Alice Bag is a living legend. Like, not only did she front the pioneering LA punk band The Bags, a band that made a very memorable appearance in the classic film Decline Of Western Civilization, but is also an activist and wrote an amazing diary of her time volunteering in wore-torn Nicaragua in 1986, published under the name Pipe Bomb For The Soul.
She’s also doing a really lovely thing while we are stuck in “Shelter In Place” mode. While every other artist is doing these incredibly melancholy livestreams from their homes, things that I am calling “sad streams,” Bag is working hard to get out energy levels up. She’s been producing these amazing aerobic videos sent to the music of young punk bands. She is giving you proper instructions for all of the workouts, guiding you along the way so you don’t get lost or hurt. She’s also pumping up the choruses, miming moshing, and all around giving the energy of going to a great punk show in your living room. Not only am I hearing some amazing new bands (holy shit that Special Interest song is amazing), but it’s also keeping me sane until I can be in a real mosh pit again. You can watch the videos here, or just dance around in your living room to the Spotify playlist!
Alice Bag’s latest record, Sister Dynamite, is available in all of the usual places right now! Remember that your local record store may not be open for browsing right now, but is doing mail order and needs your help, so give them a (virtual) visit today! Bag is also playing Burger Boogaloo on Halloween Weekend, and you know you’ll be ready for a show by then, so blow your lid off at the best party Oakland has all year.
