Encyclopedic entry concerning the independent punk counterculture

Savage, Ann M.

Digital Commons @ Butler University

Butler UniversityDigital Commons @ Butler UniversityScholarship and Professional Work -Communication College of Communication2002UndergroundAnn M. SavageButler University, asavage@butler.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ccom_papersPart of the Communication CommonsThis Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Communication at Digital Commons @ Butler University. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ ButlerUniversity. For more information, please contact fgaede@butler.edu.Recommended CitationSavage, A. M. (2002, October). Underground. In K. H. Burns (Ed.), Women and Music in America Since 1900: An Encyclopedia.(Vol. 2, pp. 655-657). Phoenix, Arizona: The Oryx Press. Avaialable from: digitalcommons.butler.edu/ccom_papers/14/lne Together" and Jl remake, C redence s "Proud Mary," cs­cy of her signature ergetic vocal style. In their last hit single as iographical "Nutbnsh rumer's film career Queen in the 1975 f the Who's Tom1l1Y), 'ontinuing drug ahuse ,r, led to the couple's and divorce in 1978. ler's first solo album, )itol C2-46041), sold )pics; it included h<:r to date, "\lVhat's Lm c , In addition to earn ­ltD my Awards for Be' t rmance and Song "I' Love GOt to Do wil h : of a 1993 film hased ,f her bes t-selling au­a (1 983). I Popular Music Gen-I IoUy George \,V"drrcn,:mJ 'bt Nc.;,} Rolling S'ume E.J1i:r Roll. ~ew York: Fir~dc 1995. rt Loder. J, 'j'iu{(: !Hy I.lft ss Media PapcriJ:lcks, 199~ . (;my GIf7.' ;ta u ~ l!luli Founded in 1987, the Ulali vocal trio consists of Pura Fe (Tuscarora tribe), Soni Moreno (Mayan, Apache, Yaqui tribes), and Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg (['uscarora tribe). In describing the in­dige nous quality of their music, the group prefers the designat ion "First Nations" rather than "~"ative America n" or ".J·uneri can Indian ," t<lking no te that the existence of the hemisphere's indig­enous peoples preceded the word "A1ner­.lea. " The group's vocal harmonies incor­porate colorflll dissonances and quartal and parali el interval relationships, and both gospel and N ative American influ­ences are heard in their eclectic blend of styles. Original song texts include tradi­tional poetry, humor, and political ma­terial addressing Native concerns. Drums and rattles accompany their vocal colors as Lhey perform music popular with au­diences in concert and popular venues in­cluding rock concerts (notably with th e Indigo Girls, 1997), film and video (T be Nfltive Americans, 1995; Smoke Signals, 1998), cultural centers (Smithsonian Folklife Festivals), and nati ve events (powwows and radi o shows). The group won the American Library Association's 1997 Notable Recording Award for Lessons from lbe Animal People (Yellow Moon Press 50) with Lakota/Kj­owa Apache storyteller Da vie Thoma­son. Other notable projects to which the group has contributed include the album Robbie Robertson and tbe Red Road Ensemble (Cema/Capitol, 1994), the collection Heartbeat: Voices of First Nations Women (Smithsonian FoU,,'Ways, 1995) and the Abori ginal W omen 's Voices Project re­cording H earts of tb e Grass Records, 1997). See al,'o Multicultural Am erican lv1usicians Na tions Musics; (Sweet Na tive For Further Reading Utali J-/O'III C. Available: hrrp:l/www.ulali .co1ll Vi1'ghlitr Giglio ndc rgro und The term "underground" commonly re­fers to the independent punk mnsic and the zine countercul ture with a poli ti cal sensihility. \Vith its beginnin g::; in the """" 655 """" 4 Underground 1970s, punk music has always been an anti-establishment music genre that set ou t to rebel against tbe nIles of the music industry and the status quo that punk's adherents often felt deserted by. As in many other realms of Western culture, the field was largely male domina ted ex­cept for a few woman artists sllch as Patti Smith (b. 1946) and Siouxsie Sioux. Nonetheless, these women set the stage for other women to follow. In the early 1990s young women and teens initiated what eventually came to be known as the Riot G rrrl movement, an offshoot of the punk rock scene of the 1970s and 1980s. Women wanted to break free from an onerous identity as the band members' girlfriends. They took to the stage with a desire to be punk musical artists and performers in their own right. More important, the music and the artists embodied a leftis t and feminist consciousness that was primary to the music. Many artists also fought against an identity that tied them to their mothers' and second wave (the period of the women's movment from approxi­mately J966 to 1979) feminist ideals. In turn, their raucous style and alternative dress were dcsigned as a rejection of sec­ond wave sensibilities. In fact, this mu­sical current is commonly considered a trajectory of third wave feminism (the period of social change beginning in the 1980s) and clearly part of a politica l so­cial movement. Includ ed in this aesthetic were lesbian politics and an awareness that was commonly referred to as hom­ocore or queer punk; it was expressed by such artists as Tribe 8 and the Butchies. Olympia, WA, and Washington, DC, are commonly considcrecl the birthplaces of the Riot Grrrl genre, with pioneers in­cluding artists such as Bikini Kill and