Phranc (born Susan Gottlieb; August 28, 1957), is an American singer-songwriter whose career began playing in several bands in the late 1970s Los Angeles punk rock scene. Her musical style later shifted during the 1980s as a solo artist, into a self-proclaimed "All-American Jewish lesbian folksinger."Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 453

Biography

Phranc was born Susan Gottlieb in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, and grew up in

Mar Vista, Los Angeles Mar Vista is a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California. In 1927, Mar Vista became the 70th community to be annexed to Los Angeles. It was designated as an official city neighborhood in 2006. History Mar Vista was called Ocean Par ...

. She began her performing career in the late 1970s and early 1980s

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

scene in Los Angeles. She had a bleached blonde crewcut and wore male attire, creating an

androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics i ...

persona for her first band,

Nervous Gender Nervous Gender is an American punk rock electronic band formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by Gerardo Velazquez, Edward Stapleton, Phranc and Michael Ochoa. Their use of heavily distorted keyboards and synthesizers made them, along with The Scr ...

, which formed in 1978. The writer V/D wrote of her for the punk

fanzine A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...

Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash ...

'', "On stage, Phranc looks like a 14-year-old runaway from a boys' reform school." The band was influential in the development of what later came to be known as '

electropunk Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrume ...

'. In 1980 she left Nervous Gender to join the punk band

Catholic Discipline Catholic Discipline was an American punk rock (first-generation new wave) band, formed in 1979 in San Francisco, California, by '' Slash Fanzine'' editor Claude Bessy. The initial line-up of the band featured Bessy on vocals, Phranc on guitar, R ...

, in which Craig Lee ( Bags) and Claude Bessy, journalist for ''

'' punk fanzine, were the lead singers. Phranc appears with Catholic Discipline in the 1980 documentary ''

The Decline of Western Civilization ''The Decline of Western Civilization'' is a 1981 American documentary filmed through 1979 and 1980. The movie is about the Los Angeles punk rock scene and was directed by Penelope Spheeris. In 1981, the LAPD Chief of Police Daryl Gates wrote a ...

''. She was also in Castration Squad, a feminist, all-female punk band which featured

Dinah Cancer Mary Ann Sims (born August 28, 1960), known professionally as Dinah Cancer, is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist of 45 Grave, which helped found the deathrock music genre. Biography Cancer's first band was Castration Squad, an ...

45 Grave 45 Grave is an American rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1979. The original group broke up in 1985, but vocalist Dinah Cancer subsequently revived the band. History The band was founded during the punk rock movement by Paul B. Cutler in ...

, Elissa Bello of

The Go-Go's The Go-Go's are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboards, Belind ...

Alice Bag Alicia "Alice" Armendariz (born November 7, 1958) is an American punk rock singer better known as Alice Bag. She is the lead vocalist and co-founder of the Bags, one of the first punk bands to form in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. Her first bo ...

of the Bags, Tracy Lea of

Redd Kross Redd Kross is an American rock band from Hawthorne, California, who had their roots in 1978 in a punk rock band called the Tourists, which was started by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald while Steve was still in middle school. With the additio ...

, and Shannon Wilhelm. In the 1980s, Phranc pursued a solo career. She performs in

Paul Morrissey Paul Morrissey (born February 23, 1938) is an American film director, best known for his association with Andy Warhol. He was also director of the first film in which a transgender actress, Holly Woodlawn, starred as a girlfriend of the main cha ...

's film ''Madame Wang's'' (1981) as Phranque. She began playing an acoustic guitar and released '' Folksinger'' on

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

in 1985. She opened for music acts such as

The Smiths The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerg ...

Hüsker Dü Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist/vocalist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notabili ...

Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza (joined 2004 ...

, and

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is ...

. She styled herself the "All-American Jewish Lesbian Folksinger" and with a wry sense of humour released the LP ''

I Enjoy Being a Girl "I Enjoy Being a Girl" is a show tune from the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Flower Drum Song''. It is the showpiece for the character of Linda Low, the lead showgirl. The musical is a comedic love story about growing up Chinese in Americ ...

'' in 1989 on

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...

