The Nuclear Beauty Parlor
| Formation | May 24, 1983 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Extinction | 1986 |
| Type | Affinity group/ Activist Art group |
| Legal status | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Protest, performance activism, prankster art |
| Affiliations | Livermore Action Group |
|
Volunteers
|
Ten founding members; nine additional volunteers |
The Nuclear Beauty Parlor was a group of women artists active in protest and performance art of the nuclear freeze movement from 1983-1986 in San Francisco, California. Their name is synonymous with a music project they originated, the 45-RPM 7" single, The Nuclear Beauty Parlor. Two members of the Nuclear Beauty Parlor wrote the lyrics to the song which debuted in the women’s jail following the 1983 blockade of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, one of the largest anti-nuclear protests in the United States. The group staged numerous performances to attract media attention for the cause of nuclear disarmament. The record, conceived as an art prank, is archived in the Peace Library at Swarthmore College. The group is noted for adding humor and post-punk style to a dedicated protest movement.
On May 24, 1983, ten women formed an affinity group to prepare for the mass arrests planned for the International Day of Nuclear Disarmament protest of June 20, 1983. They were trained in civil disobedience by Livermore Action Group. The female membership grew over the next 3 years, as they evolved into a performance art and activist art group. Founding member Vicki Krohn Amorose originally coined the name Nuclear Beauty Parlor and she, along with founding member Denise Slattery, wrote the lyrics to the Nuclear Beauty Parlor song. The group was not a band; they enacted political satire in the tradition of guerrilla theatre and performance activism.
On June 20, 1983, the group participated in the blockade of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. More than 1000 demonstrators were arrested, including three members of the Nuclear Beauty Parlor, and jailed for 11 days in tents on the grounds of the Alameda County Jail. The group gained their first media attention with a San Francisco Examiner headline: Nuclear Beauty Parlor a Hit in Jail.
During November and December,1983, the Nuclear Beauty Parlor acquired non-profit status, under the title Bay Area Energy Action. Bill Graham (promoter), San Francisco music impresario, funded production of the Nuclear Beauty Parlor 45-RPM 7" single. The lyrics were set to music and the record was produced by the group's friend and ally, Stacy Baird. Side A, The Nuclear Beauty Parlor, was performed by Re Styles and other members of The Tubes. Side B, Awake, was recorded at OTR Studios under the direction of Cookie Marenco. The Nuclear Beauty Parlor 45-RPM single was released and a press conference held on Dec 15,1983.
...
Wikipedia