Kathleen Hanna has spoken to NME about her brand new memoir Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk – tackling her life and experiences with the riot grrrl movement, Fugazi and Courtney Love.
Having risen to fame fronting the legendary punk band Bikini Kill – who pioneered the riot grrrl movement with their fiery lyrics and electrifying live performances – Hanna worked to make the punk scene a safe and inclusive space for women. Upon the band’s breakup, Hanna went on to front seminal bands Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin.
Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk – released this week – provides an in-depth look into the story of Hanna’s tumultuous childhood and the realities of being a feminist on the frontlines of the male-dominated punk scene; facing violence and antagonism that threatened at every turn.
Another moment that Hanna touches on is the incident between her and Hole frontwoman Courtney Love at Lollapalooza 1995. In the book, the singer writes how after Hole performed at the festival, Love went up to her, nearly burned her with a cigarette and ended up punching her in the face.
Since then, Hanna has constantly been asked about “the Courtney thing” with her telling NME: ” I’ve had interviewers be like, ‘So have you worked it out with Courtney?’ And I was like, ‘Have you worked it out with your stalker?’ I don’t know her? I don’t know why she did it. Would I accept an apology? I don’t know. I don’t want her to know where I am so that she can apologize because she’s terrifying. I don’t need that person in my life. I don’t want to work things out.”
Kathleen Hanna and the band will play shows across North America in August and September.
Bikini Kill are going back on the road this summer for a North American tour.
06-05 Antwerp, Belgium - De Roma ^
06-06 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg ^
06-08 Berlin, Germany - Astra Kulturhaus #
06-09 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega #
06-10 Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik #
06-12 London, England - Roundhouse $
06-13 Leeds, England - O2 Academy Leeds %
06-14 Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy Glasgow %
06-16 Birmingham, England - The Crossing Digbeth %
08-15 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
08-16 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
08-18 San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
08-19 San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
08-21 Forest Grove, OR - Grand Lodge
08-27 Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom
08-29 Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater
08-30 Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed
08-31 Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
09-03 Toronto, Ontario - History
09-04 Montreal, Quebec - L’Olympia
09-06 Portland, ME - State Theatre
09-07 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Paramount
09-08 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Paramount
09-10 Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall
09-11 Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
