Five great all-female rock bands

GIRLS rock, yet in the world of rock 'n' roll they're still a minority.Since the dawn of the pop era, 'girl groups' (ie. where women are singers but don't play any instruments or write songs) have been prevalent - from The Supremes and The Ronnettes through to The Spice Girls and The Pussycat Dolls, girl groups have long been a winning formula.But 'girl bands' that play and write haven't been so common. The first all-female rock bands appeared in the 1960s, with Goldie & The Gingerbreads the first US all-girl band to sign to a major label.It wasn't until the 1970s and 1980s that women rock bands experienced success. The Runaways were the first to have a hit record, while The Go-Gos and The Bangles took chick rock to the top of the charts.In Australia, there has been something of a resurgence in girl bands thanks to the likes of Beaches, The Gingers and The Spazzys.But here is Musicology's list of the five greatest all-female bands.If you're wondering why Britpoppers Elastica, the once-great Hole and the awesome Veruca Salt aren't on the list, the answer is simple - they've always had boys in the line-up.THE RUNAWAYSTHE self-proclaimed Queens Of Noise were trailblazers for female rock bands that followed. Although initially dismissed upon arrival in 1975 as a gimmick by critics due to the reputation of their manager Kim Fowley, The Runaways subsequently transcended their "jailbait with guitars'' tag by the sheer facts they wrote their own songs, had two killer guitarists, and actually rocked. In just two years they recorded four albums which straddled glam rock and the emerging punk sound, as evidenced by their biggest hit Cherry Bomb. They were Beatles-big in Japan but mismanagement, a lack of respect and in-fighting led to their break-up in early 1979. After the band's end, guitarist Joan Jett went on to a strong solo career (including the hit song I Love Rock'n'Roll), original bass player Micki Steele joined The Bangles, while latter bassist Vicki Blue directed an excellent doco on the band called Edgeplay, which was hampered by Jett's refusal to appear in it or let Blue use any Runaways songs.SLEATER-KINNEYEMERGING at the tail end of the riot grrrl movement of the early '90s, this grungey trio hailed from Washington state. They released seven albums in their career (which came to an end in 2006) and earnt high praise in that time - they've been described as one of the essential rock bands of the late '90s/early '00s, "America's best rock band of 2001'' (Time Magazine), and even "the greatest band in the world'' (Pitchfork). Fuelled by the low-tuned dual guitar attack of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein (who dated briefly) and Tucker's distinctive "dramatic soprano'' voice, the band drew an ardent fanbase and became critical darlings. They went out on a high too - their final album The Woods is an absolute ripper, filled with dirty riffs and powerhouse jams.L7THE "Poster Girls Of Grunge'' began in 1985 and prior to going "on hiatus'' in 2001, these West Coast rockers attracted a fair amount of controversy across a successful career. Their two biggest albums, the Butch Vig-produced Bricks Are Heavy (1992) and Hungry For Stink (1994) charted well and, along with Smell The Magic (1990), are regarded as key albums of the grunge movement and the '90s in general. L7's early sound revelled in punk (see excellent first single Shove) but got progressively heavier. Their most successful moments were the fantastic MTV-loved single Pretend We're Dead and Andres, the latter of which reached number 67 in the Hottest 100 of 1994. Their most infamous moment came at the 1992 Reading Festival when, in response to being hurled with mud and bottles, singer/guitarist Donita Sparks removed her tampon and threw it at the crowd. They also gave away a one-night stand with drummer Dee Plakas to an audience member at a 2000 concert in London.THE DONNASFIFTEEN-YEAR veterans, The Donnas developed a cult following in the punk scene in the mid-'90s, but didn't gain serious attention until the release of their third album Get Skintight (1999). Previously known as Ragady Anne and The Electrocutes, their first album as The Donnas was written by their producer but the band soon found their own style - a hard-rock sound with lyrics about boys and having a good time. The success of fourth album The Donnas Turn 21 sparked major label interest and they signed with Atlantic. Their next three albums cracked the US top 100 and they picked up a strong Aussie following through regular tours and a slot at the Big Day Out. Melbourne extreme metal band Blood Duster even recorded an ode to them, The Androids piss-take I Wanna Do It With A Donna.THE SLITSPUNK bands don't come much more raw and unpolished than The Slits, who emerged at the height of the movement in 1976. One writer described their DIY, rough-and-ready sound as having "an almost total lack of proficiency'', which was evident on a live recording session they did for UK radio legend John Peel. Despite touring with The Clash and The Buzzcocks, labels refused to sign them until Island Records finally stepped in. By the time they recorded Cut in 1979, they were no longer an all-female band and the record was a surprisingly dub- and reggae-influenced affair. After only one more album - Return Of The Giant Slits - they broke up, but their legacy as a ground-breaking punk band lived on, leading to a reformation in 2005 and an Australian and American tour in 2007.