Vancouver Punk: The Beginning of a Collection

by Eric Swanick

The Vancouver Punk Collection began with a call to DOA’s Joey Keithley. After initially expressing surprise, Keithley did donate several CDs and posters. Then in a CBC Radio interview, Keithley promoted the collection by suggesting that those interested in donating “call Eric at SFU.” From that beginning Vancouver Punk has grown into a collection of over 600 posters and more than 100 CDs/LPs/45s, several periodicals, other ephemera, pictures, a web site, and a genealogy of Vancouver punk bands that shows the many personnel changes within them.

A headline in the New York Times (June 12, 2008) referred to Punk as “a brief noisy movement which still reverberates.” Many fans not only remain loyal to the music but have also internalized that punk philosophy, a philosophy that has become “part of the person.”

There were many aspects to punk, one of which was its support for social and political causes – the environment, women’s rights, opposition to racism. These issues remain on the agenda for many.

The Vancouver Punk Collection has grown significantly since its inception and has generated much enthusiasm. There have been articles written on the collection, with one student noting that “…this collection shows that SFU’s Special Collections and Rare Books is willing to step outside the box and assert a different, and underrepresented, viewpoint.”

The collection will continue to develop and expand into the areas that punk influenced and in which punk participated. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, those original Vancouver Punk bands – the Dishrags, DOA, the Modernettes, Art Bergmann, the Pointed Sticks, the Furies, U Jerks, and so many more – have found a home at SFU. Here is a selection of the art generated in the many posters produced by Vancouver’s Punk movement. <http://www.lib.sfu.ca/special-collections/punk>

Click image to see a larger version Title: Live at Carnegie Hall Bands: Subhumans; Insex; Metros Date: 1980-10-24 Venue: Carnegie Centre, Vancouver	Click image to see a larger version Title: Attack of the Ice-Backs! Bands: D.O.A.; NoMeansNo Date: 1988-03-11 Venue: Viking Union Lounge, Bellingham, WA
Click image to see a larger version Title: D.O.A. 25th Anniversary World Tour Bands: D.O.A.; Portrait of Poverty; The Lucky Stiffs Date: 2002-11-20 Venue: 330 Ritch, San Francisco	Click image to see a larger version Title: Freedom Has a New Sound! Bands: Death Sentence Date: n/a Venue: n/a
Click image to see a larger version Title: Bob’s Your Uncle Bands: Bob’s Your Uncle; The Crimpolines Date:1980-04-16 Venue: Town Pump, Vancouver	Click image to see a larger version Title: D.O.A. Bands: D.O.A.; The Icemen, Damage C’est Damage Date: 1995-01-06 Venue: Town Pump, Vancouver
Click image to see a larger version Title: David Raven & the Escorts Bands: David Raven and the Escorts; Bing Jensen Band Date: 1982-09-24 Venue: Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver	Click image to see a larger version Title: Pointed Sticks Bands: Pointed Sticks; Riff Randells Date: 2007-08-25 Venue: The Red Room, Vancouver
Click image to see a larger version Title: Haters Bands: The Haters Date:1981-12-19 Venue:Metro Media, Vancouver	Click image to see a larger version Title: Fight the Poster By-Law Bands: (request for assistance) Date: n/a Venue: n/a
Click image to see a larger version Title: k.d. lang and the Reclines Bands: kd lang & the Reclines; Herald Nix Date: 1980-03-07 Venue: Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver	Click image to see a larger version Title: The Singing Cowboys Bands: The Singing Cowboys Date: 1981-11-19 Venue: Rohans, Vancouver
Click image to see a larger version Title: The Dawning of a New Error... Bands: D.O.A.; The Dates Date: 1986-07-24 Venue: Walnut Hills Bar, Dayton, OH	Click image to see a larger version Title: D.O.A. Bands: D.O.A.; Civil Death; Conflict; Corporate Whores Date: 1982-11-17 Venue: Backstage, Tucson, AZ
Click image to see a larger version Title: Showcase ’83 Bands: D.O.A.; Los Popularos; I, Braineater Date: 1983-03-11 Venue: SUB Ballroom, UBC, Vancouver	Click image to see a larger version Title: Soldiers of Sport Bands: Soldiers of Sport Date: 1983-05-13 Venue: Oddfellows Hall, Vancouver
Click image to see a larger version Title: Go Four 3 Bands: Go Four 3; the Deadcats; My 3 Sons Date: 1985-04-29 Venue: Savoy	Click image to see a larger version Title: Big Medicine/Poisoned Bands: Big Medicine; Poisoned Date: July 27 Venue: Town Pump, Vancouver
Click image to see a larger version Title: Secret V’s/No-One Rules Bands: Secret V’s; No-One Rules; Melody Pimps; Conspiracy Date: 1980-06-29 Venue: 1980-06-29	Click image to see a larger version Title: Vancouver New Wave Bands: D.O.A.; Dishrags; Pointed Sticks; Private School; Subhumans; U-J3RK5 Date: 1979-05-10 Venue: O’Hara’s, Vancouver
Click image to see a larger version Title: D.O.A.: Bring Back the Future Bands: D.O.A. (record release) Date: n/a (template) Venue: n/a	Click image to see a larger version Title: Villains Bands: Villains Date: 1981-05-08 Venue: Commodore Ballroom