Erin Smith’s video from July, 2019 “MECCA NORMAL doing I WALK ALONE at Tobi Vail’s birthday party!! SO beautiful and perfect and intense to be able to see you do this at this time in this town with all of the people in the audience you have influenced so deeply. You were the first band I ever saw play Olympia in 1989, at Reko Muse Gallery with Tobi Vail and @mskathleenhanna in the audience along with me. THANK YOU MECCA NORMAL!! THANK YOU Jean Smith!!! This weekend has been nothing short of INCREDIBLE!!”
Jean Smith
P A I N T I N G S
Category Archives: How Art & Music Can Change the World
New York Times features on Riot Grrrl
Mecca Normal entry in the New York Times Riot Grrrl Listening Guide
New York Times Popcast: The Return of Bikini Kill and the Long Tail of Riot Grrrl
3 minute Mecca Normal segment of the New York Times Popcast about Riot Grrrl features “I Walk Alone”
We recorded “I Walk Alone” as it was written, and released it in 1986 on our first LP on Smarten UP! — the label we created using the same name as my fanzine (subtitled: a How to Change the World Publication). The album was re-released by K Records in the mid-90s.
The first LP (Smarten UP! Records, 1986) includes “I Walk Alone” re-released by K Records
“I Walk Alone Live” in 2015
Smarten UP!, my mid-80s zine was “a How to Change the World Publication”
Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill) Network, Toronto, 1992
It was interesting to hear one of the participants in the podcast lamenting the lack of live recordings of some of these bands, which is why David and I are thrilled about the new “LIVE in Montreal, 1996” album (Artoffact Records, 2019) which includes “I Walk Alone” as part of a 3-song feminist medley.
“I Walk Alone” has been in our set for most of the 35 years we’ve been playing. I almost always leave the ‘stage’ to go into the audience to sing it, something that has not been recorded and released until now.
Listen on Bandcamp Man Thinks Woman / Strong White Male / I Walk Alone “Live in Montreal, 1996”
Video: Introduction
We have the evidence! Political art can change the world!
Jean Smith 