Nardwuar the Human Serviette Vs. This interview originally ran in Razorcake #75, 2013 Alice Bag and her band The Bags set the bar for the catchy, punchy, and intense punk rock emanating out of Los Angeles in the late 1970s. The band lasted until 1981 but a Dangerhouse single here and a compilation appearance there was all that was really necessary to cement their legendary status. Behind the songs and gigs, Alice had her own fascinating back story, one that was not fully captured until the release of her book Violence Girl: East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, A Chicana Punk Story. In true punk rock fashion (and I am using the word “punk” a lot here!), Alice has been taking her book on tour, doing readings and solo performances at select venues. I was lucky enough to be able to Skype away with Ms. Alice “Douche” Bag before she stopped in Vancouver, BC’s Red Cat Records. Here’s what happened…. * * * Original layout by Amy Adoyzie Adapted layout by Matthew Hart Photos by Shanty Cheryl, Kat Jetson, Todd Taylor and courtesy of alicebag.com Transcription by Rishbha Bhagi Nardwuar: Who are you? Alice: I’m Alice Bag. I was in a band back in 1977 in Los Angeles called The Bags. We wore bags over our heads. Then I became a teacher and I was in a bunch of different bands, mostly in L.A. Now I’m an author. Nardwuar: And speaking of Alice Bag and authorisms, you’d like to say something to the people of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, wouldn’t you? You’re coming here this Sunday. Alice: Yes, Sunday at Red Cat, four o’ clock. Please come. Nardwuar: What exactly will be happening, Alice Bag, author of Violence Girl? Alice: I’ll be reading excerpts from my book and playing a few songs, and the songs are going to go along with the excerpts. So if I read something from my childhood, I will try and play something from that time—we’ll move through the story sequentially that way. Nardwuar: So Alice, right off the bat, you could’ve retired from rock and roll in 1975, couldn’t you? Alice: [laughs] 1975? Nardwuar: Yes, you could’ve retired in 1975. Alice: I don’t know about that. I don’t think I can ever retire. Nardwuar: I think you could’ve retired in 1975 because you met Michael Jackson. Alice: [laughs] Nardwuar: Is this true, Alice Bag? Alice: Yes, yes it is true. He rolled up in a limousine. I was stalking Elton outside of CBS, waiting for him to film The Cher Show, and this limousine drove up and rolled down the window. There was a young Michael Jackson who was wondering what we were up to. He was so friendly. It’s hard to believe that he went through so many changes and is gone now. But yeah, it was very exciting at the time. Nardwuar: At that time, how were you dressed? What did Michael Jackson see, Alice Bag? Alice: He saw me in very short hair and Elton John glasses because I was a huge Elton fan. I had these giant spectacles with rhinestones all around. I had ditched school, so I’m not sure if I had changed out of my uniform or if I was wearing my Elton John pants. I had these pants that I wore when I was on my stalking missions that were just a pair of jeans on which I’d sewn the word “Elton” in silver lamé. So I would’ve looked freakish. Nardwuar: Meeting Michael Jackson, 1975—reason to retire number one for Alice Bag. But number two reason to retire, was all the way back after playing at a cast party for M*A*S*H. Alice: [laughs] I know, isn’t that funny? Yeah, and I got to meet Hot Lips Houlihan. That was her name, right? Nardwuar: It was indeed. Alice: Yeah. Nardwuar: I just love the idea of Hollywood. Like, god bless Hollywood, right? For some rock and rollers, like for me, meeting Michael Jackson, playing a cast party for M*A*S*H in The Bags, did it get any better than that? Alice: [laughs] Well, I was in a band with a guy who used to write episodes for—wait, wait, wait. Let me back it up to M*A*S*H. I’m sure you know this, but Joanna Lee—who was Craig Lee’s mother, who was my guitarist—Joanna Lee was actually in Plan 9 from Outer Space. So I was in a band with the alien’s son. Nardwuar: Well, that’s reason number three that you could retire early from rock and roll, Alice Bag. That’s