Outpunk
Encyclopedia
Outpunk enjoys the distinction of being the first record label entirely devoted to queer
punk
bands.
The label was run out of San Francisco and began as an extension of Matt Wobensmith's fanzine
, Outpunk. Outpunk ran for seven issues, from 1992 till 1997, with contributions from queer punks such as Anonymous Boy
, interviews with queercore bands and a split issue with Gary Fembot. He released two records in 1992
, the 7" single compilations There's A Faggot In The Pit and There's A Dyke In The Pit. At this time there were few actual queercore
bands in existence, so some of the artists that appeared were politically motivated punk bands that supported the queercore movement. There's A Dyke In The Pit features Bikini Kill
, Lucy Stoners, 7 Year Bitch
and the first song released by Tribe 8
, stalwarts of the queercore scene. Outpunk's next compilation was Outpunk Dance Party compilation LP/CD which introduced many new queer bands to the public. Among them was Randy 'Biscuit' Turner
of Big Boys
new band Swine King, Pansy Division
, Sister George
, Sta-Prest
and Mukilteo Fairies.
After this, Outpunk began to release many singles and LPs by queercore artists from the U.S., Canada and the UK. Matt was also writing a column for Maximum RocknRoll
zine
, which extended the range of people being introduced to queer punk music while addressing issues such as homophobia
in the punk community.
In DIY: The Rise Of Lo-Fi Culture, Amy Spencer writes; "Matt Wobensmith...feels that a person's self-identification as gay shouldn't form the basis of their whole personality. 'Gay people often sacrifice the cultures they come from just to belong to something.' This sacrifice of a radical culture, whether as an artist, punk or anarchist, is what the queercore movement has always battled against."
Wobensmith ended the label in the late 90's, and began a new label called Queercorps, which was short-lived. He spoke about the reasons behind this in an interview which is included in the book We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet, The Collected Interviews, edited by Daniel Sinker, originally appearing in Punk Planet
zine
.
Subsequently he ran the label A.C.R.O.N.Y.M., which specialized in gay
hip hop music
acts. Outpunk records and CDs are much sought after by collectors, since most were produced in limited runs and are rare and hard to find.
As of 2009, he runs the vintage zine store Goteblüd in San Francisco.
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
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands.
The label was run out of San Francisco and began as an extension of Matt Wobensmith's 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...
, Outpunk. Outpunk ran for seven issues, from 1992 till 1997, with contributions from queer punks such as 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 :...
, interviews with queercore bands and a split issue with Gary Fembot. He released two records in 1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
, the 7" single compilations There's A Faggot In The Pit and There's A Dyke In The Pit. At this time there were few actual 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"...
bands in existence, so some of the artists that appeared were politically motivated punk bands that supported the queercore movement. There's A Dyke In The Pit features Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
, Lucy Stoners, 7 Year Bitch
7 Year Bitch
7 Year Bitch was an American punk rock band from Seattle, Washington that was active for 7 years, between 1990 and 1997. Their career yielded three albums, and was impacted by the deaths of their guitarist Stefanie Sargent and close-friend Mia Zapata of fellow Seattle punks The Gits.-Career:7 Year...
and the first song released by Tribe 8
Tribe 8
This article is about the San Francisco based lesbian punk band Tribe 8. See Tribe 8 for Dream Pod 9s post-apocalyptic fantasy role-playing game.Tribe 8 was an all-women outspoken dyke punk band from San Francisco...
, stalwarts of the queercore scene. Outpunk's next compilation was Outpunk Dance Party compilation LP/CD which introduced many new queer bands to the public. Among them was Randy 'Biscuit' Turner
Randy Turner
Randy J. "Biscuit" Turner was an American punk singer and artist. He was born in Gladewater, Texas. He was the lead singer for the seminal hardcore punk band Big Boys, formed in Austin in the 1970s....
of Big Boys
Big Boys (band)
The Big Boys were a pioneering band who are credited with helping introduce the new style of hardcore punk that became popular in the 1980s.-History:...
new band Swine King, Pansy Division
Pansy Division
Pansy Division is an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California in 1991. Featuring primarily gay musicians and focusing mostly on gay-related themes, Pansy Division is one of the more melodic-oriented bands to emerge from the "queercore" movement that began in the 1980s.-Early...