, appearing on the cover with her trademark 'flat top' hair style. Describing a live performance, Adam Block wrote "Phranc's unnerving androgyny (expressed with easy confidence) and her fervent opinions (couched in sly, laconic wit) make her a fascinating performer." Her third full-length recording, released in 1991, was ''

Positively Phranc ''Positively Phranc'' is an album by the American musician Phranc, released in 1991. Phranc promoted the album by touring with Morrissey. Phranc was dropped by Island Records after the album's release. Production "Gertrude Stein" is Phranc's cov ...

''. Phranc was an important influence on the

Queercore Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural/social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of the punk subculture and a music genre that comes from punk rock. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifical ...

movement, being acknowledged as such by

Team Dresch Team Dresch is an American punk rock band originally formed in 1993 in Olympia, Washington. The band made a significant impression on the DIY punk movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and concerns of LGBT p ...

in their song for her, "Uncle Phranc." In the 1990s many

queercore Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural/social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of the punk subculture and a music genre that comes from punk rock. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifical ...

bands and musicians involved in queercore music began collaborating with her. She appeared as a guest on the Team Dresch LP/CD ''Captain My Captain'' and, as well, members of Team Dresch,

Tobi Vail Tobi Celeste Vail (born July 20, 1969) is an American independent musician, music critic and feminist activist from Olympia, Washington. She was a central figure in the riot grrl scene—she coined the spelling of "grrl"—and she started the zi ...

Bikini Kill Bikini Kill is an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990. The group consisted of singer and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band pioneered the ...

Patty Schemel Patricia Theresa Schemel (born April 24, 1967) is an American drummer and musician who rose to prominence as the drummer of alternative rock band Hole from 1992 until 1998. Born in Los Angeles, Schemel was raised in rural Marysville, Washington, ...

Hole A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in many fields of en ...

and others have played with Phranc on her EP ''

Goofyfoot ''Goofyfoot'' is an EP by folk singer-songwriter Phranc, released in 1995. Recorded in Olympia, Washington with session musicians including Donna Dresch and Tobi Vail, as well as members of Satan's Pilgrims, ''Goofyfoot'' is an independent trib ...

'' and other songs. Phranc performs and is interviewed in the queercore documentary ''

She's Real, Worse Than Queer Lucy Thane (born 1967) is a British documentary filmmaker, event producer and performer, living in Folkestone. Her films include ''It Changed My Life: Bikini Kill in the UK'' (1993) and ''She's Real (Worse than Queer)'' (1997). Life and work Thane ...

'' by

Lucy Thane Lucy Thane (born 1967) is a British documentary filmmaker, event producer and performer, living in Folkestone. Her films include ''It Changed My Life: Bikini Kill in the UK'' (1993) and ''She's Real (Worse than Queer)'' (1997). Life and work Thane ...

, and she has appeared frequently at queercore events such as

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

's ''Homo-a-go-go'' festival. In the 1990s Phranc performed "Hot August Phranc", performing as

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...

. On her full-length CD of 1998, ''

Milkman Milk delivery is a delivery service dedicated to supplying milk. This service typically delivers milk in bottles or cartons directly to customers' homes. This service is performed by a milkman, milkwoman, or milk deliverer. (In contrast, a cow ...

'', she is joined by Steve MacDonald of

, who plays bass. Her most recent releases, including ''Milkman'', appear on her own

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

, Phancy Records. The 2001 documentary film, ''Lifetime Guarantee'', directed by Lisa Udelson, chronicled Phranc's side job as a

Tupperware Tupperware is an American home products line that includes preparation, storage, and serving products for the kitchen and home. In 1942, Earl Tupper developed his first bell-shaped container; the brand products were introduced to the public in 1 ...

demonstrator and manager. The documentary showed that despite Phranc's high sales and high-profile, her enthusiastic and sincere approach to the job, and her engaging manner and popularity among the sales force, Phranc was disappointed to find that the Tupperware corporation itself did not celebrate or even acknowledge her genuine achievements in sales and marketing for the company. Phranc was still selling Tupperware in 2008, but as of 2013 her online store was closed. She still performs occasionally, but spends more time working on creative visual art projects, including the Cardboard Cobbler sculptures. In December 2007 she had a solo art show at Cue Art Foundation in New York City curated by

Ann Magnuson Ann Magnuson (born January 4, 1956) is an American actress, performance artist, and nightclub performer. She was described by ''The New York Times'' in 1990 as "An endearing theatrical chameleon who has as many characters at her fingertips as Lil ...

; ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' review compared her work to

Claes Oldenburg Claes Oldenburg (January 28, 1929 – July 18, 2022) was a Swedish-born American sculptor, best known for his public art installations typically featuring large replicas of everyday objects. Another theme in his work is soft sculpture versions ...

and

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

. Phranc had her first major West Coast solo show, at Craig Krull Gallery, June 18 to July 23, 2011, an exhibition made of beach themed cardboard and craft paper works. She continues to work in her Santa Monica studio and is represented by Krull. Phranc was absent from her blog and Facebook from late 2011 to Spring 2014. Phranc announced in April 2014 that she had been prevented from participating in online activities due to an injury.

Personal life

Phranc lives in Santa Monica, California with her partner and children.

Discography

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions

* 2018 Swagger, Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica, CA * 2018 The Great Outdoors, Friesen Gallery, Ketchum, ID * 2018 Toys, Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica, CA * 2014 It Happened in Sun Valley, Friesen Gallery, Ketchum, ID, * 2014 Winter, Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 2013 * 2011 Phranc & Co. Out West General Store, Museum of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA * 2011 Phranc of California, Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica, CA * 2007 Phranc, CUE Art Foundation, New York City * 2006 Cardboard Cupcake, 12 Birthday celebration, 18 Street Arts Center, Santa Monica, CA * 2006 Phranc of California, Eastside Studios, Los Angeles, CA * 2006 Paper Play, W/ Alison Bechdel, Pine Street Art Works – Burlington, VT * 2005 Carnalville, cardboard sign installation w/ TEADA, 18th Street Arts Center, Santa Monica, CA * 2004 The Cardboard Cobbler "Valentines" 18th Street Art Center, Santa Monica, CA * 1994 Storefront Installation "Phranc-O-Mat", Creative Time, 42nd Street Arts Project, New York, NY * 1992 Brief Encounter, Three dimensional pop art show, Highways, Santa Monica, CA

Group exhibitions

* 2014 Incognito 10, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA * 2014 Filtered: What Does Love Look Like?, Friesen Gallery Fine Art, Ketchum, ID * 2013 Compass-Navigating the Journey to Self-Identity, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA * 2013 This Side of the 405, Ben Maltz Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA * 2013 #three, The Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles, CA * 2010 The Man I Wish I Was, A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, NY * 2009 Support, Frederieke Taylor Gallery, New York, NY * 2008 This Side Up: The Art of Cardboard, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA * 2008 Grandmasters, Honoring Sheila DeBretteville, The Art Directors Club, New York, NY * 2008 Pink and Bent, Leslie/Lohman Gallery, New York, NY * 2007 Welcome Home, Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA * 1999 Forming: The early days of PUNK,

Track 16 Gallery Track 16 is a contemporary art gallery in the fashion district neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, exhibiting the work of contemporary artists. History Track 16, founded by Tom Patchett, co-founded the gallery hub Bergamot Station in 1994. ...

, Santa Monica, CA * 1994 Group Show, White Columns, New York * 1978 Books, Posters, Postcards, w/Cindy Marsh, The Woman's Building, Los Angeles, CA

References

External links

Official website

Phranc's blog, focussing on her cardboard sculpture, now integrated with her website
by JD Doyle
Crawdaddy! interviewWoman's Building History: Phranc (from Otis College)
(video interview) {{DEFAULTSORT:Phranc 1957 births Living people American women singers American folk singers American punk rock guitarists Feminist musicians Feminist artists Women punk rock singers Jewish American musicians LGBT Jews Lesbian artists American lesbian musicians LGBT singers from the United States LGBT songwriters LGBT people from California Singers from Los Angeles Musicians from Santa Monica, California Queercore musicians Riot grrrl musicians American folk guitarists Jewish folk singers Jews in punk rock Guitarists from Los Angeles 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American women guitarists 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people 21st-century American Jews 21st-century American women