IN FOCUS
THIS IS NOT YOUR PUNK REMEMBERING QUEERCORE
As queer art and life has moved closer and closer to the mainstream, the kind of work that’s being produced has become more and more respectable. The queer anarchy and disgust of the early films of John Waters, or the popart wastelands of Gregg Araki have been replaced by the acceptable face of queer cinema: coming out films like Love, Simon. One of the most interesting, and strangely appealing artefacts of queer art is the short-lived queercore movement; an offshoot of
punk and hardcore that’s rooted in the political and personal concerns of queer performers and bands. The lasting appeal of queercore exists irrespective of the varying quality – both technically and otherwise – of the albums that came out of the movement. If anything, the appeal comes from the fact that they’re imperfect; the production is grainy, things get lost or muddled in the mix, but this DIY charm is something that feels tragically missing in a 64
lot of more contemporary queer art, which feels more manufactured, designed to be palatable to a wider audience. The great joy of queercore comes from how unapologetically queer it is, embracing the energy and political edge of punk in a way that allows for the creation of something uniquely queer, and refreshingly angry. Listening to Team Dresch’s debut album Personal Best – named for and taking its cover image from the lesbian-themed film of the same name – has a certain
