On this episode of Bonus Tracks, Feja Fox explores the history and evolution of a punk subgenre rooted in the queer and trans community. From early pioneers like Pansy Division and Fifth Column to later acts like Against Me! And Limp Wrist. Freja traces how the genre shifted over time, including artists like G.L.O.S.S, The HIRS Collective, and She?Her/Hers, showing how queercore continues to evolve while holding strong in identity, resistance, and community.
Transcript:
0:01: My name is Freja Fox and you’re listening to KXCI Bonus Tracks.
0:05: Ever since the early days of punk, queer and trans folks have found community within the subculture.
0:09: Lots of elder queers and punks I talked to say some of the only places they could fully be themselves were dimly lit crust punk bars and alleyway shows.
music sample: (0:27) Fem In a Black Leather Jacket- Pansy Division – Undressed, 1991 601724 Records DK
0:18: The prevalence of queer people within the subculture led to an entirely new genre, queercore.
music sample: (0:25) I Was a Teenage Anarchist – Against Me! – White Crosses, 2011 Total Treble
0:27: Bands like Pansy Division and Fifth Column define this emerging genre as an ever-evolving sound somewhere between punk and hardcore.
0:38: As time has gone on, the genre has had many different phases, with bands like Against Me and Limp Wrist serving as a revival, mixing in contemporary punk sounds.
music sample: (0:25) I Was a Teenage Anarchist – Against Me! – White Crosses, 2011 Total Treble
0:48: And the band Butch versus Femme introducing Riot Girl to queercore in the early 2000s.
music sample: (0:19) Butch Ass Burden – Butch vs Femme – Eat Yr Heart Out, 2015 Butch vs Femme
1:24: After this brief revival, Queercore would face a couple of years of stagnancy.
1:27: That all changed in the 2010s with two bands, Philly-based HIRS Collective and Olympia-based G.L.O.S.S.
music sample: G.L.O.S.S. (We’re from the Future) – G.L.O.S.S. – Demo 2015, 2016 Sabotage Records
1:46: G.L.O.S.S., fronted by Sadie Switchblade Smith and HI RS Collective, fronted by Jenna JP Pup, both transgender women, will go back to the hardcore roots of queercore.
1:55: HIRS Collective would form in 2011 with one of their core values being to prioritize playing shows in places hostile to trans people.
music sample: (0:09) It’s OK to be Sick – The HIRS Collective – Friends, Lovers, Favorites, 2018 Get Better Records
2:07: HIRS has released 2 albums and a compilation with their 1st 100 songs.
2:12: They still tour with a fluid lineup, but the core members of Jenna and guitarist Scott Essen.
music sample: (0:28) G.L.O.S.S. (We’re from the Future) – G.L.O.S.S. – Demo 2015, 2016 Sabotage Records
2:27: Formed in 2014, G.L.O.S.S. would have one release of demos before releasing their infamous album Tran’s Day of Revenge in 2016.
2:41: They break up later that year.
2:43: Many trans artists, both within queercore and outside of it, speak about the influence that GLOSS has had on them and their music.
2:50: After GLOSS, there was Dog Park Dissidents and The Muslims who bring older school anarcho-punk back into focus.
2:56: DPD’s songwriting speaks about the connection of queer life.
2:59: And identities to punk values and focuses on the kinkier aspects of queer life.
music sample: (0:23) Rainbow Drones – Dog Park Dissidents – Sexual and Violent – 2018 Nerd Cave Recordings
3:18: In the 2020s, the band She/Her/Hers has shifted the genre towards an interesting and intriguing pop punk and punk inspired indie rock sound.
3:25: Emma Girl, the lead singer, speaks about her unique view on life, femininity, and being trans in the modern era.
music sample: (0:26) Kill The Boy Band- She/Her/Hers – Kill The Boy Band- EP, 2019 Don Giovanni Records
3:43: Thank you for listening to KXCI Bonus Tracks.
3:48: My name is Freja Fox.
3:49: To hear more, please go to KXCI.org.
