Hello All!
In conjunction with the NO VALUES Festival, I have created a limited edition (50) photozine of 10 images of bands that I photographed at the festival. Below is the text printed in the ‘zine and the images I chose.
The fanzine will be available for $25 at the Punk Rock and Paintbrushes booth. @punkrockandpaintbrushes
“No Values”
“NO VALUES: Select Images From the Collection of JENNIFER FINCH
My name is Jennifer Finch, and before I joined the band L7 in 1986, I was bopping around the Southern California punk, art, and queer scenes, with photography and image capture being my passion. It is without any loss of immense honor that I recognize the incredible rarity and significance of many of us being together (including you, dearest reader) to play the No Values festival. With that in mind I wante to pull togther some images from my archives in tribute to these musicians and the moments that we shared.
The photographs within these pages capture seminal performances from bands that have not only defined the punk genre but have also continued to influence music and culture for decades. My work features icons like Black Flag, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Vandals, The Damned, Suicidal Tendencies, L7, Adolescents, Sublime, Dead Kennedys, and many more. These images reflect back to a moment in time when these artists were breaking ground and radiating raw, unbridled energy that was just beginning to coalesce. This potent energy, much like the initial spark in a chain reaction, would fuel an explosive movement, reverberating through time and shaping, weaving and tearing at the very fabric culture.
However, as a photographer, I am conflicted about sharing these works. particularly when it is in the context of how these artists show up in the present. The passage of time brings about inevitable comparisons between our younger selves and our current incarnations. These photographs, taken in the intensity of their formative years, starkly contrast with their present-day personas and performances. This dichotomy raises compelling questions about authenticity, evolution, and the preservation of punk’s raw ethos.
In exploring these images, we must also consider broader issues in media and cultural production. How does the documentation of a subculture affect its narrative? Does preserving these raw, youthful moments overshadow or diminish the value of the artists’ evolution and maturity? Furthermore, the intersection of nostalgia and commercialism within punk rock poses a paradox: can punk remain a rebellion to capitalistist dominance when it is so heavily archived and commodified?
This fanzine not only pays homage to the indelible impact these bands have had on the punk scene but also invites reflection on the complexities of growth, change, and the enduring power of music to transcend generations. As you flip through these pages, may you feel that energy of the past and appreciate the journey of punk rock from its messy roots to its influential present.
It blows me away that I will be sharing the stage today with so many of those I grew up with and photographed – it is almost unbelievable and it is my hope if you
picked up this work at the No Values festival
you, too, had a killer day basking
in the weird, strange world
we all live in together.
Enjoy.
Jennifer Finch
In Love and Gratitude: GOLDENVOICE, Paul Tollett, Gary Tovar and Rick Van Santen (in spirit and love). Punkrock and Paintbrushes, Emily Nielsen.
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Jack C Gregory, Matt Hutchinson
Dee Plakas, Suzi Gardner and Donita Sparks
