Who took the bomp?

When I was 15, I was extremely shy, didn’t play any instruments well, and had never sung into a mic before. I was so unbelievably shy that kids at school thought there was something wrong (there wasn’t, I was just shy!). The following year I got heavily intrigued by Riot Grrrl. These were girls who played and sung their hearts out in the way that they wanted, normally extremely well, and whose politics and passions moved me beyond belief. These were bands like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Huggy Bear to name but a few. Deeply inspired, I then began playing music with John and Steven to form Bis, and wrote and recorded my first ever songs. I felt I had no one to answer to and was just making whatever fun I wanted to with friends. John and Steven were stupidly talented for such a young age, but it didn’t stop me experimenting myself and coming up with some daft ideas that we mingled to make into songs. Some songs were very silly, lyrics were silly, but we were having such an adventure with excitement that nothing could stop us. I loved that i didn’t care. Okay, I was still very shy and lacked confidence, but somehow I managed to keep going with dressing, writing, singing and dancing on stage in my own stupid way without caring.

It didn’t take long before we got criticised to fuck and although I may have denied it, it did hurt me bad. It maybe stopped me being so daring. Or, maybe it’s just getting older. Either way, I wish I could go back to not caring what anybody thought and just did what I wanted. If it wasn’t for Riot Grrrl I wouldn’t have ever got that way in the first place, so maybe I needed more girls like that around years later for a top-up in inspiration.

I’ve just seen Le Tigre’s ‘Who Took the Bomp’ on tour DVD, where Johanna, Kathleen and JD have once again made me want to make music again. This wasn’t like the tour memories I had with Bikini Kill etc. Don’t get wrong as I loved every minute of what I’ve done, but this was different. It’s fun, there’s a daft similar sense of humour that I’d never known in these girls, and it’s super-inspiring with energy and talent. The politics are of course just as strong, yet the anger that normally seems necessary wasn’t there, just passion. It makes me want to do particularly DIY type music again and tour the USA! I want to not care what people think of what I’m doing again. I disappoint myself by caring, so this is my aim! 2nd solo album or new band! Watch this DVD and let me know what you think!!