This past year has been a riotous one for the Russian Federation; there has been the two, recent bombings in Volgograd, Putin’s propagation of the Duma’s violent crackdown on NGO’s (Non-governmental organizations) protesting domestic policy, the historical LGBT human rights violation of quashing homosexual propaganda (or activism?), the boycotting of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and Putin saying it’s alright if politicians steal tax money as long as they don’t steal too much. As a result, Russia is becoming very polarized socially. One story which has recently broken out continues the saga of Russia’s violent femme fatale thorn in the side of every Conservative. That story is the release of two members of Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (Also known as Nadia) and Maria Alyokhina (Masha), social crusaders of the left aimed at fabricating the demise of Russia’s ‘Tsar-like dictatorship’ they call Putin. They have intertwined performance art with political punk and have presented a band that is not for the faint of heart, your babushka, Putin, or the Russian Orthodox Church. Trust me, these girls are a far cry from Russia-pop sensation t.A.T.u.
Pussy Riot, garbed with their mixed pastel dresses and balaclavas, are an aggressively-colorful band with three publically-known full time members, to include Yekaterina Samutsevich (Katia), along with approximately seven other anonymous members. One band member stated in an interview that the band calls their guerilla performances (spontaneous, unscripted concerts where anyone present is a concert goer!) performance art. When they perform a concert, they seek to hijack your consciousness and turn you towards their words and expressions by combatting the social plagues of Russia: which they claim are predominantly the Russian Orthodox Church and Putin. Their loud, aggressive, feminist-inspired punk rock coupled with their publically-obscene performance attire aims to entertain musically while sabotaging the Duma’s agenda.
(Psst, for those who don’t know, the Duma is the lower house of Russian legislative bodies)
So just what is it about this noise that is so attractive to youth and older generations alike in Russia? For one, they have an imperious message coupled with a brutal sound akin to legendary rockers (and their prime influences!) Cockney Rejects, The 4-Skins, Sham 69, and the feminist legendaires Bikini Kill (if you’re not a member of a Russian feminist punk band, don’t feel bad for not knowing who they are). What does this mean to anyone who has yet to listen to these counter culture heroes? It means fast and loud, guitar shattering, solo-splitting, stage tearing blistering punk! For a demonstration of these riot grrrls’ (feminist punk rockers) dedication to these punk ideals, check out a personal favorite song of mine: Putin Wet Himself.
“Uprising in Russia. The charm of protest, Uprising in Russia. Putin pissed himself. Uprising in Russia. We exist. Riot! Riot! Take to the streets!”
Pussy Riot was formed the day Putin was announced to become President a second time. It was then that the girls realized they had to be combative in their stand for equality and the separation of Church and State. Although feminism lays the foundation for the group’s ideology, Pussy Riot believe that all forms of social oppression must be dismantled.
With performances taking place in places such as the Red Square, the band takes pleasure in their new brand of shock-rock, composed of their up-and-go, guerilla gigging performances. Their dedication to their ideologies revives the label femme fatale.
“Kill All Sexists, Kill All Conformists”
Although they come across murderous, they actually preach peaceful methods of social revolution. “Metaphor and art” are the weapons of their lyrics and performance, as stated in a manifesto-like deconstruction of the bands motivations posted on YouTube.
So I bring back the topic of the release from prison of Nadia and Maria. On February 21, 2012, five balaclava-clad females entered the church and with riotous fervor rushed center stage to plug in their guitars and microphones. What followed was a mostly silent concert, because the church’s security intercepted the punk rock pogrom (Yes, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior has security). While little music was actually played during that show, the performance was both well received around the globe and loathed by Russian figureheads—religious and political alike. On March 3rd of the same year, Masha and Nadia were arrested, and on the 16th Katia was arrested, all charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” having been found guilty. Later that year in October Katia was released, her sentence suspended, while Masha and Nadia continued to serve their two year sentences. The two anonymous members of the performance were reported to have fled Russia after escaping from the police following the February protest concert. Maria and Nadia were just released from prison this past 23rd of December following the pass of an amnesty bill by the Duma.
Those familiar with punk and hardcore can recall such state and social instigators as Crass, The Clash, Black Flag, The Sex Pistols, and The Dead Kennedys, but none have sucker-punched the very moral foundations of Russia until the infectiously insurgent Pussy Riot.
If you’re interested in keeping up with Pussy Riot, check out freepussyriot.org to stay in touch with all social news surrounding the masked vigilantes. If you’re interested in listening to their music, check out their music on YouTube.
Anyone can take on their image, they claim. “Masks, dresses, musical instruments, lyrics.” In the HBO documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, live footage details the history and incarceration history of the girls, and what follows. The documentary details how the world reacted to the imprisonment, and how NGO’s and musicians alike came to advocate for the group, including Amnesty International, Yoko Ono, Madonna, Bono, and even Banksy.
None of us know what the future holds for Pussy Riot. Their electric garbs are enough for me to stay interested. Their unique style of art comprised of guerilla gigging and spontaneous changes to the performance, and their musicianship, both original and reminiscent of 80’s and 90’s punk and hardcore, leave me crawling back for more time and time again. Hardcore punk is my ultimate go-to genre when I need a break from more timid genres. Pussy Riot are an auditory indulgence for my dopamine receptors. ‘Putin-puppet’ and former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, even stated publicly he does not think the three should have ever been jailed. If even Medvedev can rock to the tune of Pussy Riot every now and then, there’s no reason authoritative and ultra-nationalistic counter-revolutionaries can’t enjoy them too!
Noah Altunian \,,/, ,\,,/ Rock On~~
