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We Were Going to Change the World: Interviews with Women from the 1970s and 1980s Southern California Punk Rock Scene
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.
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.
312 pages, Paperback
Published September 12, 2017
7 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Stacy Russo
16 books71 followersStacy Russo is a California poet, writer, and artist who is committed to creating books and art for a more peaceful world. After a long career in libraries, she currently serves as Professor of English at Santa Ana College. Stacy's books have been featured on National Public Radio, Pacifica Radio, the Canadian Broadcasting System, Sirius XM Radio, KCET Artbound, LA Weekly, and various other media channels. She holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley; Chapman University; and San Jose State University.
Stacy believes in the power of personal story, lifelong learning, and peaceful living. She takes her coffee black and eats chocolate before noon each day.
Stacy believes in the power of personal story, lifelong learning, and peaceful living. She takes her coffee black and eats chocolate before noon each day.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 21, 2019
We're all going to agree that I was pre-disposed to like this book because of a long-standing fascination with California, California history, and specifically California history from the 1970s and 80s, a period I like to refer to as one long, unregulated, stock car race of parenting.
But I really appreciated how Russo chose to showcase a number of interviews not just with women who played in punk bands or high-profile people on the scene (although she has included Excene Cervenka, Jenny Lens, and the answer to "Whatever happened to Phranc?") but in large part, women who just went to the shows. Women who went to shows and made punk zines, women who booked shows and were punk roadies and more women who... just went to shows. That's a super interesting lens to look back through.
What's also interesting is that the narrative arc of the interviewees' stories is incredibly similar. In a nutshell, they go:
"I was [11-13]
and my family [was terrible, broken, or both]
and I didn't fit in [with my family, with school, or both]
then an older [sibling or boy/girlfriend of older sibling]
[took me to a punk show / played me a punk record] and I loved it!
I went to every show I could
at [the Masque, Hong Kong Gardens, the Palisades, the Whiskey, Mabuhay Gardens in SF, Escondido, a couple places in San Pedro, and some small hole-in-the wall that got shut down]
and the scene was [amazing, creative, zany, fun and wild]
and it gave me [acceptance, inspiration, friendship, a moral compass]
until there was a terrible thing that happened at a Black Flag show and hardcore arrived."
It is singularly eerie how uniformly it is always a Black Flag show where the terrible thing happens.
Now, this similarity might be in large part due to the demographic makeup of the interviewees, who are almost all white, and an astonishing number of whom eventually became teachers, or it might just be that this was the demographic makeup of the 70s-80s SoCal punk scene. I'm not enough of a scholar to sort that one out. However: almost as interesting is that the one major point of divergence in everyone's stories is whether the scene was welcoming to women or sexist as heck. Split basically right down the middle on that score. (Fascinating!)
And I did enjoy the stories themselves.
My one maaaaajor complaint about this book, though, is the introduction, by Minutemen bassist Mike Watt.
First of all, I'm not sure I need any dude introducing a book of women's personal narratives. Even so, Watt's introduction consists entirely of how he and bandmate D. Boon really enjoyed having women in the punk scene. It made them more creative! It made them appreciate shows more! It made them happier! Yes indeedy, Watt's introduction is all about how women made him feel.
That's an interesting piece of writing about the Minutemen and nothing beyond that. There's certainly no appreciation for the women as artists, creators or people. (It turns out that the answer to "Do you want new wave or do you want the truth?" is "new wave" by a landslide.)
But overall the book is an enjoyable if predictable slice of California and music scene history.
But I really appreciated how Russo chose to showcase a number of interviews not just with women who played in punk bands or high-profile people on the scene (although she has included Excene Cervenka, Jenny Lens, and the answer to "Whatever happened to Phranc?") but in large part, women who just went to the shows. Women who went to shows and made punk zines, women who booked shows and were punk roadies and more women who... just went to shows. That's a super interesting lens to look back through.
What's also interesting is that the narrative arc of the interviewees' stories is incredibly similar. In a nutshell, they go:
"I was [11-13]
and my family [was terrible, broken, or both]
and I didn't fit in [with my family, with school, or both]
then an older [sibling or boy/girlfriend of older sibling]
[took me to a punk show / played me a punk record] and I loved it!
I went to every show I could
at [the Masque, Hong Kong Gardens, the Palisades, the Whiskey, Mabuhay Gardens in SF, Escondido, a couple places in San Pedro, and some small hole-in-the wall that got shut down]
and the scene was [amazing, creative, zany, fun and wild]
and it gave me [acceptance, inspiration, friendship, a moral compass]
until there was a terrible thing that happened at a Black Flag show and hardcore arrived."
It is singularly eerie how uniformly it is always a Black Flag show where the terrible thing happens.
