DISBAND, is an all-girl punk conceptual band of artists, which began with an invitation in 1978 from Martha Wilson, Founder and Director of the arts organisation, Franklin Furnace. Our members included at various times: Ingrid Sischy, Barbara Kruger, Barbara Eass, among others. However, the core group consists of Martha Wilson, Donna Henes, Ilona Granet and Diane Torr.
DISBAND... ”screamed, shouted, sang and stomped through the heyday of New York City’s new-and no-wave scenes, blurring the line between performance art and live music.” (Primary Information CD liner notes, 2009)
Here are some of our songs from that time, as well as one we wrote after a reunion concert for the opening of WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution, 2008. at PS1, New York.
Songs can also be heard here: http://www.primaryinformation.org/projects/disband/
The Redneck Song
Home, home on the train
Where fear and paranoia play
Where seldom is heard
An encouraging word
That’s why people stay inside all day
Don’t underestimate change
This town plays more than one game
We girls get the urge
To eat drink and splurge
And invent novel ways to vent rage
Goin’ against the grain
‘Cause girls aren’t supposed to be brave
But my friends have the nerve
To not mind being heard
That’s why everyone says that we’re gay
© Martha Wilson, 1978
NYC
I been above the clouds
And I been under the weather
I been into trouble
And I been out of luck
But I never been anywhere…
I been above the law
And I been under detention
I been into revolution
And I been out of small change
But I never been anywhere…
I been above suspicion
And I been under observation
I been into the closet
And I been out of my mind
But I never been anywhere…
I been above reproach
And I been under the illusion
I been in too far
And I been out of my way
But I never been anywhere…
Like New York City
© Donna Henes, 1979
End
The end of boredom
The end of movies
The end of fashion
And the end of art
The end of sunglasses
The end of life as TV
The end of guns
And how much fun they are
The end of Donna Reed and Beaver Cleaver
The end of dissonance
The end of mimesis
The end of my career and yours
The end of signs
And semiotic journals
The end of articles
The end of gigs
The end of mentions
And the end of earrings
The end of my love life
The end of money
The end of profit
The end of Master Charge
And private property
The end of living quarters
End of running water
End of our hygiene
The end of death
Forget about the ambulance
The end of doctors
And the end of time
The end of intravenous
End of hope between us
© Barbara Kruger, 1979
Rebel
I’ve got a disease
The clinic cannot fix
We’ve got a disease
That nobody kicks
We caught it last week
From a radiation leak
Get rebel
My system’s infected
Plutonium needles injected
But the doctors are sure
That they’ll find a cure
For rebel
It’s a disease you cannot see
It’s a disease you cannot flee
It’s a powerful strain
We’ll all go insane
The future is bleak
Intimidation gets you meek
Get rebel rebel
Your resistance is low
And your current cannot flow
You cannot twist you cannot shout
‘Cause you’re channel is burnt out
Rebel rebel
Lights blink off and on
Your connection is gone
Radiation in the air
Radiation in your hair
Radiation in your food
Don’t take no abuse
Don’t take no abuse
Get rebel get rebel get rebel
© Ingrid Sischy and Diane Torr, 1978
Lost and Found
My daddy tried
And then he died
On no, oh no
I lost control
I found my soul
Oh yes. Oh yes.
I lost my husband
I found my wife
Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
I lost my son
I found my angel
Oh yes. Oh yes.
Donna
© Ilona Granet, 2009
I DINNAE WANNA BE ON HUDSON STREET
I DINNAE WANNA BE ON HUDSON STREET
IT’S THE WRANG PLACE FER ME
IT’S THE WRANG PLACE FER ME
RUNNIN ROON AN ROON THE TOON
NAEBODY CARES IF YER ALIVE OR DROONED
STOP YER JUMPIN ON MA HEID
I DINNAE NEED IT
I DINNAE WANNA BE ON HUDSON STREET
I DINNAE WANNA BE ON HUDSON STREET
IT’S THE WRANG PLACE FER ME
IT’S THE WRANG PLACE FER ME
STOP YER HECKLIN ME-E-E
INTIMIDATION LACKLUSTRE
I’VE GOT TAE GET AWA FRAE HERE
I’M AFF TAE THE BOOZER
I DINNAE WANNA BE ON HUDSON STREET
I DINNAE WANNA BE ON HUDSON STREET
IT’S THE WRANG PLACE FER ME
IT’S THE WRANG PLACE, IT’S THE WRANG PLACE, IT’S THE WRANG PLACE FER ME!
© Dianatone, 1979