Punk Rock!

Photo by Lucien Perkins

My friend Lely Constantinople has been telling me for years about a trove of work she discovered in the basement archives of her then-boss, D.C. photographer Lucian Perkins, who documented the emerging D.C. punk scene at the beginning of his career. She was very excited about it then and now, and has long had the idea of trying to help set the work loose in the world.

Lucian is a two-time Pulitzer-Prizewinning Post photographer who was Newspaper Photographer of the Year in 1994 and won the World Press Photo of the Year in '96. But all his photographs of bands like Bad Brains, Trenchmouth, Teen Idles, the Untouchables, and the Slickee Boys were taken before he was known for anything. Lely's husband Alec MacKaye was there for a lot of it. (He's also the brother of Ian MacKaye, frontman of the Dischord band Fugazi.) When she found the negatives, Lely recongized Alec, then her boyfriend, in the contacts.

Lucian, with Jayme McLellan, who is director of Civilian Art Projects in D.C., Lely, and Alec are taking the next step to try to get the work seen and published by launching a Kickstarter campaign. They have an exhibition planned for D.C. in November which will travel to New Orleans and Austin, and hope to publish a book.

If this appeals to you, head over to the Kickstarter page for Hard Art DC 1979 and have a look at their video.

And pass it around.

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[the other James]

I thought quite a few of Lucian's photos wound up in Banned In DC, alongside Jay Rabinowitz (a completely under-rated talent--looking at his contact sheets was incredible), Cynthia Conolly, Jim Saah, and the dozens of other people who were photographing the DC scene.

[yunfat]

You know it's a great punk rock photo when you can smell it. I am really hoping this project makes it.

[JJ]

Wow. I haven't heard the name Slickee Boys in nearly 25 years. This looks great.

[Marty McAuliff]

...an unexpected gem found here tonight. very cool.

[Steve G, Mendocino]

Not a fan of punk - more a jazz guy myself - but I've participated in a couple of Kickstarter projects, including the Pinwide, and heartily endorse doing so. A tremendous reward for and sense of participation for a small investment. If you're interested in these photos and this music and period but are hesitant about investing in a Kickstarter project, I'd say go for it.

Or Gabba Gabba Hey...

[MJFerron]

The video brings back memories. I was a semi-regular at a club called the Rat in Boston back in the early to mid 70's. Not that I was actually a real punk myself but I liked the loose feel to the scene and met briefly several future stars including Joan Jett and Lita Ford from the Runaways.
I also met Debora Harry and Elvis Costello who were there hanging out after gigs in town. The Cars were almost a house band until they hit it big. Damn I wish I was into photography back in my younger days. Shots of those folks would have been so much better than the rusted trucks I shoot today.

[mike]

Super. I love good music photos and will watch for the book. Looks like they've already reached their goal.

[pepeye]

DC's music scene in those days was so great. The Slickee Boys were amazing. And the Urban Verbs, Velvet Monkees and, of course, Root Boy Slim. Good times.

[David]

JUST incredible, brings back so many memories even though I was between Chicago and New York back then. Don't matter. there was a great creative energy emerging from the punk clubs/scene.