Tribe 8 was a lesbian

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

band from San Francisco, considered one of the first

queercore Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural/social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of the punk subculture and a music genre that comes from punk rock. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifically ...

groups. The band took their name from the practice of

tribadism Tribadism ( ) or tribbing, commonly known by its scissoring position, is a lesbian sexual practice involving vulva-to-vulva contact or rubbing the vulva against the partner's thigh, stomach, buttocks, arm, or other body parts (excluding the mouth) ...

, with "tribe eight" being a play on the word ''tribade'', a sexual practice sometimes also known as "scissoring."

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 Silas Howard is an American film and television director, writer, and actor. His first feature film ''By Hook or by Crook'' (2001) co-directed with Harry Dodge is a seminal trans masc feature. Howard earned an MFA in directing at UCLA and is ...

), Slade Bellum, Jen Schwartz, Mama T, Kat Buell, and Tantrum.

Concerts

In concert, lead singer Breedlove frequently performed shirtless, wearing a

strap-on dildo A strap-on dildo (also simply a strap-on) is a dildo designed to be worn, usually with a harness, during sexual activity. Harnesses and dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness fits the wearer, how the d ...

, and encouraged audience members to interact with it. Their songs often deal with subjects such as S/M, nudity,

fellatio Fellatio (also known as fellation, and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off) is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a human penis, penis by using the mouth. Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed ''fellat ...

, and

transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...

issues, and the band was the subject of controversy because of this. An article from the Chicago Tribune praised their Fireside Bowl show in 1998 stating "If the members of Tribe 8 play punk rock like they own it, it's only because they do." Tribe 8 toured throughout the United States, playing at venues such as DUMBA and

924 Gilman Street The Alternative Music Foundation located at 924 Gilman Street, almost exclusively referred to as "Gilman", is a non-profit, all-ages, collectively organized music club. It is located in the West Berkeley, Berkeley, California, West Berkeley ar ...

; they also played in Europe and Canada, and released a number of recordings on

independent record labels An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The 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'', and a memoir ''Lynnee Breedlove's One Freak Show'' published in 2009, winner of the 2010 Lambda Award for Transgender Writing. 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. Breedlove wrote, co-directed, co-produced, and starred in a short film, '' Godspeed'', based on his novel. It debuted in festivals in 2007. It features Jillian Lauren, Adam Horowitz, Leslie Mah, and Bucky Sinister, with cameos by Meliza Banales and

Jewelle Gomez Jewelle Lydia Gomez (born September 11, 1948) is an American author, poet, critic and playwright. She lived in New York City for 22 years, working in public television, theater, as well as philanthropy, before relocating to the West Coast. Her ...

. His comedy solo show on trans bodies, community and feminism, " Lynnee Breedlove's One Freak Show", toured worldwide from 2004 to 2009. He now runs Homobiles, a queer ride service. Outside of Tribe 8, Jen Schwartz is a solo singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who released her debut album ''Candy from a Stranger'' in 2000. She also owns Rampage Productions, a service business for musicians in Los Angeles. In 2010, she formed the band Me of a Kind. Me of a Kind's debut album is slated for release in the fall of 2010 on the Rampage Productions label.

Discography

Albums and EPs

*''Allen's Mom'' EP 1994,

Outpunk Records Outpunk enjoys the distinction of being the first record label entirely devoted to queer punk bands. The label was run out of San Francisco and began as an extension of Matt Wobensmith's fanzine, ''Outpunk''. ''Outpunk'' ran for seven issues, fro ...

*''By the Time We Get to Colorado'' EP, 1995, Outpunk Records *''Roadkill Cafe'' EP, 1995,

Alternative Tentacles Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label established in 1979 by Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra and guitarist East Bay Ray in San Francisco, California, with the intention to release the Dead Kennedys' self-produced single " C ...

*'' Fist City'' 1995 Alternative Tentacles *''Snarkism'' 1996, Alternative Tentacles *''Role Models for Amerika'' 1998 Alternative Tentacles *''Thanx For the Mammaries'' 2005 Self

Singles

*''Pig Bitch'' EP 7-inch, 1991, Harp Records *''Bitches and Brews'' split 7-inch single with Blatz 1992

Lookout! Records Lookout Records (stylized as Lookout! Records) was an independent record label, initially based in Laytonville, California, and later in Berkeley, focusing on punk rock. Established in 1987, the label is best known for having released Operatio ...

Compilation appearances

*''There's a Dyke in the Pit'' 7-inch EP, 1991

Outpunk Outpunk enjoys the distinction of being the first record label entirely devoted to queer punk bands. The label was run out of San Francisco and began as an extension of Matt Wobensmith's fanzine, ''Outpunk''. ''Outpunk'' ran for seven issues, fro ...

- "Manipulate" *'' Stars Kill Rock'', 1993

Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in February 1991 by Slim Moon and Tinuviel Sampson, and based in both Olympia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, but it was orig ...

- "Speed Fortress" *'' Outpunk Dance Party'', 1996

- "Oversized Ego" *'' New Women's Music Sampler-Class of 1999'', 1999, Mr Lady - "What The Papers Didn't Say"

References

External links

The "Rise Above: A Tribe 8 Documentary" official websiteLynn Breedlove's MySpace page
{{Authority control All-female punk bands LGBTQ-themed musical groups Punk rock groups from California Musical groups from San Francisco Queercore groups Riot grrrl bands Alternative Tentacles artists 1991 establishments in California