A World of Our Own: Mydolls and the Houston Punk Scene 

 

As part of the 20HERTZ music lecture series, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston presented A World of Our Own: Mydolls and the Houston Punk Scene, an interview with Texas first-wave punk band Mydolls (1978-present), SugarHill Recording Studios President and producer Dan Workman, and Nancy Agin D. of Wild Dog Archives. The lecture and performance took place on July 28, 2016. Mydolls shared stories from their nearly four-decade-long career recording, touring, and producing records, and the lecture focused on the band's DIY ethos, cultural impact and role as community leaders working to empower women and musicians of all ages. Mydolls also performed a live concert in the Museum gallery.

In conjunction with the lecture series, Wild Dog Archives partnered with Mydolls and curator Max Fields to organize a display of punk artifacts and ephemera from the band’s archives in the Museum’s Cullen Education Resource Room. In the spirit of Henry Wild Dog, who launched Houston's first punk zine in 1979, Nancy Agin D. create a zine takeaway/DIY art catalog for the archive exhibition.

 
Flyer design by Barry Elkanick; courtesy of CAMH

Flyer design by Barry Elkanick; courtesy of CAMH

Live concert footage from Mydolls' band archive presented at CAMH. Photo: Max Fields

Live concert footage from Mydolls' band archive presented at CAMH. Photo: Max Fields

Select artifacts from Mydolls’ band archive curated by Max Fields/CAMH and organized by Wild Dog Archives (2016). Photo: Max Fields

Select artifacts from Mydolls’ band archive curated by Max Fields/CAMH and organized by Wild Dog Archives (2016). Photo: Max Fields

ABOUT MYDOLLS (1979- PRESENT)

Mydolls, Houston’s original femme punk band, was formed in 1978 by guitarist and vocalist Trish Herrera, bassist Dianna Ray, guitarist and vocalist Linda Younger and drummer George Reyes. As one of the earliest art punk bands in Houston, Mydolls created a DIY sound that was as ethereal, fluid and poetic as it was politically charged and feminist. Throughout their nearly 40-year history, these pioneering musicians have paved a path for women and minorities in the music and arts scenes, and they continue to perform today with their original lineup. Mydolls’ first single, Nova Grows Up/Therapist, was released in 1980, followed by the band’s second 45, Exorcist/Imposter, and 12”, Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick, which were released on Houston independent label CIA Records. During the 1980s, Mydolls were interviewed by John Peel on BBC Radio and performed in Wim Wenders’ award-winning indie film Paris, Texas. Mydolls and the Houston punk scene were the focus of a 2016 music-based lecture series at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and the band most recently performed as part of the SPEAKEASY experimental music and art program series at Lawndale Art Center in conjunction with the release of their collectible EP, It’s Too Hot for Revolution.