pitaph Records is a punk and pop punk independent label that has worked with some famous acts—Bad Religion, The Offspring, NOFX, The Hives and Weezer, to name a few.
But their latest act is unique.
The Linda Lindas are an Asian-American and Latinx punk rock band made up of four teen and preteen girls. (No one in the band is named Linda).
Before lockdown, their drummer, Mila, was told by a classmate that his father told him to stay away from Chinese people. When she said that she is Chinese, he backed away.
That experience inspired a song: “Racist, Sexist Boy.”
The subsequent song has been played over 4.5 million times across various platforms. Upon hearing their music, Kathleen Hannah of the riot grrrl legends Bikini Kill said of the Lindas:
“They were so positive and electric it made me feel like, ‘I want to start a band.’ And then I realized, ‘I am in a band, and we’re playing tonight.'”
That night Bikini Kill performed one of their first shows in 22 years. And who opened for that show? The Linda Lindas.
Since then, they’ve appeared in the Amy Poeler-directed film Moxie, wrote a song for the Netflix documentary The Claudia Kishi Club, and have played on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The oldest member is 16, the youngest is 10.
Punk rock is a medium that isn’t common or “mainstream” in 2021, but this group of two sisters, a cousin, and their friend have told their stories on their own terms, and found nothing but success.
So why did they choose punk? According to Mila, “We like [punk] because it’s anything you want it to be.” Pitchfork, the influential online music publication, says they’re “more than just a viral punk band” because they aren’t willing to let anyone marginalize them or get in their way.
Take a lesson from The Linda Lindas. Defy expectations. Don’t take the road less traveled. If you have a story, tell it the way you want to. And don’t be afraid to yell.
Oh, and if you’re wondering if the racist, sexist boy has heard their viral hit? They don’t know, and they don’t care.
Jeff GoodSmith Writes Here 