Now, this similarity might be in large part due to the demographic makeup of the interviewees, who are almost all white, and an astonishing number of whom eventually became teachers, or it might just be that this was the demographic makeup of the 70s-80s SoCal punk scene. I'm not enough of a scholar to sort that one out. However: almost as interesting is that the one major point of divergence in everyone's stories is whether the scene was welcoming to women or sexist as heck. Split basically right down the middle on that score. (Fascinating!)
And I did enjoy the stories themselves.
My one maaaaajor complaint about this book, though, is the introduction, by Minutemen bassist Mike Watt.
First of all, I'm not sure I need any dude introducing a book of women's personal narratives. Even so, Watt's introduction consists entirely of how he and bandmate D. Boon really enjoyed having women in the punk scene. It made them more creative! It made them appreciate shows more! It made them happier! Yes indeedy, Watt's introduction is all about how women made him feel.
That's an interesting piece of writing about the Minutemen and nothing beyond that. There's certainly no appreciation for the women as artists, creators or people. (It turns out that the answer to "Do you want new wave or do you want the truth?" is "new wave" by a landslide.)
But overall the book is an enjoyable if predictable slice of California and music scene history.
January 5, 2018
Every time I see a new book on the history of punk rock, I wonder if there is anything new that could be added to an expended genre. Russo's collection of oral histories from women in the LA Punk Scene succeeds in this simply by letting her subjects tell their own stories. It is also perfectly curated. She combines interviews with the stars of the scene with the activists who made it happen in the background. Great read for anyone who cares about punk rock, rebel culture and grassroots feminism. I hope that Russo puts out another book of Oral History, her game is almost Studs Terkel level.
September 9, 2018
A great collection that gives a portrait of the time and place through the mosaic stories of participants, creators, and fans. Nearly every punk book like this I read makes me happy; not only because I like hearing punk's stories, but because so many of them retain their politics, outlooks, and, often, participation into middle age and beyond.
Given all the attention to male bands of the time and place, this is a welcome widening of the over all story.
Given all the attention to male bands of the time and place, this is a welcome widening of the over all story.
December 21, 2017
Excellent! I really appreciated that there are interviews with well-known women from the scene (Alice Bag, Exene Cervenka, Pleasant Gehman), but also women who took part in the zines, as well as general participants and audience members. Both a good view of the time period, and also inspiration for the present day.
January 20, 2024
The book We Were Going to Change the World is a thought-provoking and invaluable read for those interested in the punk rock movement in Southern California in the 1970s and ’80s. Stacy Russo’s book illuminates the rarely discussed contribution of women in this dynamic and vital movement, offering fresh insight into the cultural and creative history of the period.
Using exclusive interviews with various women like musicians, journalists, photographers, and even fans, Russo communicates the spirit of why these women were attracted to punk rock and how this empowering scene affected their lives. The presence of prominent musicians like Exene Cervenka, Alice Bag, and Phranc, along with journalists and photographers like Ann Summa and Jenny Lens, lends a sense of authenticity and truth to the story.
The uniqueness of this book is attributed to a focus on the life stories of these women. Russo lets them voice their sufferings, achievements, and the gifts they gave to the punk rock culture. The interviews are sincere, poignant, and, at times, deeply emotional. In such personal reports, readers comprehend what all these women did.
Moreover, Russo’s book is not limited to musicians and industry professionals. Still, it emphasizes the role of the fans and scenesters who helped the bands and contributed their vigor to the scene. This pluralistic perspective provides a broader and more balanced perspective of Southern California punk rock.
We Were Going to Change the World does not simply document an oral history of one music scene; it also contributes significantly to punk rock and women’s studies literature. However, by spotlighting the women who played a significant role in this dynamic and instrumental movement, Russo’s book challenges the male-dominated narrative that has often eclipsed their contribution to them.
Finally, We Were Going to Change the World is an inspiring, revealing, and insightful book that gives a voice to the Southern California punk rock movement of the 1970s and ’80s. Stacy Russo’s collection of interviews reflects the strength and imagination of these women and gives a whole new side to the studies of bop rock and women’s studies. This book should be read by music lovers, feminists, and those passionate about punk rock’s history. This was an amazing book, I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Santa Monica Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book
Using exclusive interviews with various women like musicians, journalists, photographers, and even fans, Russo communicates the spirit of why these women were attracted to punk rock and how this empowering scene affected their lives. The presence of prominent musicians like Exene Cervenka, Alice Bag, and Phranc, along with journalists and photographers like Ann Summa and Jenny Lens, lends a sense of authenticity and truth to the story.
The uniqueness of this book is attributed to a focus on the life stories of these women. Russo lets them voice their sufferings, achievements, and the gifts they gave to the punk rock culture. The interviews are sincere, poignant, and, at times, deeply emotional. In such personal reports, readers comprehend what all these women did.
Moreover, Russo’s book is not limited to musicians and industry professionals. Still, it emphasizes the role of the fans and scenesters who helped the bands and contributed their vigor to the scene. This pluralistic perspective provides a broader and more balanced perspective of Southern California punk rock.
