NERVOUS GENDER Miscarriage (Live at Target, 1980)
Nervous Gender emerged from Los Angeles in 1978 as one of the most innovative and confrontational acts of the early American Punk underground. Founded by Phranc, Gerardo Velazquez, Edward Stapleton, and Michael Ochoa, the band rejected the guitar-driven conventions of Punk and instead built its sound around distorted synthesizers, primitive electronics, noise, and performance art, helping to lay the foundation for what would later become known as SynthPunk, Industrial Noise, or whatever genre term harnesses the chaos and energy. Their performances were provocative, chaotic, and often intentionally unsettling, exploring themes of sexuality, identity, alienation, and social transgression. Combining abrasive electronics with an uncompromising artistic vision, Nervous Gender stood at the forefront of the emerging intersection between Punk, Industrial, and experimental electronic music while championing the Queer music underground.
for anyone who wants a great intro to IDM outside of Boards of Canada, Aphex, Autechre - this article by @laurent_fintoni opened my eyes to America's contribution to glitchy electronic music.
mentions of the scene that birthed Richard Devine, TTV, Machinedrum, Phoenecia, etc.