Bratmobile. Upstart labels, out of neces­,...,.. sity and in an effort to shun corporate rock, began to surface. Early labels in­cluded Independent K Records and Kill Rock Star Records in Olympia and Dis­chord in Washington, DC. This inspired other labels throughout the United States, including Simple Machines in Virginia, Thrill Jockey Records in Chi­cago, Candy-Ass Records in Portland, OR, and Skinnie Girl in Minneapolis­all women-fronted labels. The Riot GrITI movement successfully combined femi­nism with punk. There were clear efforts to sever pao'iarchal patterns and strengthen young girls' and women's in­dividual identities, sense of self, and po­sition within society. During ti,e mid-1990s the Riot Grrrl movement began to disband. In 1~'!2 many riot grrrls were unhappy about the surging amount of mainstream press COI'­erage the movement bad begun to gar­ner, including a Newsweek cover. The press spotlight propelled the style into a public position of privilege and activated a mainstream profile-precisely what the young upstarts had foughl against. The mainstream attention led to contract of­fers from major record labels. Bands such as L7 and Babes in Toyland signed on the major record label rosters, but others refused. This created ideological differ­ences within different segments of ti,e alterna-culture of Riot Grrr!. Since ti,e beginning of the movement it had been apparent that the shared mantra of "cor­porate rock sucks" was one of so lidarity and unity. The newfound media atten­tion sp"'WTled dissolution within ti,e movement, which broke into factions tllroughout the 1990s. Simultaneous to and intertwined with the development of punk rock feminism was the development of feminist coun­terculrure zine production. Zines are 656 ,...,.. fiercely independent, .I, which girls and yount thors and producers­and frustrations about related issues, includin cqualities, and deme, women in mainstream the musical movement an effort to dismantl male domination. Start Girl Germf, Satan W Wbini-ng, and JigS((w. ment focused on the community and solidal chised teenage girls. unity in the desobti ol anger they felt living ir urbia. Similar to the IT the zine Inovement wa refused to develop a st tioll, phil osophy, or n The "ine writers and I want to fall prey to a prescri bed ortllOdoX) dogma. This was exac themselves as fighting dividual was to detenn UndCl-g'rQll1ld rt to shun corporate face. Early labels in­I K Records and l(jll in 0 Iyrn pia and Dis­>0, DC. This inspired ughou t the Uni ted ;;imple Machines in :key Records in Chi­~ecords in Portland, ;irl in Minneapolis­abels. The Riot Crrrl lilly combined fcmi­L~r~ were clear efforts chal patterns and irls' and women's in­;ense of self, and po­l . 1990s the Rim Grrrl :0 disband. In 1992 re lmhappy ahout the n,linstrealll press cov­It had begun to gar­lewsweek cover. The died the style in to a rivilcge and activated e-preciscly what the fought against. The 1Il led to COli tract of­mll.bels. Bands such I Toyland signed on Jel rosters, bur others ed ideologic-al diffel'­ent seglTICnts of the vot Grrri. Since the OV~lllent it had been tared mantra of "cor­was one of solidarity wfound media atten­iolution within the broke into factions Os. and intertwined with . pIUlk rock feminism nt of feminist coun­uduction. Zincs are fiercely independent, leaf sbeet flyers in whicb girls and young women- as au ­thors and producers- express outrage and frustrations about various women­related issues, including rape, abuse, in­equalities, and demeaning images of women in mainstream culture. Similar to the musical movement, these zines were an effort to dismantle patriarcby and Inale domination. Startup zines included Gid Germs, Satan Wears a B,'a, Quit WhiTling, and Jigsaw. The zine move­mellt focused on the development of community and solida rity for disenfran­chised teenage girls. Teenagers found unity in the desolation, loneliness, and anger they felt living in tl,e myth of sub­urbia . Similar to the musical movement, the zine movelnent was resistant to and refused to develop a structural organiza­tion, philosophy, or membership rules. The zine writers and publishers did not want to fall prey to an established and prescribed orthodoxy or misplaced dogma . This was exactly what they saw themselves as fighting against. Each in­dividual was to determine her own role, her own purpose, and her own form of resistance. The advent of the World Wide Web coincided with the birth and develop­ment of the Riot Grrd movement and the similarly focused zines. In turn, bOtll commwlities have utilized the Internet as a creative transmission tool for the same feminist political purposes. Without the backing of major reco rd label dollars, many independent labels have ventured into the Internet to broaden their reach and promote tlleir message-laden music. Currently, some critics, scholars, and even the originators suggest the Riot G rrd moniker is passe today-with so many crossing over into and attracting mainstream attention. Desp ite this, a feminist punk rock existence remains. See also Garage Rock and Heavy Metal Bands; Rock and Popular Music Genres Foe Further Reading Duncombe, Srephen. Zincs: Notes [rum the UntJ.e,·­grou1Id and the Politics of Alurn/llil'I' Culture. London: Verso, 1997. A lI l1 Sf/n f;]!' - 657­

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