, Sister George
Sister George
Sister George was an influential queercore band from London that was formed in 1994. The groups' name was inspired by the 1968 UK movie The Killing of Sister George, which was an adaptation of a BBC radio play of the same name...
, Sta-Prest
Sta-Prest (band)
-Biography:The band first made its appearance on the queercore record label Outpunk Records, on its compilation Outpunk Dance Party. Soon afterwards they released their first EP, Vespa Sex, also on Outpunk, followed later by a 7" single...
and Mukilteo Fairies.
After this, Outpunk began to release many singles and LPs by queercore artists from the U.S., Canada and the UK. Matt was also writing a column for 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
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
, which extended the range of people being introduced to queer punk music while addressing issues such as homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
in the punk community.
In DIY: The Rise Of Lo-Fi Culture, Amy Spencer writes; "Matt Wobensmith...feels that a person's self-identification as gay shouldn't form the basis of their whole personality. 'Gay people often sacrifice the cultures they come from just to belong to something.' This sacrifice of a radical culture, whether as an artist, punk or anarchist, is what the queercore movement has always battled against."
Wobensmith ended the label in the late 90's, and began a new label called Queercorps, which was short-lived. He spoke about the reasons behind this in an interview which is included in the book We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet, The Collected Interviews, edited by Daniel Sinker, originally appearing in Punk Planet
Punk Planet
Punk Planet was a 16,000 print run punk zine, based in Chicago, Illinois, that focused most of its energy on looking at punk subculture rather than punk as simply another genre of music to which teenagers listen. In addition to covering music, Punk Planet also covered visual arts and a wide...
zine
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
.
Subsequently he ran the label A.C.R.O.N.Y.M., which specialized in gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
acts. Outpunk records and CDs are much sought after by collectors, since most were produced in limited runs and are rare and hard to find.
As of 2009, he runs the vintage zine store Goteblüd in San Francisco.
Artists
- Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live
- Bikini KillBikini KillBikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
- CWA
- Cypher in the SnowCypher in the SnowCypher in the Snow were an all women queercore band from San Francisco.One of the band's first appearances was at the Dirtybird Queercore Festival in San Francisco in 1996. This historic festival also featured Tribe 8, Sta-Prest, Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live, The Need and many others...
- Fifth Column
- God Is My Co-PilotGod Is My Co-Pilot (band)God Is My Co-Pilot is a queercore band from New York City that's been recording and playing music since 1991. The two main members of God is My Co-Pilot are vocalist Sharon Topper and guitarist Craig Flanagin...
- Mukilteo Fairies
- The NeedThe NeedThe Need was a queercore band that originated in Olympia, Washington in the late 1990s. It was formed by Rachel Carns and Radio Sloan ; both were veterans of other indie rock bands...
- Pansy DivisionPansy DivisionPansy Division is an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California in 1991. Featuring primarily gay musicians and focusing mostly on gay-related themes, Pansy Division is one of the more melodic-oriented bands to emerge from the "queercore" movement that began in the 1980s.-Early...
- 7 Year Bitch7 Year Bitch7 Year Bitch was an American punk rock band from Seattle, Washington that was active for 7 years, between 1990 and 1997. Their career yielded three albums, and was impacted by the deaths of their guitarist Stefanie Sargent and close-friend Mia Zapata of fellow Seattle punks The Gits.-Career:7 Year...
- Sister GeorgeSister GeorgeSister George was an influential queercore band from London that was formed in 1994. The groups' name was inspired by the 1968 UK movie The Killing of Sister George, which was an adaptation of a BBC radio play of the same name...
- Sta-PrestSta-Prest (band)-Biography:The band first made its appearance on the queercore record label Outpunk Records, on its compilation Outpunk Dance Party. Soon afterwards they released their first EP, Vespa Sex, also on Outpunk, followed later by a 7" single...
- Swine King
- Team DreschTeam DreschTeam Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
- Lucy Stoners
- Tribe 8Tribe 8This article is about the San Francisco based lesbian punk band Tribe 8. See Tribe 8 for Dream Pod 9s post-apocalyptic fantasy role-playing game.Tribe 8 was an all-women outspoken dyke punk band from San Francisco...