMJ #83 [24]
Live albums
The Peel SessionCDEP (Strange Fruit)Singles
- Kiss & Ride 7-inch (1992) (
Homestead Records)Split 7-inch
- Tiger Trap/ Bratmobile split 7-inch (4-Letter Words)
- Heavens to Betsy/ Bratmobile split 7-inch (K Records)
- Brainiac/ Bratmobile split 7-inch (12X12)
- Veronica Lake/ Bratmobile split 7-inch (Simple Machines)
Compilation albums
- Kill Rock Stars compilation, CD/LP, (Kill Rock Stars)
- A Wonderful Treat compilation cassette
- The Embassy Tapes cassette
- Throw compilation CD (
Yoyo Recordings)- International Pop Underground live LP/CD/CS (K Records)
- Neapolitan Metropolitan boxed 7-inch set (Simple Machines)
- Teen Beat 100 compilation 7-inch (Teen Beat)
- Julep compilation LP/CD (Yo Yo)
- Wakefield Vol. 2 V/A CD boxed set (Teen Beat)
- Plea For Peace Take Action compilation CD (Sub City)
- Boys Lie compilation CD (Lookout! Records)
- Yo Yo A Go Go 1999 compilation CD (Yoyo Recordings)
- Lookout! Freakout Episode 2 compilation CD (Lookout! Records)
- Songs For Cassavetes compilation CD (Better Looking Records)
- Lookout! Freakout Episode 3 CD (Lookout! Records)
- Turn-On Tune-In Lookout! DVD (Lookout! Records)
Notes
- ^ a b "WATCH: Riot Grrrl Retrospectives - The Birth of Bratmobile & Girl Germs". Museum of Pop Culture. April 30, 2020.
- ^
ISBN 9780061806360.- ^ a b c d e f g Huff, Chris (July 10, 2018). "Riot Grrrl and the true spirit of rock n' roll". Disc Makers.
- ^ a b Barton, Laura (March 3, 2009). "Grrrl power". The Guardian.
- ^
ISBN 978-1906155018. OCLC 52817401.- ^ Gentry, Brandon (November 10, 2014). "Christina Billotte Of Slant 6: 'I Wanted To Make A Record Where Every Song Was Good'".
- ^ a b Gunnery, Mark (March 8, 2019). "Rebel Girls: D.C. Women In Punk". WAMU.
ISBN 978-0-8166-3005-9.- ^ Hopper, Jessica (June 13, 2011). "Riot Grrrl get noticed". The Guardian.
- ^ "WATCH: Riot Grrrl Retrospectives - 'Girl Night' at the 1991 International Pop Underground Convention". Museum of Pop Culture. May 28, 2020.
Chickfactor.- ^ "Melvins / Mecca Normal / Girl Trouble / Beat Happening / Bratmobile / Fugazi". Concert Archives. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Kelly, Christina (December 6, 2018). "Before #metoo, there was Riot Grrrl and Bratmobile". Grok Nation.
- ^ Anthony, David (April 14, 2014). "Bratmobile's "The Real Janelle" sparked a dialogue with the pop-punk community". The A.V. Club.
- ^ a b Powers, Ann (August 1994). "Live! Bratmobile". Spin. Vol. 10, no. 5. SPIN Media, LLC. p. 95.
- ^
ISBN 978-1-58005-078-4 – via Internet Archive. ISBN 978-989-8648-88-4. ISBN 978-0-415-95709-0.- ^ Geraghty, Hollie (2023-07-09). "Watch Bratmobile reunite for first gig in 21 years". NME. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ a b Blistein, Jon (2023-07-03). "Bratmobile Set Off a 'Cherry Bomb' With Linda Lindas at First Show in 20 Years". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2000/CMJ-2000-12-25.pdf#search=%22bratmobile%22
- ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2002/CMJ-768-2002.pdf
- ^ https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1994/CMJ-New-Music-Report-1994-05-02.pdf#search=%22bratmobile%22
External links
- Kill Rock Stars, Bratmobile's record label (1991–1994)
- Lookout! Records, Bratmobile's record label (1999–2003)