We Were Going to Change the World does not simply document an oral history of one music scene; it also contributes significantly to punk rock and women’s studies literature. However, by spotlighting the women who played a significant role in this dynamic and instrumental movement, Russo’s book challenges the male-dominated narrative that has often eclipsed their contribution to them.
Finally, We Were Going to Change the World is an inspiring, revealing, and insightful book that gives a voice to the Southern California punk rock movement of the 1970s and ’80s. Stacy Russo’s collection of interviews reflects the strength and imagination of these women and gives a whole new side to the studies of bop rock and women’s studies. This book should be read by music lovers, feminists, and those passionate about punk rock’s history. This was an amazing book, I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Santa Monica Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book
March 24, 2019
I remember seeing Penelope Spheeris' The Decline of Western Civilization during my one-semester sojourn outside California at Washington State University in the spring of 1982. At the time I was really into what was known in some circles as the "L.A. Sound", specifically the singer-songwriter work of people like Jackson Browne and Warren Zevon. The movie was my introduction to something else entirely, and something about the energy and defiance of the punk music scene helped me decide to spend that summer as close to LA as I could get, which turned out to be UC-Irvine in the planned predictability of Orange County. To make my long story short, I didn't check out Fear or Black Flag or any of the other bands featured in the movie, though I did later get to see X on several occasions, but I did get my mind opened and gained a lot of exposure to music and film that I continue to cherish (and the best tan of my life, courtesy of Laguna Beach). This book is about the women who were influenced by and a part of the scene that is partially captured in that amazing documentary. Three of the women interviewed for this book (Alice Bag, Exene Cervenka, and Phranc) appear in the film, but most of the profiles are of people who were part of "the scene" in ways other than being in a band. All of them credit punk rock with liberating them from some aspect of stultifying convention, and although almost all of them have gone on with their now middle-aged lives in a diversity of ways, they all look back with fondness and nostalgia on the punk scene of the late 70s and early 80s. One person who gets mentioned by several of them and so deserves to be regarded with some measure of gratitude is DJ Rodney Bingenheimer ("Rodney on the ROQ") for his role in giving air time to bands most stations would not touch, and for turning a lot of young fans on to some pretty innovative and grass-roots music.
March 27, 2019
I bought this on general principle, punk rock having had a profound effect in my own life.
I was surprised by how this book constantly evoked feelings and taught me things (no little about great music, by the way -- Suburban Lawns are great!).
I'm going to keep this review short so I can use the rest of my time to email the author, Stacy Russo, to tell her what a fine time I had reading her book.
I can't imagine why someone would rate this lower than five stars. I really can't.
Not Chaucer, I guess? It's not.
I was surprised by how this book constantly evoked feelings and taught me things (no little about great music, by the way -- Suburban Lawns are great!).
I'm going to keep this review short so I can use the rest of my time to email the author, Stacy Russo, to tell her what a fine time I had reading her book.
I can't imagine why someone would rate this lower than five stars. I really can't.
Not Chaucer, I guess? It's not.
March 18, 2019
Fun oral history of SoCal punk rock from womens' perspective. Encompasses a variety of experiences and opinions. Some of the women found the punk scene welcoming and inclusive, others encountered rampant misogyny. Yet almost all of them found a scene which enabled them to develop and exhibit a true individual identity, independent of their upbringing. For most of them, that was actually more important than the music itself. And all of them found the experience still shapes their lives today.
May 4, 2019
I enjoyed this book a lot. I didn't think I would be interested in the subject matter, but started reading it and got hooked. Ms. Russo changed my image of the punk rockers and brought out their human side -- as opposed to my stereotypes of them.
June 24, 2021
Have been a fan of the California punk scene for years, and We Were Going to Change the World provided great insight to the view of many women involved. what I loved more is that the book not only focuses on musicians and authors, but fans as well.
February 20, 2025
Some great interviews with women involved in the LA Punk scene. The best ones are Xene, Pleasant, and Alice Bag. There are a lot of less famous women interviewed, and their stories are all pretty similar and get a bit repetitious. This could have been edited down to make it more compelling.
August 28, 2017
Excellent - highly recommend.
April 21, 2019
This is book is a very valuable and important revision to accounts of a scene that are so often male by default. Super inspiring and awesome.
April 1, 2020
Boring! Had to fight my way through it! 😵
May 30, 2022
DNF @ 45%: at first I was enjoying reading different experiences and then it got repetitive and boring. This book is better for people (esp feminists) who are into the punk rock scene. Not for me.
April 28, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book.
The premise of this essay collection is great. The execution could have been more effective. I summarized my thoughts in a short review here: https://rezonatr.com/book-review-we-w...
The premise of this essay collection is great. The execution could have been more effective. I summarized my thoughts in a short review here: https://rezonatr.com/book-review-we-w...
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews