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Formed in 1994 from the ashes of Heavens to Betsy and Excuse 17, a pair of groups that rode the first wave of the riot grrrl movement, Sleater- Kinney became one of the most important feminist punk rock bands of the '90s. Singer/guitarists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein first met in 1992, when Tucker was one half of the duo Heavens to Betsy. Brownstein, a classically trained pianist, was so inspired by Tucker and other 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. Things changed in late 1994, though, when Australia-born Lora MacFarlane signed on as the group's first permanent drummer. Over the course of the following two weeks, the trio recorded its self-titled 1995 debut for Chainsaw, a label run by Team Dresch bassist Donna Dresch. Upon its release, the ...