We Were Going to Change the World

Interviews with Women from the 1970s and 1980s Southern California Punk Rock Scene

by Stacy Russo

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Pub Date Sep 12 2017 | Archive Date Feb 02 2024

Santa Monica Press

Arts & Photography | History | Nonfiction (Adult)

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Description

The punk rock scene of the 1970s and ’80s in Southern California is widely acknowledged as one of the most vibrant, creative periods in all of rock and roll history. And while many books have covered the artists who contributed to the music of that era, none have exclusively focused on the vitality and influence of the women who played such a crucial role in this incredibly dynamic and instrumental movement.

We Were Going to Change the World captures the stories of women who were active in the SoCal punk rock scene during this historic time, adding an important voice to its cultural and musical record. Through exclusive interviews with musicians, journalists, photographers, and fans, Stacy Russo has captured the essence of why these women were drawn to punk rock, what they witnessed, and how their involvement in this empowering scene ended up influencing the rest of their lives.

From such hugely influential musicians and performers as Exene Cervenka, Alice Bag, Kira, Phranc, Johanna Went, Teresa Covarrubias, and Jennifer Precious Finch, to such highly regarded journalists, DJs, and photographers as Ann Summa, Jenny Lens, Kristine McKenna, Pleasant Gehman, and Stella, to the fans and scenesters who supported the bands and added so much color and energy to the scene, We Were Going to Change the World is an important oral history of the crucial contributions women injected into the Southern California punk rock scene of the 1970s and ’80s. Empowering, touching, and informative, Stacy Russo’s collection of interviews adds a whole new dimension to the literature of both punk rock and women’s studies.

A Note From the Publisher

Stacy Russo is a librarian and associate professor at Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California. She has English degrees from UC Berkeley and Chapman University and a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University. She is a poet and writer. Stacy’s writing has appeared in Feminist Teacher, Feminist Collections, Library Journal, American Libraries, The Chaffey Review, Serials Review, Counterpoise, and the anthology Open Doors: An Invitation to Poetry (Chaparral Canyon Press, 2016). Her other books are The Library as Place in California (McFarland, 2007) and Life as Activism: June Jordan’s Writings from The Progressive (Litwin Books, 2014). She grew up in the 1980s Southern California punk rock scene, which has been a big influence on her life.

Mike Watt is the son of a sailor. He was born in 1957 in Portsmouth, Virginia, but has lived in San Pedro, California, for the last fifty years. He’s known mainly for starting the Minutemen with his buddy, D. Boon, but went on to later found Dos, Firehose, and, more recently, the Secondmen, the Missingmen, Cuz, and Il Sogno del Marinaio. He does bass, spiel, and writes songs. Watt also helped Porno for Pyros, Banyan, and J Mascis and the Fog, and had the huge honor of working for the Stooges during their reunion from 2003 to 2013.

Advance Praise

Featured in Music Connection magazine, In Tune Monthly magazine, AntiGravity magazine, Bella magazine, the Windy City Times, Gladys magazine, Creative Loafing Tampa, BuzzBands.la, NewYorkSpaces.com, TheVinylDistrict.com, SheSpark.com, TheSilo.com, BroadwayWorld.com, Jet-Society.com, MoosterBlog.com, and DonovansLiteraryServices.com

“An essential read for anyone interested in punk rock and Southern California music history.”—LA Weekly

“Those who are familiar with punk rock will find this work absorbing and illuminating, as will musical, cultural, and women’s studies historians.”—Library Journal

“It’s not too often an author chronicles a cultural revolution completely with oral histories. But that is exactly what Stacy Russo does with We Were Going to Change the World, a book that captures SoCal punk during its most electrifying years. Musicians—including Exene Cervenka (X), Alice Bag (the Bags) and Kira (Black Flag)—are given space alongside concertgoers to discuss the lasting impact the scene had on their lives.”—Bust magazine

“We Were Going to Change the World examines the power and promise of punk through the eyes of the women who experienced it—showcasing the SoCal scene as a source of community and a force for empowerment, self-discovery, and social change.”—KCET “Artbound”

“Shedding a light on major punk influencers and supporters alike, Russo’s work should be of interest to anyone who loves reading about women taking control in music. . . . A very entertaining and equally inspiring read.”—Vanyaland

“Russo presents insights from a wide cross section of those who were there, including musicians like Exene Cervenka of X and folkie Phranc along with those working in the photography, radio or print mediums, and those who were ‘just’ fans like Cate Garcia.”—AntiMusic.com

“A unique book about the punk rock era.”—Guitar Girl magazine