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GIRLS TO THE FRONT! new footage from Bikini Kill at Pink's Garage in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1992. at an International Women's Day gig for Radio Free Hawaii 102.7 FM. Big Electric Cat opened for bikini kill, and the footage is courtesy of their bassist, Erick Cohn. you can watch both of the bands sets here.

footage from this show was most notably used in The Punk Singer for kathleen's "girl to the front" chant, as well as her having written "SLUT" on her waist.

"All girls to the front, I'm not kidding!" GIRLS TO THE FRONT has been criticized by both the newer riot grrrl generation and Kathleen herself, but in the early 90's, while bikini kill were still seen as a pretty controversial and "aggressive" band due to their encouragement of women empowerment, GIRLS TO THE FRONT was an issue of safety for the band and it's younger audience. the band would typically ask girls to move up front to the stage, while the guys in the audience stepped backwards, for, what Kathleen dubbed as, a wall of girls that she felt safe with, as well as moving guys in the back to mosh as they pleased without getting aggressive with what was typically a younger crowd of girls at BK.

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Tobi Vail is finally on Turned Out A Punk! Many bands I want to delve into on this blog are mentioned here. Get a glimpse into the scene in Washington state from the 70s onward:

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Matt Cameron did an interview with award winning filmmaker TJ Martin (son of Tina Bell and Tommy Martin of the band Bam Bam) today! Martin is primarily known for his documentary “Tina” on the life of Tina Turner. Matt says:

“Fantastic interview today with TJ Martin for a project he’s working on about the Seattle music scene in the 80s/90s. Many thanks to TJ and crew 👊🏼🙏🏻 #seattle”

Source

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New podcast interview wit Tobi Vail (Bikini Kill, The Real Distractions and more)

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New Matt Cameron interview on Bam Bam, adding to the Bam Bam post now!

https://bust.com/music/198907-tina-bell-bam-bam-profile-bust-magazine-summer-22.html

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Northwest Hardcore Archival Project has lots of awesome posters and is working on documents ordering hardcore shows of the PNW chronologically. Thought you guys might enjoy!

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[sub-pop-rock-history]

Before there was Nirvana, there was Fecal Matter. Formed in 1985 by an 18-year-old Kurt Cobain, who had just dropped out of high school, drummer Greg Hokanson, and future Melvins drummer Dale Crover on bass. They recorded just one demo on a four-track titled, Illiteracy Will Prevail.

After Fecal Matter parted ways as Melvins began supporting their debut EP, Cobain kept passing around Illiteracy Will Prevail. Krist Novoselic eventually got his hands on one, and after hearing some tracks he really liked, he and Cobain agreed to form a band. Thus, Nirvana was born.

The Year Grunge Broke | FB

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Bam Bam posters via: https://buttocksproductions.com/galleries/851360/bam-bam-posters-fliers

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Bam Bam (1983- c. 1990)

If you have additional sources please message me! I’ll add it. (This post will update! Check back to the original post rather than reblogs to make sure you get all the info.)

Scott Ledgerwood, bass/vocals for Bam Bam has created a website with lots of valuable, first hand information on Bam Bam to educate the masses on this largely erased piece of grunge history:

Other projects of members:

Tina Bell: none

Matt Cameron: Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Skin Yard, Hater, Temple of the Dog, Wellwater Conspiracy, Harrybu McCage and Ten Commandos

Tommy Martin: Called In Sic

Scott Ledgerwood: Called In Sic

Tom Hendrickson: Called In Sic

Nicholas Rhinehart: Mommy, Churn, Old Lady Litterbug, Jerry Cantrell, The Pin-Ups, The National Guard

Mike Peterson: ?

Podcasts:

Kexp: Tina Bell: Unsung Goddess of Grunge

Mimosa Sisterhood: Dorothy Dandridge & Tina Bell: Old Hollywood to the Grunge Scene

A Grrrl’s Two Sound Cents Tina Bell | The Woman Who Invented Grunge

The Culture Rock Griot: Tina Bell Seattle Tribute

Matt Cameron, Seattle Today: Episode 12, June 6, 2021.

Articles:

Who Was Rocker Tina Bell? And Why It Matters - American Songwriter

CBS special on Bam Bam article and video

Filmmaker TJ Martin on His New HBO Tina Turner Documentary, and His Mom, the "Goddess of Grunge"

Scott Ledgerwood and TJ Martin on Crosscut

Before Nirvana and Soundgarden, including interview with Matt Cameron

Bam Bam live:

Ground Zero (1984)

Bam Bam - Heinz 57

Bam Bam - Stress

Sound on Sound 1984

Fun Facts

Kurt Cobain was once a roadie for Bam Bam? Via Scott Ledgerwood.

***edit: Tobi Vail doesn’t think that’s true. She doesn’t remember Bam Bam from that time though.

Tina and Tommy’s son TJ Martin is an award winning filmmaker

Bam Bam is an acronym for “Bell and Martin” and a reference to Tommy’s childhood nickname.