Sleater-Kinney

Formation, early years (1994–1999)[edit]

Sleater-Kinney was formed in early 1994 in Olympia, Washington, by Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein. The group's name derives from Sleater Kinney Road, in Lacey, Washington, where signs for Interstate 5 exit number 108 announce its existence.^[9][10][3] The road itself is named for two families that lived in the nearby South Bay neighborhood of Olympia in the 19th century, the Sleaters and Henry and Martha Kinney.^[11][12][13] One of the band's early practice spaces was near Sleater Kinney Road. Tucker was formerly in the influential riot grrrl band Heavens to Betsy, while Brownstein was formerly in the band Excuse 17. They often played at gigs together and formed Sleater-Kinney as a side project from their respective bands. When Heavens to Betsy and Excuse 17 disbanded, Sleater-Kinney became their primary focus. Janet Weiss of Quasi was the band's longest-lasting drummer, though Sleater-Kinney has had other drummers, including Lora MacFarlane, Misty Farrell, and Toni Gogin.^[3]


Upon Tucker's graduation from The Evergreen State College (where Brownstein remained a student for three more years), she and her then-girlfriend Brownstein took a trip to Australia in early 1994. On their last day there, they stayed up all night recording what would become their self-titled debut album.^[14] It was released the following spring. They followed this with Call the Doctor (1996) and Dig Me Out (1997), and became critical darlings as a result.^[3] Produced by John Goodmanson and recorded at John and Stu's Place in Seattle, the record was influenced by both classic rock ‘n’ roll and the band's usual punk predecessors.^[3] From Dig Me Out onwards, the band's drummer was Janet Weiss.