It’s hard to state the impact Kill Rock Stars has over its thirty year history. While long-associated with the Riot Grrl movement, the label is much more than that, with a diverse roster covering punk to singer-songwriter to impossible-to-classify experimentation. Besides introducing influential artists like Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney and Elliott Smith to the world, the label continues to release new up-and-comers that defy classification and share important social messages.
All year long, Kill Rock Stars has celebrated its thirtieth anniversary with a subscription-based covers series, but we wanted to get even more perspective so we asked the label to share some memories and rearview-mirror takes on 10 classics dating back to 1991.
Following Scene Point Blank’s “History 101” tradition, Scene Point Blank choose five records from the label’s catalog and left it to the label to choose another five.
Slim Moon/Kathleen Hanna - Wordcore, Vol. 1
KRS101, released 1991**
Slim Moon, label boss, Kill Rock Stars
This was the first record Kill Rock Stars put out. Kathleen was the best spoken word artist I had ever met except also Jesse Bernstein. I still think that the idea of spoken word 7”s is awesome -- the several I own by other labels I have listened to a lot of times over the years.
https://www.discogs.com/Slim-Moon-Kathl ... ase/404572
Bratmobile - Pottymouth
KRS208, released June 8, 1993*
Slim Moon, label boss, Kill Rock Stars
This record is the perfect triangulation of all the things KRS was about in the ‘90s - friendship, Olympia/DC, DIY punk rock, no bass player, 3rd wave feminism, very personal lyrics, hard hitting drummer, bad words, etc.
https://www.discogs.com/Bratmobile-Pott ... se/1718776
Various Artists - Rock Stars Kill compilation
Released August 1, 1994*
Rob Jones, VP, Kill Rock Stars
By the time Rock Stars Kill came out in 1994 I was already well aware of the amazing things coming out of Olympia, WA. I loved Bikini Kill and Heavens To Betsy. My favorite Eugene band, Adickdid, had been on the Stars Kill Rock compilation. The Pacific Northwest seemed to have an endless supply of amazing music coming out of every corner and compilations (and Snipehunt) were the way to find out about it. You listened to every band on these comps, not just the bands you knew about already. When Rock Stars Kill landed it was expected to be amazing and it did not disappoint. It had one of the 4 (at the time) best Team Dresch songs on it (“Seven”). It had a new track by my favorite new Portland band, The Spinanes (“Stupid Crazy”), it had the oddto me at the time Mukilteo Fairies, the new post Op Ivy band Rancid, a weird/cool track by Helium (who I would go on to love dearly). Pee Chees, Free Kitten and a hilarious Kathleen Hanna ode to Evan Dando rounding things off. I listened to this comp over and over and dreamed of those sublime streets of art and inspiration in a small Washington town just up the road from me. Twenty-seven years later I get to help make these records -- sometimes life is a weird circuitous path of awesome.
https://killrockstars.bandcamp.com/albu ... stars-kill
Elliott Smith - Either/Or
KRS269, released Feb 25, 1997**
Sydney Christensen, Kill Rock Stars
The tone “Speed Trials” provides as the opening track is like drinking magic potion. I can’t explain it but even just the first guitar chords become an elixir of some sort. This was the last record KRS released during his lifetime.
https://www.discogs.com/Elliott-Smith-E ... aster/6126
Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out
KRS279, released April 8, 1997**
From a fan
This record to me feels like a snowglobe on a shelf - a piece of time that can be looked back at and almost isolated. Spin magazine outed Corin and Carrie right before this record dropped. I think. Maybe my timeline is wrong. Janet joined the band for this record and became such a critical piece. So this record feels like a memoir for this piece of time and all three of them. And fans are so lucky to have this snowglobe on the shelf.
https://www.discogs.com/Sleater-Kinney- ... ster/64435
The Decemberists - Her Majesty
KRS375, released Sept 9, 2003**
Sydney Christensen, Kill Rock Stars
This record encapsulates Kill Rock Stars’ behind-the-scenes relations and history pretty well. Our sister label is Jealous Butcher Records. Our current VP, Rob Jones, started JBR in 1991 which is the same year Slim Moon started KRS. When this record dropped, KRS released it on CD and JBR released the vinyl. When we reprint or reissue this record, it’s always under both JBR and KRS. It shows the label family. JBR releases other projects of Chris Funk’s as well. Big ol’ family tree.
https://www.discogs.com/The-Decemberist ... ter/114613
The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control
KRS422, released Jan 24, 2006**
Sydney Christensen, Kill Rock Stars
The track of the same name gained popularity from the third season of The L Word and Soulwax’s remix becoming a theme song for the television drama Skins. Beth Ditto wrote the song partially in response to the US government's stance on same-sex marriage during George W. Bush's presidency. This became one of Kill Rock Stars best-selling albums of all time. And it’s because the entire thing is so awesome. It has fire as the first ingredient and not just because the lead track is called “Fire With Fire”.
https://gossip.bandcamp.com/album/stand ... -control-2
Kleenex/LiLiPUT - First Songs
KRS629, reissued Dec 9, 2016*
Sydney Christensen, Kill Rock Stars
This record consists of songs they recorded from ‘78 - ‘82. It is the post-punk of post-punk’s dreams. Klaudia Schifferle was the one constant member of the band through multiple alterations and we get the absolute great honor of working with her still with her new project ONETWOTHREE. Kleenex once toured with the Raincoats, which is a fun bit of trivia because we have also reissued a record of theirs. But anyway. Kleenex supposedly only performed four songs for the first while of being a band. This was all in Zurich. And then releasing a 7” spread their music further. It is amazing we got to work on this record, but we owe it all to the band’s DIY roots.
https://www.discogs.com/Kleenex-Liliput ... se/9505023
Marnie Stern - Chronicles of Marnia
KRS566, released Mar 19, 2021*
Rachel Silver, publicist for Silver PR
I've been working with the legendary KRS since 2003, doing UK press for their amazing roster and am flattered to be included in this list! I'm going to choose Marnie's Stern's wonderful album, Chronicles of Marnia, which came out in 2013. Marnie's brilliant guitar shredding and unique voice is what stands out for me (and everyone else), and watching her play live when she came to London, was such a thrill. I always knew she was an incredible guitar player but seeing her live, my jaw dropped and all I could think about was, who were those lucky sods who had used to take guitar lessons from her.
https://www.discogs.com/Marnie-Stern-Th ... ter/534810
TEKE::TEKE - Shirushi
KRS688, released May 7, 2021*
Adam Sharp, digital marketer with Painfully Optimistic
TEKE::TEKE's Shirushi is an album that you simultaneously would and absolutely would not expect to appear on Kill Rock Stars' discography. The label's catalog is 700-some deep, but never before has "the riot grrrl label" released a Japanese/Canadian psych-punk album where the most accurate comparison is the Kill Bill soundtrack. But then, it's for exactly that reason that Shirushi is completely at home here. Like KRS’ roster of “weirdos” and boundary-pushers who've shaped the culture for the last 30 years, TEKE::TEKE provide a manic blend of pure artistic expression and mad talent that finely straddles the line between genius and crazy.
Standout tracks: Kala Kala, Barbara, Yoru Ni
https://ffm.to/shirushi
* Chosen for discussion by Kill Rock Stars
** Chosen for discussion by Scene Point Blank
