TeachRock

“Punk rock is about standing up for what you believe in, even when it’s difficult. I’ll always speak out for what’s right, no matter the consequences.”

-Alice Bag

This month, TeachRock is celebrating the birthday of pioneering Chicana Punk Rocker Alice Bag. Join the celebration by exploring Alice Bag’s inspirational career in two TeachRock Lessons. Chicana Punk and the Chicano Movement examines Alice Bag and The Brat singer’s Teresa Covarrubias’s artistic relationship with the Chicano Movement. Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers Movement features Bag’s performance of “ A Street Called Dolores Huerta,” a song inspired by the poem by Nikki Darling. 

Born Alicia “Alice” Armendariz on November 7th, Alice and her friend Patricia Morgan would later co-found the group the Bags. Along with bands such as the Germs and Black Flag, the Bags would play a pivotal role in defining California’s Hardcore Punk sound, and are featured in Penelope Spheeris’ seminal Punk film The Decline of Western Civilization.

Later, Alice continued to perform in other groups and as a solo musician, creating the “Punk-chera” genre combining Punk and Mexican Ranchera music. She continues to perform politically-conscious songs on issues she is involved in.   

In addition to her work in bands and as a solo musician, Bag is also a published author, painter, activist, and (maybe best of all?) an English teacher! 

Check out this Spotify playlist featuring Alice Bag.

Happy Birthday, Alice!