Sunday, June 19, 2005

Women In L.A. Punk Part XII - Dawn Wirth


Dawn and Alice - Photo by Sarah Wirth

I first met Dawn Wirth over 25 years ago through a mutual friend. She was taking photography classes and we soon found out that she was a talented photographer who was enthusiastic about documenting the new scene by taking pictures of the bands. I hadn't seen her since the late 1970's. We were recently reunited thanks to the internet.

Dawn was very involved in supporting the early scene bands. She used her photos to create promo items for the Weirdos and Mumps. In the days before the internet, the only way unsigned bands could get their name out was through fan clubs and flyers.

It is my honor to post a few of her photos, many of which have never been previously published. We wanted to post more, but we were unable to get them in time to run alongside this interview. We hope to be able to post more of her work in the months ahead.

Please click on the Women In Punk thumbnail to read Dawn's interview and see her some of her photos, which feature some of the best known figures in the early L.A. punk scene. Enjoy!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great interview! Never knew the warehouse story. Never had your peanut butter brownies. Need brownies!

~C~

Anonymous said...

*uber impressed*
those photos are fantastic!

Anonymous said...

What a great interview! Dawn I never knew you had such an interesting past. I wonder if our paths ever crossed in SF in the early 70s? I used to go to a few shows in Berkeley and at Winterland.

Let me know when your brownies are ready to sell over the internet. I've had your fudge, and it was marvelous. Can't wait to try the brownies.

xoxoxo
Karen

Anonymous said...

Thank you for interviewing Dawn. Her great enthusiasm for music, life and art helped make the scene as great as it was and I couldn't be happier to have been (and still am) among her friends.

And I would like to give credit and thanks to Alice "Bag" for putting Dawn and I in recent contact with one another after 20 years of "whatever happened to...?"

Anonymous said...

From when I first D.W. (oct. 2003) -- I thought she's so cool -- and we weren't friends yet!! It's great to see her photos and read her story from the L.A. Punk Scene ...
Her brownies are DELICIOUS .. and I get samples when she's trying new flavors -- newest favorite: - cherry cheesecake brownies
I know that I would not have made it through my daughter's first 2 years of high school without Dawn. IN FACT .. I'm only going to survive the next 2 because of her.
I believe D.W. to still be a "punk" at heart .. she don't take any crap from anybody and mostly tells PTA/Band Booster parents to BLOW ...
Thanks D.W. for being the "cool" one ... I never had a really cool friend until now!!
S.C.

Anonymous said...

Alice,

I checked out your Audioscrobbler link, I like what you're listening to. Do the Mint Chicks have a CD out?

M* said...

thank you dawn for the wonderful pictures..

and cool interview!!!

Anonymous said...

hi I am Dawn's Pop,

I never knew she did all of this stuff. The photographs are great. We are very proud of you Dawn!

Anonymous said...

wow those pictures are awesome.

Anonymous said...

Loved the interview! Opened up a new world of Dawn for me.

I want brownies too!

tOdd
www.oddtodd.com

Anonymous said...

The interview with DW was great- her pics were awesome and her memories of that time and place brings back that whole period. She proves that time goes on but one can still keep the same ideals at heart. Plus she looks like times been good to her!! I want to try thoses brownies!

Anonymous said...

I don't know Dawn that well, only through family, but the interview was great! We learn something new everyday, about people we thought we knew.