Punk is a promise. When,
coming from England in the late 70s, it reaches German, Austrian, and Swiss clubs from England, it heralds rebellion and self-empowerment. To express oneself, neither education nor perfection is necessary; what matters is the idea and the courage to step onto a stage. “Don’t talk, do it!”, is the motto. This applies not only to the punk alpha males but especially to the women in the scene. Songs emerge that tackle female stereotypes and bourgeois conventions, as well as machismo and dogmatic feminism. They speak of female desire and sexual self-determination. And about claiming space within the male-dominated scene and in society as a whole.
Don’t Talk, Do! She-Punks from 1977 until Today
Reto Caduff
Born in 1967 in Zurich/Switzerland. Trained in Swiss Typography and Graphic Design. Worked as an editor and moderator for radio and television and as a photographer and publisher. Owns a creative agency. Active as a director and writer.
1995 KIDS&GUNS
1996 AREA 51, PASSPORT, LOWRIDER
1997 NAVAJO INDIAN, MILITIA
2004 KROKUS
2006 LOVEBUGS - TAIWAN JETLAG, A CRUDE AWAKENING - THE OIL CRASH
2009 CHARLIE HADEN
2011 THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF HERBERT MATTER
2018 CONNY PLANK - POTENTIAL OF NOISE
2024 EINFACH MACHEN - SHE-PUNKS VON 1977 BIS HEUTE, Dokumentarfilm HOF 2024
“Until the 1970s, much of rock and pop music was dominated by men. Women were mostly responsible for singing on stage, while the guys played the instruments. The punk movement, beginning around 1976, was the catalyst for a first change of the situation. The stage suddenly became accessible to everyone. Young female musicians and artists took advantage of this and formed all-female bands – even in Germany and Switzerland. Despite the different sounds and without realizing it at the time, these bands were part of a female revolution in the music industry that would have a lasting impact on subsequent female artists. It is a story that has not often been told. Although punk faded in the early 1980s, these strong female personalities left a lasting impression, and the experiences from that time shaped their futures.”
Reto Caduff