Sleater-Kinney formed in Olympia, Washington in 1994 around Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, foundational voices of riot grrrl and two of indie rock's fiercest guitarists. Dig Me Out (1997) is the classic; The Woods is the one that levels rooms. Shop Sleater-Kinney vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Sleater-Kinney formed in Olympia, Washington in 1994 around Corin Tucker (born November 9, 1972, Eugene, Oregon) and Carrie Brownstein (born September 27, 1974, Seattle, Washington). The band's name was taken from Sleater Kinney Road, a street near Brownstein and Tucker's residence in Lacey, Washington. Janet Weiss joined as drummer in 1996 and was the band's drummer for over two decades until her departure in 2019. Tucker had previously been in the riot grrrl band Heavens to Betsy; Brownstein in Excuse 17. They are widely cited as one of the foundational acts of the riot grrrl movement (the early-to-mid 1990s feminist punk rock movement centered on Olympia, Washington and Washington, D.C.). Their 1997 album Dig Me Out is widely cited as one of the most important indie rock albums of the late 1990s. The band went on hiatus in 2006 with members pursuing parallel projects - Carrie Brownstein co-created and starred in the IFC comedy Portlandia (2011-2018), Janet Weiss played in Quasi and many other bands. The band reformed in 2014 and released No Cities to Love (2015). Janet Weiss departed the band in 2019 following the recording of The Center Won't Hold. Tucker and Brownstein have continued as a duo with rotating drummers and additional touring members. Their foundational influence on the riot grrrl movement and contemporary indie rock is widely cited.
Sleater-Kinney's sound is foundational to riot grrrl and contemporary indie rock - combining indie rock, punk rock, post-punk, riot grrrl, alternative rock, and art rock with Tucker's distinctive vocal delivery (use of high-pitched, theatrical phrasing), the foundational Tucker/Brownstein dual guitar approach (use of interlocking dual guitar arrangements without bass), Janet Weiss's virtuosic drum work, and lyrical content addressing feminism, politics, relationships, and broader contemporary themes drawing on feminist political traditions.
Original Chainsaw Records, Kill Rock Stars, Sub Pop, and Mom + Pop Music pressings of the Sleater-Kinney catalog are foundational items in riot grrrl and indie rock collecting.
Listeners new to Sleater-Kinney typically start with Dig Me Out (1997) or The Woods (2005).
