Tribe 8

This article is about the San Francisco based lesbian punk band Tribe 8. See Tribe 8 (role-playing game) for Dream Pod 9's post-apocalyptic fantasy role-playing game.

Tribe 8 was an all-women outspoken dyke punk band from San Francisco, California. Considered one of the first queercore groups,^[1] they take their name from the practice of tribadism.^[2]

Band members

The makeup of the group changed over time, but Lynn Breedlove and Leslie Mah (formerly of Anti-Scrunti Faction) were consistent members. Other members included Flipper (Silas Howard), Slade Bellum, Jen Rampage, Mama T, and Tantrum.^[3]

Concerts

In concert, lead singer Breedlove frequently performed shirtless, wearing a strap-on dildo, and encouraged audience members to interact with it.^[4] Their songs often deal with subjects such as S/M, nudity, fellatio, and transgender issues, and the band was the subject of controversy because of this.

Tribe 8 toured throughout the United States, playing at venues such as DUMBA and 924 Gilman Street; they also played in Europe and Canada, and released a number of recordings on independent record labels.

In 1996, the band made its screen debut in A Gun For Jennifer, directed by Todd Morris. The band performs live in the documentary film She's Real, Worse Than Queer by Lucy Thane, released in 1997. Members of the band are also interviewed, speaking about a range of topics including the development of the queercore music scene. In 2003 the film Rise Above: A Tribe 8 Documentary, by director Tracy Flannigan, was released, documenting not only performances by the band but the motivations and reasons behind the band and the part it plays in their lives. The movie has won many awards at film festivals throughout the U.S.

Other work

Outside of the band, Lynn Breedlove is also the author of a novel, Godspeed, published in 2002, now translated into German as Goetterspeed. Leslie Mah has appeared in various films including The Yo-Yo Gang by G.B. Jones; Shut Up White Boy, co-directed by Vu T. and Thu Ha; and produced her own film, Estrofemme, in 1998.

Lynn Breedlove wrote, co-directed, co-produced, and starred in a short film "Godspeed", based on the novel by the same name, which debuted in festivals in 2007. It features Jillian Lauren, Adam Horowitz, Leslie Mah, and Bucky Sinister, with cameos by Meliza Banales and Jewelle Gomez. The comedy solo show on trans bodies, community, and feminism "Lynnee Breedlove's One Freak Show", continues to tour worldwide.

Discography

See also

• Queercore
• List of all-women bands

References

1. ^ Anafaith (2006-08-23), "Review of "Rise Above"", AfterEllen.com, http://www.afterellen.com/Movies/2006/8/riseabove.html, retrieved 2007-09-21 
2. ^ "Rise Above: The Tribe 8 Documentary", San Francisco Bay Guardian, 2006-07-12, http://www.sfbayguardian.com/entry.php?catid=4&entry_id=1108, retrieved 2007-09-21 
3. ^ "Where Are They Now", Tribe 8 Official Site, http://www.tribe8.com/wherearetheynow.html, retrieved 2007-09-21 
4. ^ Baird, Don (2002-04-18), "Lynne Breedlove Does It All", San Francisco Bay Times 

External links

• Tribe 8 Official Website
• [1]
• [2]
• Lynn Breedlove Official Website
• Alternative Tentacles' Tribe 8 Biography
• The "Rise Above: A Tribe 8 Documentary" Official Website
• The "Rise Above: A Tribe 8 Documentary" myspace page for updates and info