I had the pleasure of seeing Stop The Presses live for the first time last Fall. The show was a warm up of sorts before they headed to Chicago with The Slackers for the post-COVID return of Slackfest. It was also my first concert back post-COVID lockdowns, but that’s a story for another day. Around that same time, Stop the Presses signed with Jump Up Records and got selected to perform at the 2022 SXSW festival in Austin, TX. Because of that, the head of Jump Up, Chuck Wren, worked his magic and got official “bootlegs” for the band to have this March for their set at SXSW.
The band tried out most of the new album live at that show, to see how they were received in front of a crowd. I can happily report, the new tunes sounded great, so I couldn’t wait for the release. With the album coming out next week, I can finally start talking about it officially because soon the entire world will find out what I already know. Got It is a gem of an album.
Speaking of Got It, we GOT the privilege of premiering the first single off the album today
A week before Got It is officially unleashed on the masses, Stop The Presses releases their cover of the seminal feminist punk anthem, “Rebel Girl,” by Bikini Kill. The song becomes available on all streaming services on Friday, but we are thankful to have the music video premiere here one day early.
When asked about the cover, Ali Culotta, lead vocals and keyboards for Stop The Presses had this to say.
“Rebel Girl” is an attitude. A lifestyle. Choosing to come together in solidarity with your sisters, rather than competing with one another and tearing each other down. Being a Rebel Girl is accepting who you are, and confronting those who won’t accept that, unapologetically. Thirty years after Kathleen Hannah and the Riot Grrrl movement, we’re still fighting for female reproductive rights, as well as equal wages. Covering this song was a lot of fun. And we knew that we had to do this punk rock girl anthem justice by making it rudie-ska AF. But the message of Bikini Kill and what they mean as a band to so many women, so many feminists, so many little punk rock girls like me that grew up idolizing strong independent women, that’s what will always resonate most with me.
“Rebel Girl” is a song that defined a movement. It’s a song that empowers women to be strong, fierce, and independent. On a personal note, it’s a song I make sure to listen to with my daughter so she understands the importance of the song’s message as she grows into the bad ass young adult I know she can be. Aside from the sociopolitical and cultural importance of the song, it’s also one of the best punk rock anthems out there. It’s a song that you need to bring your A-game to if you’re going to cover it. The question is, did Stop The Presses rise to the occasion? Personally, I think they knocked it out of the park. Take a listen to the cover below and see if you agree with me.
Learn more about Stop The Presses by checking them out on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You can get more information about their new album by checking out their official website.
