J.D.s
Encyclopedia
J.D.s is a queer
punk zine
founded in Toronto by G.B. Jones and co-published with Bruce LaBruce
, that ran for eight issues from 1985 to 1991.
" J.D.s is seen by many to be the catalyst that pushed the queercore
scene into existence", writes Amy Spencer
in DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture. Writing in the journal C: International Contemporary Art, Earl Miller calls J.D.s "tremendously influential."
After the initial release of the first few issues of J.D.s, the editors wrote a manifesto called "Don't Be Gay" which was featured in Maximum RocknRoll
zine. According to Amy Spencer, "The article appeared in February 1989 and simultaneously attacked both punk and gay subcultures..." G.B Jones states, "Our goal, vis-à-vis the punk scene, was to antagonize." Spencer continues, "Following their article, a queer punk culture did begin to emerge."
The editors had initially chosen the appellation "homocore" to describe the movement they began, but later replaced the word 'homo' with 'queer
' to create Queercore
, to better reflect the diversity of the scene and to disassociate themselves completely from the oppressive confines of the gay and lesbian communities' orthodoxy
and agenda. G.B. Jones says, "We were just as eager to provoke the gays and lesbians as we were the punks." According to Bruce LaBruce, J.D.s initially stood for Juvenile Delinquents, but "also encompassed such youth cult icons as James Dean
and J.D. Salinger."
The zine featured the photos and the "Tom Girl" drawings of G.B. Jones, stories by Bruce LaBruce, and the "J.D.s Top Ten Homocore Hits", a list of queer-themed songs such as "Off-Duty Sailor" by The Dicks
, "Only Loved At Night" by The Raincoats
, "Gimme Gimme Gimme (My Man After Midnight)" by The Leather Nun, "Homophobia" by Victims Family, "I, Bloodbrothers Be" by Shock Headed Peters, "The Anal Staircase
" by Coil
and many more. Groups like Anti-Scrunti Faction
were featured in the fanzine
. Contributors included Donny the Punk
, comic artist Anonymous Boy
, author Dennis Cooper
, artist Carrie McNinch, musician Anita Smith, punk drag performer Vaginal Davis
and Klaus and Jena von Brücker.
Zines such as Homocore
and Fanorama
, among others, credit J.D.s with inspiring them to begin publishing.
In 1990, J.D.s released the first compilation of queercore songs, a cassette tape
entitled J.D.s Top Ten Homocore Hit Parade Tape, which featured the groups The Apostles
, Academy 23
and No Brain Cells from the UK, Fifth Column, Zuzu's Petals and Toilet Slaves from Canada, Bomb, Big Man
, Robt. Omlit and Nikki Parasite of The Parasites from the U.S. and, from New Zealand, Gorse.
Also in 1990, and '91, G.B. Jones and Bruce LaBruce began presenting J.D.s movie nights . These happened in London
in the UK, in San Francisco, and at Hallwalls
in Buffalo
in the U.S., and in Montreal
, and Toronto in Canada with the editors and various contributors showing films, all made on extremely low budgets
on Super 8 film
, such as Jones' The Troublemakers and LaBruce's Boy, Girl
and Bruce and Pepper Wayne Gacy's Home Movies
.
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
punk zine
Punk zine
A punk zine is a zine devoted to punk culture, most often punk rock music, bands, or the DIY punk ethic. Punk zines are the most likely place to find punk literature....
founded in Toronto by G.B. Jones and co-published with Bruce LaBruce
Bruce LaBruce
Bruce LaBruce is a Canadian writer, filmmaker, photographer and underground gay porn director based in Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:...
, that ran for eight issues from 1985 to 1991.
" J.D.s is seen by many to be the catalyst that pushed the queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
scene into existence", writes Amy Spencer
Amy Spencer
Amy Spencer is a retired English sprinter.She was born in Wigan, and came to fame as a teenager. In 1998 she won a British U13 best for 80m and the next year won the AAA U15 200m title...
in DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture. Writing in the journal C: International Contemporary Art, Earl Miller calls J.D.s "tremendously influential."
After the initial release of the first few issues of J.D.s, the editors wrote a manifesto called "Don't Be Gay" which was featured in Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
zine. According to Amy Spencer, "The article appeared in February 1989 and simultaneously attacked both punk and gay subcultures..." G.B Jones states, "Our goal, vis-à-vis the punk scene, was to antagonize." Spencer continues, "Following their article, a queer punk culture did begin to emerge."
The editors had initially chosen the appellation "homocore" to describe the movement they began, but later replaced the word 'homo' with 'queer
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
' to create Queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
, to better reflect the diversity of the scene and to disassociate themselves completely from the oppressive confines of the gay and lesbian communities' orthodoxy
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
and agenda. G.B. Jones says, "We were just as eager to provoke the gays and lesbians as we were the punks." According to Bruce LaBruce, J.D.s initially stood for Juvenile Delinquents, but "also encompassed such youth cult icons as James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
and J.D. Salinger."
The zine featured the photos and the "Tom Girl" drawings of G.B. Jones, stories by Bruce LaBruce, and the "J.D.s Top Ten Homocore Hits", a list of queer-themed songs such as "Off-Duty Sailor" by The Dicks
The Dicks
The Dicks are an American punk rock band from Austin, Texas, originally formed in 1980. They initially disbanded in 1986 before reforming in 2004...
, "Only Loved At Night" by The Raincoats
The Raincoats
The Raincoats are a British post-punk band. Ana da Silva and Gina Birch formed the group in 1977 while they were students at Hornsey College of Art, London, England.-Career:...
