More Than Music: American Punk Rock, 1980-1985

ABSTRACT MORE THAN MUSIC: AMERICAN PUNK ROCK, 1980-1985 by © Andrew M. Traulsen 2009 Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies American Popular Culture, 1865-Present California State University, Chico Summer 2009 American punk in the early 1980s was an underground community that operated completely independently of any mainstream outlets, yet both why and how it was able to do so and, more importantly, why any of this was important goes relatively undocumented. Researchers and filmmakers do an accurate job, for example, highlighting the key bands and scenes that dominated or made a lasting impact on the larger community, but the most notable omissions have to do with the significant role that fanzines, indie labels, and touring played in nurturing and facilitating the regional and national scenes. Without these peripheral elements, the key bands and scenes would not have been able to exist, flourish, and expand. The purpose of the following analysis is to document those peripheral elements that have gone unreported. viii This research begins by examining the available literature on punk rock with particular emphasis given to how each covers American punk rock of the early 1980s— especially their deficiencies. Next is an examination of primary source materials that relate to the topic. Along with both mainstream and underground media sources, as well as available audio recordings, a more significant emphasis will be culled from personal interviews conducted with key participants from the American punk rock community. Interviews were conducted with band members, fanzine publishers, and record label owners. The findings prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that not only did American punk rock of the early 1980s flourish and become influential, but that there were also important peripheral elements outside the most widely known bands of the period that have been left out of the larger narrative.