The Brat, one of the bands associated with East Los Angeles Chicano punk
The Brat in 1981. Photo courtesy of Eddie Gonzalez, via the Claremont Courier.

A music-history post from Monty’s Good Burger asks listeners which bands belong in the conversation. It is a good invitation to explore the Latino and Chicano musicians who helped shape punk’s sound and community.

In a Daily Nexus feature, Sunidhi Sridhar examines Los Illegals and The Plugz through a UCSB photographic exhibition. Her reporting connects the bands’ music to questions of identity and the experiences of Chicano youth.

The ONE Archives’ history of the Vex offers another starting point. The East L.A. venue provided space for a scene associated with artists including The Brat, The Bags, The Plugz and The Zeros. These histories show why the clubs, photographs and people behind the records matter, too.

Start with a band you have never heard, then follow the connections. A playlist can become an introduction to a much larger cultural history.

Read the source article: “UCSB’s Multicultural Center Brings a Closer Look into Chicano Punk Rock,” Daily Nexus, by Sunidhi Sridhar (2019). Background: ONE Archives, “Vex” (institutional account; no individual byline listed).

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