DeDe Troit
Vallen 1979
Pen on paper 8" x 10"

I drew this marker pen sketch of singer DeDe Troit as she performed with her band U.X.A. (United Experiments of America) at L.A.'s Hong Kong Cafe. The band's aggressive sound combined with DeDe's poetic lyrics won them legions of fans. They released a brilliant album titled Illusions of Grandeur that remains one of my favorite punk releases to this day.

There were many women involved in the punk movement, which was one of the few areas where women were able to create freely without being controlled by men. Quite a few bands were led by women, and their presence was not based on being sexual objects. In fact, many punks attacked mainstream corporate rock for being a sexist realm that included women only as playthings.