Alice talks about growing up
with domestic violence and
the story behind her song
Happy Accident. Click on the
thumbnail for a video.
with domestic violence and
the story behind her song
Happy Accident. Click on the
thumbnail for a video.
The proximity of the East L.A. barrio to Hollywood is as close as a short drive
on the 101 freeway, but the cultural divide is enormous. Born to
Mexican-born and American-naturalized parents, Alicia Armendariz migrated a
few miles west to participate in the free-range birth of the 1970s punk
movement. Alicia adopted the punk name Alice Bag, and became lead singer
for The Bags, early punk visionaries who starred in Penelope Spheeris'
documentary The Decline of Western Civilization.
Here is a life of many crossed boundaries, from East L.A.'s musica ranchera
to Hollywood's punk rock; from a violent male-dominated family to
female-dominated transgressive rock bands.
Violence Girl takes us from a violent upbringing to an aggressive punk
sensibility; this time a difficult coming-of-age memoir culminates with a
satisfying conclusion, complete with a happy marriage and children. Nearly a
hundred never before published photographs energize the text in remarkable
ways.
Alice Bag's work and influence can be seen this year in the traveling
Smithsonian exhibition "American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music."
More updates on Violence Girl can be found online at facebook.com/alicebag.
on the 101 freeway, but the cultural divide is enormous. Born to
Mexican-born and American-naturalized parents, Alicia Armendariz migrated a
few miles west to participate in the free-range birth of the 1970s punk
movement. Alicia adopted the punk name Alice Bag, and became lead singer
for The Bags, early punk visionaries who starred in Penelope Spheeris'
documentary The Decline of Western Civilization.
Here is a life of many crossed boundaries, from East L.A.'s musica ranchera
to Hollywood's punk rock; from a violent male-dominated family to
female-dominated transgressive rock bands.
Violence Girl takes us from a violent upbringing to an aggressive punk
sensibility; this time a difficult coming-of-age memoir culminates with a
satisfying conclusion, complete with a happy marriage and children. Nearly a
hundred never before published photographs energize the text in remarkable
ways.
Alice Bag's work and influence can be seen this year in the traveling
Smithsonian exhibition "American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music."
More updates on Violence Girl can be found online at facebook.com/alicebag.