Photographs by Jeanne Hansen

Interviews by Jonah Raskin

A photography book celebrating the heyday of the City’s punk scene through the eyes of those who lived it

SAN FRANCISCO – Remember zines? Cheap rent in the Mission? Reagan? Alternative Voices, a photography book reveals the charged cultural and political scene of the 80s underground that made San Francisco a fertile center for art, activism and punk rock. The book features photographs Jeanne Hansen took while actively participating in the underground alongside interviews with well-known scene-makers conducted over five years and edited by renowned author Jonah Raskin. With a sense of beauty and power, the book will take viewers on a walk on the wild side of a San Francisco on the cusp of the emerging HIV/AIDS crisis, reviving a unique time and place in the City’s history.

Infused with the DIY punk energy, Hansen’s images capture an array of site-specific events. Rowdy crowds dived into underground clubs such as Tool and Die and The Offensive to hear punk bands and to see the art that was displayed on the walls. All this and more set the stage for the raw punk ethos of the 80s.

The sixteen interviews were conducted with a wide array of creative individuals: musicians, artists, dancers, writers and club owners. They are Robin Balliger, Mat Callahan, Mark Chambers, Stephen Clarke, Esmerelda, Stannous Flouride, Keith Hennessy, Tony Labat, Forrest McFarland, Deanna Mitchell, Stephen Parr, Mark Rennie, Michael Shannon, Mia Simmans, Dana Smith and Ken Tray.

Available for purchase at local San Francisco bookstores (see below), and here online.