, "Gimme Gimme Gimme (My Man After Midnight)" by The Leather Nun, "Homophobia" by Victims Family, "I, Bloodbrothers Be" by Shock Headed Peters, "The Anal Staircase
The Anal Staircase
The Anal Staircase is a 12" single by the British group Coil, released in 1986. The single introduced Stephen Thrower as part of Coil. Thrower would then return for the album Horse Rotorvator and would remain a member for many years, his last appearance being on Stolen and Contaminated Songs in 1992...
" by Coil
Coil (band)
Coil were an English cross-genre, experimental music group formed in 1982 by John Balance—later credited as "Jhonn Balance"—and his partner Peter Christopherson, aka "Sleazy". The duo worked together on a series of releases before Balance chose the name Coil, which he claimed to be...
and many more. Groups like Anti-Scrunti Faction
Anti-Scrunti Faction
Anti-Scrunti Faction were an all-women punk trio from Boulder, Colorado, United States.The band made their first appearance in 1984 on the Restless Records compilation LP entitled FlipSide Vinyl Fanzine Volume 1, assembled by the fanzine Flipside from California, with the song "Big Women". In...
were featured in the fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
. Contributors included Donny the Punk
Donny the Punk
Stephen Donaldson , born Robert Anthony Martin, Jr and also known by the pseudonym Donny the Punk, was an American bisexual-identified LGBT political activist...
, comic artist Anonymous Boy
Anonymous Boy
Anonymous Boy is the pen name of Tony Arena, an artist, writer and filmmaker who resides in New York City. Anonymous Boy is also the title of his self-published comics zine.- Comics and Artistic Work :...
, author Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist.-Career:Cooper grew up the son of a wealthy businessman in Arcadia, California. His first forays into literature came early, focusing on imitations of Rimbaud, Verlaine, de Sade, and Baudelaire...
, artist Carrie McNinch, musician Anita Smith, punk drag performer Vaginal Davis
Vaginal Davis
Vaginal Davis is an American genderqueer performing artist, painter, independent curator, composer, and writer. Davis's name is a homage to activist Angela Davis.-Life and career:Davis is often associated with the formation of the Queer-Core Zine Movement...
and Klaus and Jena von Brücker.
Zines such as Homocore
Homocore (zine)
Homocore is an American anarcho-punk zine created by Tom Jennings and Deke Nihilson, and published in San Francisco from 1988 to 1991. One of the first queer zines, Homocore was directed toward the hardcore punk youth of the gay underground...
and Fanorama
Fanorama
Fanorama is a Rhode Island-based zine and zine-distro produced by journalist/activist REB . According the their website it is the "grand-daddy of the queer zine scene"....
, among others, credit J.D.s with inspiring them to begin publishing.
In 1990, J.D.s released the first compilation of queercore songs, 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 J.D.s Top Ten Homocore Hit Parade Tape, which featured the groups The Apostles
The Apostles
The Apostles are an experimental punk rock band who developed within the confines of the 1980s Anarcho Punk scene in the UK, but did not necessarily adhere to the aesthetics of that movement.-History:...
, Academy 23
Academy 23
Academy 23 was a British experimental music project created by Andy Martin and Dave Fanning, immediately after disbanding their former group The Apostles. Founded in London in 1989, the band released music primarily on audio cassette, as part of the cassette culture movement...
and No Brain Cells from the UK, Fifth Column, Zuzu's Petals and Toilet Slaves from Canada, Bomb, Big Man
Mykel Board
Mykel Board is a regularly published journalist, especially well known for his articles in Maximumrocknroll....
, Robt. Omlit and Nikki Parasite of The Parasites from the U.S. and, from New Zealand, Gorse.
Also in 1990, and '91, G.B. Jones and Bruce LaBruce began presenting J.D.s movie nights . These happened in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the UK, in San Francisco, and at Hallwalls
Hallwalls
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center is a non-profit organization in Buffalo, N.Y. that showcases artists of diverse backgrounds in film, video, literature, music, performance, media and visual arts. Since its inception, Hallwalls has been dedicated to promoting artists from multiple backgrounds and...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in the U.S., and in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and Toronto in Canada with the editors and various contributors showing films, all made on extremely low budgets
No budget film
A no budget film is a produced film made with very little, or no money.Young directors starting out in filmmaking commonly use this method because there are few other options available to them at that point. All the actors and technicians are employed without remuneration, and the films are largely...
on Super 8 film
Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
, such as Jones' The Troublemakers and LaBruce's Boy, Girl
Boy, Girl
Boy, Girl is a short experimental film directed by Bruce LaBruce.Boy, Girl stars G.B. Jones and Bruce LaBruce and was made in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1987. It is an experimental film which, aside from the two stars, features segments filmed from television of Mary Tyler Moore from the Elvis...
and Bruce and Pepper Wayne Gacy's Home Movies
Bruce and Pepper Wayne Gacy's Home Movies
Bruce and Pepper Wayne Gacy's Home Movies also known as Home Movies is a short experimental film by Bruce LaBruce and Candy Parker.Made in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1988, it is filmed in colour and black and white on Super 8mm film and is 12 minutes long.The conceptual premise of the film is that...
.
External links
- G.B. Jones on J.D.s
- We Are Queercore: The legacy of J.D.s
- The history of Queer Zine Culture in Canada
- File Under Anarchy: The Toronto Zine Scene
- J.D.s at ZineWikiZineWikiZineWiki is an open-source online wiki devoted to zines, fanzines, small press publications, chapbooks, and independent media. It covers the history, production, distribution and culture of the small press.-History:...
- Archived copies of J.D.s fanzine in PDF format at the Queer Zine Archive Project