Sound POlITics And FeMinIst RAGE iN PUnK and BeYoNd
by Beatrix Sherry
Can punk attitude and ideology exist in other genres? This presentation focuses on punk as its values appear in disco, funk, and more, with attention to sound politics and feminist rage. Certain sounds, such as screams and growls exist outside the barriers of musical construction, and this analysis seeks to understand these sounds as intentional tools for speaking to oppressive queer and feminist experiences. There are many songs used for this analysis, mainly "The Boiler" by ska artist Rhoda Dakar, in which she details the story of a date that devolves into sexual violence. Punk as a genre can be rather closed, however, the women cited in this presentation allow for the exploration of punk as an ideology, present in many genres of music that seek to disrupt colonialist values of "correct" musical construction.
Accompanying YouTube Links
On Slide 4: Love Song by Madonna ft. Prince
On Slide 6: She's lost control (long version) by Grace Jones
On Slide 7: Dedicated to the Press by Betty Davis
On Slide 8: TV Glotzer by Nina Hagen Band
On Slide 9: The Boiler by The Special AKA ft. Rhoda Dakar