In her upcoming autobiography the original rebel girl promises details on everything from the grassroots Riot Grrrl movement to falling in love with Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys.
Kathleen Hanna, singer of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, has announced the release of her memoir Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk in spring of 2024. She chronicles her life from her challenging upbringing to her college days in Olympia, Washington, and beyond to her beginning as a touring musician. In the book, she recounts the difficulties she faced in securing gigs and the struggles she encountered as an increasingly prominent figure in the punk movement, coming up against male violence and opposition to her feminist ideals.
As Hanna makes clear, being in a “girl band,” especially a punk girl band, in those years was not a simple or safe prospect. Male violence and antagonism threatened at every turn, and surviving as a singer who was a lightening rod for controversy took limitless amounts of determination.
The memoir also mentions the lasting relationships that were created due to her involvement in the music scene. It speaks of her strong connections with Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox, and Johanna Fateman; her friendships with Kurt Cobain and Ian MacKaye; and her introduction to Joan Jett as evidence of how the punk world is capable of fostering an atmosphere of kindness and support.
Hanna also opens up about falling in love with Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys and her debilitating battle with Lyme disease, and she brings us behind the scenes of her musical growth in her bands, Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin. She also writes candidly about the Riot Grrrl movement, documenting with love its grassroots origins but critiquing its later exclusivity.
Purchase Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk HERE
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Live review – Deaf Devils / Desperate Measures / Morgellons / The Phobics at SSA#130, London, 23rd Jan 2026
We always love a Shake Some Acton gig, and their first of 2026 is set to be a special one. The best way to celebrate
Album review: The Glorias return with full ‘Brute Force and Impudence’!
You can’t keep a good old Pompey (aka Portsmouth, UK) band down.. garage punk rockers The Glorias have just released their fourth album ‘Brute Force
Teenage Bottlerocket and DeeCRACKS energise Arena, Vienna on 20th Jan 2026!
The sold-out former slaughterhouse, Arena in Vienna, is buzzing with anticipation long before the bands are ready to take to the stage – which confirms
Album review: The Molotovs debut – ‘Wasted On Youth’ – is anything but!
The Molotovs’ eagerly anticipated debut album ‘Wasted On Youth’ is a bold mix of new wave punk, indie, and garage rock, showcasing the band’s raw
Resolution Festival: Steve Ignorant Band / Sleaford Mods 11th Jan at London’s 100 Club
It’s the annual Resolution Festival at the iconic 100 Club on London’s Oxford Street. A special Sunday matinee show billed as ‘A Day for Raye’
Resolution Festival: Menace / The Outcasts 4th & Conflict / Rubella Ballet / Bones of the City 7th Jan at London’s 100 Club
Your Punktuation Editor resolved to see several top bands at the annual Resolution Festival at the 100 Club in London. Joint headliners Menace and The
Punktuation Magazine For All Your Daily Punk News, Features, Interviews, Lifestyle and more!
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
