Le Tigre

Originally formed to serve as the live support unit for Kathleen Hanna's Julie Ruin solo endeavor, the Bikini Kill founder and quintessential riot grrrl assembled Le Tigre in 1998 as another bold, feminist-oriented trio alongside filmmaker Sadie Benning and zine creator Johanna Fateman. Taking cues from Hanna's earlier Julie Ruin recordings, the band fused punk's directness and politics with playful samples, eclectic pop, and lo-fi electronics while incorporating multimedia and performance art components into concerts that frequently included like-minded opening acts such as the Need. Le Tigre appeared on Mr. Lady in late 1999, with the From the Desk of Mr. Lady EP arriving in 2001. Before tracking the group's second album, Feminist Sweepstakes, Benning departed to focus on filmmaking and was succeeded by J.D. Samson; that release, marked by a more sophisticated sound and more overtly political lyrics, surfaced later the same year. A set of remixes appeared in summer 2002. For 2004's This Island the band executed an unexpected move to the majors via distribution through Universal.