Formed in Olympia, WA in 1994.
Went on "indefinite hiatus" in 2006.
These Portland, Oregon-native female punk rockers were in the middle of the Riot Grrrl scene in the 90s, and they were one of the few to survive the inevitable backlash (along with Allison Wolfe and Kathleen Hanna).
Sleater-Kinney (the name) is taken from a local freeway off-ramp. Originally, the band was Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein's side-project. The Australian-born Lora MacFarlane became the band's first permanent drummer in late 1994. In 1997, Janet Weiss became their new drummer.
After a few albums recorded with John Goodmanson in Portland, OR (which had become their home town), they went into an unfamiliar studio with Dave Fridmann in late 2004, to record their first album for Sub Pop. What they came out with divided a lot of opinions, and was the most challenging album for them to record - countless re-takes and tearful sessions were reported at the time.
In the summer of 2006, they announced an "indefinite hiatus", and they played their final U.S. gigs in August.
The statement on their official website offers a glimmer of hope: "As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings."
They were in other bands before, during, and after Sleater-Kinney's 11 year run: Corin has been in both Heavens To Betsy (2) and Cadallaca, Carrie was in Excuse 17 and The Spells, Laura is in Ninetynine, and Janet is in Quasi (2).
Most Recent Line-up:
Carrie Brownstein - Guitar, Vocals
Corin Tucker - Guitar, Vocals
Janet Weiss - Drums, Vocals
The group's name is derived from Sleater Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They formed in and were a vital part of the riot grrrl and punk scenes in Washington, although they later relocated to Portland, Oregon. Throughout its existence the band was often noted by critics for its "anthemic" feminist message, its willingness to reinvent the musical palette of punk rock, and its consistency in producing highly acclaimed albums.
From Wikipedia:Sleater-Kinney was an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon in the United States, originally formed in Olympia, Washington in 1994, and disbanded in 2006. The group's name is derived from Sleater Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They formed in and were a vital part of the riot grrrl and punk scenes in the Pacific Northwest. The band was known for its feminist politics.