amazing to be in the same band with somebody that was in—what did she do in Plan 9 From Outer Space? Alice: She was one of the aliens. Nardwuar: Going back to the M*A*S*H party, The Bags—a fierce punk rock band— playing for M*A*S*H people. Were they ready for an onslaught? Alice: No. [laughs] I don’t think they were ready. They sat there with their canapés looking at us sort of dumbfounded. But they were very nice. They were very polite. I think Joanna introduced us as her son’s band, so people were tolerant. Nardwuar: Alice Bag, I read a great review for your book, Violence Girl, in Razorcake and I thought that I would begin with the question that they asked in their review: Why didn’t you go for lunch with Oprah? Alice: The real reason I didn’t go to lunch with Oprah is because I couldn’t go to lunch with Oprah, because I was singing back-up with El Vez, and El Vez was going to be on the show. So we were going to fly out and Robert (Lopez), El Vez, was late for the flight. So our luggage somehow ended up on another plane at another airport, and we didn’t have clothes. Her secretary called and invited us to dinner with Oprah because she was dining with all her guests. It was in a nice restaurant and we had no clothes, so we couldn’t go. I had a pair of torn jeans and a Ramones T-shirt on, I think. So that’s the real reason I turned down dinner with Oprah. Nardwuar: Alice, your book Violence Girl—does it have the world record for chapters? How many chapters are in it? Alice: I don’t know. I haven’t counted them. It sounds like a good contest, though. [laughs] Nardwuar: It makes it so easy to read—I love it. I was kind of thinking, “Alice was from The Bags and still is rocking, and is like, punk rock at heart, and that’s why the chapters are short, like punk rock songs. Why are they so short, the chapters? Why are they so short? Alice: Because they’re like punk rock songs, exactly. [laughs] No, no, no. The real reason they’re short is because I was blogging and I would write a chapter every day. That seemed to me the right length for a blog entry. KAT JETSON Nardwuar: And for people who don’t know, you grew up where, Alice Bag? Alice: I grew up in East LA. Nardwuar: Ditman Avenue. Alice: Ditman Avenue. [laughs] Nardwuar: And growing up, you mention in your book Violence Girl, a lot about Mexican garage rock, at least a few allusions to it. Like Los Teen Tops and Thee Midniters. Alice: Yes. Nardwuar: Do you ever think of covering any of those bands, like Thee Midniters’ “I Found a Peanut”? Alice: [laughs] Oh, wow. No, I haven’t thought of covering them, but maybe I should. Now that I’m doing this, I’m thinking of trying cover versions of some of these songs that are popular in certain areas. Yet, a lot of people have never heard of Thee Midniters. I really like “That’s All.” You know that song? Nardwuar: I love all Thee Midnighters stuff. Yeah, it’s amazing. My favorite, I guess, is “I Found a Peanut.” Alice: [laughs] Okay. Nardwuar: Alice Bag, growing up, your family was involved in dumpster diving. What can you tell the people about that? Dumpster diving for fabric and then selling it at swap meets? Alice: Well, my dad was a carpenter and he didn’t always find construction work, so there was a period of time where he was not getting any work. So we would go downtown to the garment district and my parents would hop into the dumpsters and pull out these rolls of fabric that might just have a couple yards left, or these big books of samples which were like bound books that had maybe a square about… a foot by a foot. My mom would rip out the squares, take them home, make quilts, and then we’d display them at the swap meet, and that’s how we made our living for a while. Nardwuar: Downtown in L.A., there’s Clifton’s—it’s been there for years. What was Clifton’s like way back when and how does it differ from the way Clifton’s is today? It’s a legendary cafeteria. Was it always the same? Alice: I don’t know what it’s like now. I don’t even know if it’s open anymore. We used to go on weekends, mostly, and there were usually religious people outside singing songs, playing tambourines, and calling you to come join the congregation.