Christina Billotte
Encyclopedia
Christina Billotte is an American
singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is known for her involvement in the punk music scene in Washington DC, as a performer and organizer. She is included in Venus Zine
's list The Greatest Female Guitarists of All Time.
to form Autoclave
in 1991. Autoclave became known for their math rock
styling and released a single on the Diskord label - a joint effort between Dischord
and K Records
- before splitting up in 1991.
In early 1991 Billotte, artist Jen Smith
, and Erin Smith joined Olympia
band Bratmobile
when they temporarily relocated to Washington. With Billotte on drums the line-up recorded a cassette tape
entitled Bratmobile DC. But, by the summer, the band returned to Olympia, with only Erin Smith remaining from the DC contingent. The Bratmobile girls were zine writers, and it was during this time that Jen Smith & Molly Neuman
conceived the riot grrrl publication that gave the movement its name.
In June 1992 Billotte formed the all-female punk
trio Slant 6
which released 2 albums on Dischord. The band toured widely, before breaking up in 1995 whilst on tour in England.
In 1997 Dischord released an Autoclave compilation titled Combined.
The same year Billotte formed Quix*o*tic, along with her sister Mira on drums and Brendan Majewski on bass. The band released an album Night for Day on their own Ixor Stix label. Majewski was replaced by Mick Barr
and the band released a second album, Mortal Mirror, on Kill Rock Stars
in 2001. The band broke up in 2002 with Mira moving to NYC
to form White Magic
.
In 2002 Billotte joined the Casual Dots, who released a self-titled LP through Kill Rock Stars in 2004.
Billotte has been a resident of Los Angeles, CA, since 2003, where she is currently studying ceramics.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is known for her involvement in the punk music scene in Washington DC, as a performer and organizer. She is included in Venus Zine
Venus Zine
Venus Zine is a quarterly internationally circulated magazine covering women in music, film, art, entertainment, literature, fashion, indie culture and DIY culture.Venuszine.com is the daily updated online companion to the magazine...
's list The Greatest Female Guitarists of All Time.
Musical career
Billotte and Melissa Berkoff initially began playing together in a Washington, DC band called Hazmat in 1989, but then joined up with Nikki Chapman and Mary TimonyMary Timony
Mary B. Timony is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She was a member of the bands Helium and Autoclave, and currently plays in Wild Flag.-Biography:...
to form Autoclave
Autoclave (band)
Autoclave was a post-punk band, based in Washington, D.C.. They were on local label Dischord Records. Formed in the summer of 1990, the group consisted of vocalist and bassist Christina Billotte, lead guitarist Mary Timony, guitarist Nikki Chapman, and drummer Melissa Berkoff.The group broke up in...
in 1991. Autoclave became known for their math rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
styling and released a single on the Diskord label - a joint effort between Dischord
Dischord Records
Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...
and K Records
K Records
K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
- before splitting up in 1991.
In early 1991 Billotte, artist Jen Smith
Jen Smith
Jen Smith is an artist, musician, zine editor, and activist from the United States.Jen Smith is credited with being the inspiration behind the term Riot Grrrl and being one of the architects of the movement...
, and Erin Smith joined Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
band Bratmobile
Bratmobile
Bratmobile was an American punk band. Bratmobile was a first-generation "riot grrrl" band, which grew from the Pacific Northwest and Washington, DC underground...
when they temporarily relocated to Washington. With Billotte on drums the line-up recorded a cassette tape
Cassette culture
Cassette culture, or the cassette underground , refers to the practices surrounding amateur production and distribution of recorded music that emerged in the late 1970s via home-made audio cassettes...
entitled Bratmobile DC. But, by the summer, the band returned to Olympia, with only Erin Smith remaining from the DC contingent. The Bratmobile girls were zine writers, and it was during this time that Jen Smith & Molly Neuman
Molly Neuman
Molly Neuman is a musician originally from the Washington, D.C. area who has performed in such influential bands as Bratmobile, The Frumpies, and the PeeChees. She was a pioneer of the early-to-mid '90s riot grrrl movement, penning the zine which coined the phrase in...
conceived the riot grrrl publication that gave the movement its name.
In June 1992 Billotte formed the all-female punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
trio Slant 6
Slant 6
Slant 6 was an all-female punk rock trio based in Washington, D.C.The group consisted of Christina Billotte , Myra Power , and Marge Marshall ; it formed in July 1992 following the 1991 breakup of Autoclave, in which Billotte had played...
which released 2 albums on Dischord. The band toured widely, before breaking up in 1995 whilst on tour in England.
In 1997 Dischord released an Autoclave compilation titled Combined.
The same year Billotte formed Quix*o*tic, along with her sister Mira on drums and Brendan Majewski on bass. The band released an album Night for Day on their own Ixor Stix label. Majewski was replaced by Mick Barr
Mick Barr
Mick Barr is an American avant-garde metal guitarist. Notable for his relentless speed and agility on his instrument, he is most well known for being one half of the band Orthrelm, currently signed to Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings label....
and the band released a second album, Mortal Mirror, on Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
in 2001. The band broke up in 2002 with Mira moving to NYC
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to form White Magic
White Magic
White Magic may refer to:* White magic, healing or "good," as opposed to Black magic; see also magic * White Magic , an American rock band* White Magic , album by Swedish musician ceo...
.
In 2002 Billotte joined the Casual Dots, who released a self-titled LP through Kill Rock Stars in 2004.
Billotte has been a resident of Los Angeles, CA, since 2003, where she is currently studying ceramics.