You can call them Bags, The Bags, Alice Bag Band, or simply call them exactly what they are, one of the pioneering bands of the Southern California punk movement. The band was founded in 1977 by Alicia Armendariz and Patricia Morrison, who initially formed their own band, Femme Fatale, before teaming up with Kim Fowley to create the first iteration of Bags. The name originates from the fact that the band would wear bags over their heads during early performances, but the silliness took an abrupt turn when the band began playing.
While the band was short-lived, and founding member Armendariz departed after recording only a few songs, their impact is undeniable when discussing the roots of West Coast punk, which brings us to this lovely Golden Age Thursday. This week, we revisit Penelope Spheeris’ essential punk documentary, The Decline of Western Civilization, for a look at the iconic, raw energy of this band. The rare footage captures the cathartic chaos of The Bags and showcases exactly why, despite a lack of recorded material, the band’s name lives in the hallways of punk.
