Albums: The Woods, One Beat, Dig Me Out

The anthemic Olympia, Washington, United States-based punk trio Sleater-Kinney (pronounced "Slay-ter Kinn-ee") was a band from 1995-2006 formed from the ashes of Heavens to Betsy and Excuse 17, a pair of groups that rode the first wave of the Washington-rooted DIY riot grrrl movement, with Excuse 17 being a dominant force in the then-burgeoning WA queercore scene. Sleater-Kinney began as a lo-fi punk band on Chainsaw and proceeded to rule the Olympia indie music scene. From 1997 to 2002 they were an integral part of the Kill Rock Stars label.

The band slowly progressed to take on more of an alternative rock sound, increasing the band's place as a favorite among rock music reviewers. Towards its end, the band relocated to Portland, OR, and signed with Sub Pop. Sleater-Kinney announced its disbandment in June of 2006, and proceeded to play several "last shows" that summer (including Lollapalooza '06) before finally calling it quits in August of 2006.

Singer/guitarists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein first met in 1992, when Tucker was one half of the duo Heavens To Betsy and the two began to date each other. Brownstein, a classically trained pianist, was so inspired by Tucker and other riot grrrl musicians like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile (not coincidentally Tucker's own influences) that she formed her own band, Excuse 17, a year later. Sleater-Kinney, which earned its name from a local freeway off-ramp, initially began as Tucker and Brownstein's side project; in late 1994, Australia-born Lora MacFarlane signed on as the group's first permanent drummer, and over the course of the following two weeks, the trio recorded its self-titled 1995 debut for Team Dresch bassist Donna Dresch's Chainsaw label.

Upon its release, the album earned widespread acclaim for its visceral intensity as well as the group's provocative, politically charged lyrics, passionate vocals, and intricate melodies. With 1996's aggressive Call The Doctor album, Sleater-Kinney garnered even greater media exposure and critical applause on the strength of their incisive rants against gender inequity, consumerism, and indie rock's male-dominated hierarchy. Their impassioned Kill Rock Stars label debut, Dig Me Out, recorded with new drummer Janet Weiss from Quasi, followed in 1997, and was again among the most acclaimed releases of its season; the more ethereal rock album The Hot Rock appeared two years later, and in the spring of 2000, Sleater-Kinney resurfaced with the pop-punk gem All Hands on the Bad One.

In August of 2002 the group returned with its most musically accomplished record yet, One Beat. Sleater-Kinney upped the ante again with 2005's inventive, heavy The Woods, which was released by Sub-Pop, was produced by Dave Fridmann, and was inspired by, among other things, the conservative-ruled political climate of the mid-2000s and the freedom of the improvised parts of their gigs supporting Pearl Jam on their 2003 tour. In summer 2006, the group announced they were going on an "indefinite hiatus" after they finished the remaining dates on their tour.

The 2006 summer shows were their last, finishing up with two shows in their adopted city of Portland, Oregon.

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