Last year, legendary Chicana feminist punk icon and activist Alice Bag released her first full-length album in her 40-year career with pioneering LA punk band The Bags and outfits such as Castration Squad, Cholita, and Las Tres. Thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, which made its goal in seven days, her dream became a reality, and Bag was able to fund performers, studio time, and release costs.
As if making up for lost time, Bag has already finished writing her next solo album, and is turning to Kickstarter once again to make it happen. Alice Bag was an eclectic mixture of sounds and styles, fueled by a rage against social ills. It’s a safe bet to guess that forthcoming songs will follow a similar path. Rewards for backers include signed CDs, LPs, and books, as well as pins and tote bags (some designed by punk icon Martin Sorrondeguy!).
Bag remains an outspoken defender of women’s and immigrant’s rights, a fact that’s well-represented in her music. She writes on the Kickstarter page that she’s “not a fan of corporate backing for the arts (especially when my music is critical of the establishment), but I do believe that a small engaged community can achieve big things.” Bag is highlighting crowdfunding as a means for people with common struggles to come together and raise a collective voice.
Check the crowdfunding campaign here. The campaign ends on July 20, 2017.