j i g s a w

underground since'89

send vinyl, tapes and zines for review to:

tobi vail P.O. Box 2572 Olympia, WA 98507 USA

email mp3's, links, photos and flyers to:

jigsawunderground@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

As an intersectional feminist, I support the struggle for Palestinian liberation.

1

As an intersectional feminist, I support the struggle for Palestinian liberation.  As backed by the United Nations, Amnesty International, and numerous Jewish organizations, we need to demand a cease-fire immediately and allow the borders to open so that medical supplies, aid, food and water can reach civilians caught in a war zone. Please contact your representatives and government today asking them to back this.

2

As a non-Jewish American citizen, I want to be mindful of the rising tide of anti-semitism around the world and neo-nazi right wing anti-Jewish hate crimes.  It is important to recognize that many of these same neo-nazi movements and organizations also target Arabs and Muslims. I feel like this shouldn’t need to be said but apparently it does: supporting Palestine does not equal hating Jews. If you would like more information on this please follow Jewish Voices for Peace. For a very strong personal essay published this week please check out Sarah Schulman’s piece in NY Mag

3

This is to say, not all Jews are Zionist. Not all criticism of Zionism is anti-semitic. Even within Israel (and even within the IDF) there is dissent against the occupation, against Netanyahu (who is very right wing) and not a monolithic opinion on Palestine or even Hamas.  Likewise, not all Palestinians have the same politics or religion. There are Christians, Druze and even Jews who are Palestinian. Many people in Israel and Palestine are not religious at all and there is definitely not “one opinion” on how to achieve peace in the region or resist occupation.

4

I am saying these things because I am appalled that Americans publicly speaking out against empire and war crimes are being bullied and accused of being “sympathetic to the terrorists”. I don’t have the space here to even begin to unpack this. It feels like 9/11 and the Iraq War all over again, with the western media manufacturing consent for war and any questioning or criticism of the government making you an enemy of the state.  In my own view, the only way to achieve peace in the region is to end the occupation.

5

Yesterday a hospital was bombed in Gaza and at least 500 people were killed. We don’t know who is responsible for this atrocity. But we do know that the IDF is known to lie. In fact, as the well known journalist I.F. Stone famously said, “all governments lie”. This is especially true during war time. We must question the official narrative.  50,000 women in Gaza are currently pregnant. 5000 are about to give birth in the immediate future. We must demand a cease fire, open the borders for supplies, and oppose the targeting of civilians, many of whom are women and children.

To get involved locally check out: The Rachel Corrie Foundation Economics for Everyone

Monday, November 22, 2021

EVER LOOK AT A FLOWER AND HATE IT

Things people have said to me as a person that has written about and participated in punk/independent/underground music since the early 80s: YOU can’t speak about that topic in public because

you are a role model, your band sucks, your band is too popular, no one cares about your band so shut the fuck up, you are too young, you are too old, you are too dumb, you are too smart, you are not cool, you think you are too cool, you are too ugly, you are a whore you are a slut you are a cunt you are a bitch ie you are a girl/woman and therefore you can only speak with authority about your own life and any experiential, lived knowledge you have gained thus far will be viewed as personal and subjective therefore not worthy.

In other words, women can’t be serious, funny, nuanced, multifaceted, intellectual, flippant, base, complicated, contradictory, abstract, specific, objective, opinionated, political, sexy, repulsive, tricksters, apolitical, transgressive, free, argumentative, antagonistic, querulous, pensive, or loudmouthed.

I am used to having my opinions misunderstood, scrutinized and dismissed but as a woman in public I actually risk my own personal safety using my voice. Not only are we punished for stepping out, we are also stalked and harassed on the internet/ social media and that impacts our bodily autonomy in a violent, unsafe world full of trauma and very real threats to our personal safety. I don’t talk about it publicly because talking about it can feed it and it is fucking scary and because talking about it makes it more real and because talking about it makes it suck even more than it already does but trust me this is real and this is extremely common. I’m speaking with first hand knowledge and experience here and I don’t need to qualify it with examples so I won’t.

Women often choose to stop sharing our work/ thoughts/ opinions/ stories publicly for these reasons. I think it’s important to acknowledge that this experience is shared and to see it is a result of patriarchy. I choose to participate because fuck society’s bullshit rules. I hate this place but I’m not gonna shut the fuck up, EVER

Xo Tobi Vail Feminist punk rocker

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Document & Eyewitness: We Go with the Kids, Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

why this tape sounds the way it does.

although it could be argued that the tape sounds this way because I'm dumb,

I would prefer you think it's because rooms,

recording tape and tape machines are not invisible.

-- Al Larsen, From Playground Til Now - Some Velvet Sidewalk

Read my spiel on Bikini Kill Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah here

Friday, March 14, 2014

TIGER GRRL: A page from my diary, October 1990

October 21

I practiced with Cathy + Kathleen today and it was (should be thought of as) warranting AMAZEMENT.

A feminist to me means trying to confront sexism and be powerful.

I think I am changing. I am going to ask questions now instead of tell everybody everything.

Bikini Kill is a powerful name, the more people don't like it, the more I realize how great it is. Our band is really great. Nobody will like us though. I think we will be like thee most misunderstood band ever. It is really amazing to finally be playing with other girls again. I can already feel the power of it and the band is fast becoming the most important thing in my life. Kathleen is amazing. I am learning a lot.

Statement of Intent:

To provide support and guidance to the youth with modern punk rock sensibilities

To reclaim the domain of punk

anti-professionalism -- asking questions -- ideas -- anti-macho ritual -- anti-conformity -- form-as-key -- the cassette as access to means of production -- "don't follow rules" means not that everyone should or even could but that you don't have to be status quo -- NOT hardcore -- THIS generation

To set forth the legitimacy of GIRL ROCK. Sisters. Yeah.

incite discourse - - ask questions - - be dorky -- fight sophistication -- network

To work towards making a connection between political struggles against oppression and the new generation of punk

To entertain and alleviate despair

To fight sexism and homophobia

Fight song:

We're the girls with a bad reputation (Yeah you want to get to me) We're the girls with a bad reputation We're gonna make you pay (Hunger is power, desire a fool) Kill yr daddy, fuck yr boyfriend too We're the girls with a bad reputation (We're gonna show YOU what's TRUE) Kathy, Tobi, Kathleen (and Esther too.)

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

best of 2013 by ben trogdon

Man, I can’t remember what happened last year! But here are some of my fave things that I’m pretty sure came about in 2013:

BLACK BOOT demo – nasty metal with awesome mid-tempo parts

DRAPETOMANIA live – RIP my favorite band

GLUE live on Xmas – best way to celebrate is with live raw underground punk

WASTE MANGAMENT live – I’m a nerd and 2013 was the first time I got to see this band play live. I’ve seen them play 3 times since then. I love it!

La Misma – I think their song “Waterfalls” was written in 2013. It’s not out yet but that’s my favorite song written in 2013.

PROXY Police Car 7” – My favorite 7” of 2013 for sure! Rockin’ punk metal.

MURDURER / BLACK BOOT / DEFORMITY live at Stolen Sleeves – I drank in the hallway

MILK MUSIC “No Nothing My Shelter” Song / video – Dylan Sharp directed starring Alex Coxen and CarrieKeith. Desert mime dancin’

BLAZING EYE demo – Sounds evil. I love the drumming and vocals.

CONTINGENT demo – Boston melodic real deal new Oi! I love this demo.

NOMAD 12” – So groovy and fun. I listened to this non-stop all year. My fave 12” of 2013.