Finding aid to the Craig Michael Lee papers, 1967-1994 Coll2016-013

Loni Shibuyama
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
© 2016
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
askone@usc.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Craig Michael Lee papers
creator: Lee, Craig Michael, 1956-1991
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2016-013
Physical Description: 1.8 Linear Feet 2 boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1967-1994
Abstract: Music fanzines, fliers, writings, correspondence, clippings, photographs and other material, 1967-1994, from Craig Michael Lee, a music critic and openly-gay musician in Los Angeles-area punk bands during the late-1970s and 1980s. Lee performed with Alice Bag in the punk rock bands The Bags and Boneheads; and collaborated with other queer punk performers such as Vaginal Davis. Lee was also a music critic, contributing articles to Flip Side music zine and the Los Angeles Times.

Arrangement

Craig Lee's resume and writing portfolio are at the beginning with the remaining folders arranged alphabetically.

Biographical / Historical

Craig Michael Lee attended California Institute of the Arts in Santa Clarita, California. He went on to play guitar in Los Angeles-area punk rock bands, including The Bags and Boneheads with Alice Bag. He also worked as a music critic and reported on the underground punk music scene, contributing articles to Flip Side fanzine, LA Weekly and the Los Angeles Times. His work documenting the music scene culminated in co-authoring the book Hardcore California: A History of Punk and New Wave (1983). In the book, Gay L.A., Stuart Timmons discusses Lee's experience as an openly gay musician and the harassment he received for his homosexuality. Timmons argues that Lee was a part of a queer punk culture that would have an influence on the Los Angeles punk scene by challenging conventional notions of sex and sexuality. Lee wrote and performed "Fist Funk," introducing some audiences to fisting and BDSM practices.
Lee died of complications from AIDS in 1991.
Sources:
Faderman, Lillian, and Stuart Timmons. Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians. New York: Basic, 2006. pp 250-255.
Obituary, "Craig Lee; Major Figure in L.A. Underground Rock Music Scene," Los Angeles Times, October 11, 1991.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Stuart Timmons acquired Craig Lee's papers, following Lee's death in 1991. Timmons donated his own personal papers and other collections in his possession, including the papers of Jim Yousling, Craig Lee, Harry Hay, Rudi Gernreich and Oreste Pucciani. These collections were gifted by Timmons' sister, Gay Timmons, on November 5, 2011.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder #, or item name] Craig Michael Lee Papers, Coll2016-013, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, September 2016.

Scope and Contents

The collection comprises music fanzines, fliers, writings, correspondence, clippings, photographs and other material, 1967-1994, from Craig Michael Lee, a music critic and openly-gay musician in Los Angeles-area punk bands during the late-1970s and 1980s. Included are clippings and manuscripts of music-related articles Lee wrote for Flip Side fanzine and the Los Angeles Times, among others. Photographs and fliers document Lee's collaborations in the punk rock scene, including playing guitar for the bands The Bags and Boneheads with Alice Bag; and performing with Vaginal Davis. The collection also includes other creative works and personal papers, such poems and correspondence.

Separated Materials

One issue of In Touch for Men magazine (Issue 82, August 1983), with reference to rock group Nervous Gender on page 70, has been separated to the ONE periodicals collection.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Musicians -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Musicians -- 20th century -- Photographs
Punk culture
Punk rock music
Zines
Bag, Alice

Box 1, Folder 1

Resumes and writing portfolio circa 1980-1989

Box 1, Folder 2

100 Nights at the Roxy 1978

Box 2, Folder 5

Address book 1976

Box 1, Folder 3-5

The Bags (band) and Boneheads (band) clippings and flyers circa 1978-1985

Box 1, Folder 6

Beyond the Blackout (zine) circa 1983-1984

Box 2, Folder 3

Clippings 1981-1984

Box 1, Folder 7

Correspondence undated

Box 2, Folder 1

Damage 1978

Box 1, Folder 8

"Drag Nation" with Vaginal Davis program undated

Box 1, Folder 9

Emerson Junior High School yearbook 1967

Box 1, Folder 10

Flesheaters (zine) 1978

Box 1, Folder 11

Flip Side circa 1978-1983

Box 1, Folder 12

More Mayonnaise, Issue #5 (zine) 1983

Box 1, Folder 13

Mother's Prey manuscript by Craig Lee undated

Box 1, Folder 14

Mulligan's Stew "Little Grey Bird" script by Craig Lee 1977

Box 1, Folder 15

Music Connection 1980-1981

Box 1, Folder 16

Night Voices #3 (zine) 1980

Box 1, Folder 17

Nihil, Vol. 1, No. 1 1978

Box 2, Folder 2

NY Rocker 1982

Box 1, Folder 18

Photographs, negatives and slides circa 1978-1990

Box 1, Folder 19

Poems and other writings undated

Box 1, Folder 20

"Score"; "Urban Gothick"; "The Promised World of Hyper-Technology"; "Science Holiday" undated

Box 1, Folder 21

Shadow manuscript, by Craig Lee undated

Box 1, Folder 22

Sundays at Seven Anthology 1994

Box 1, Folder 23

Timmons, Stuart, correspondence and Craig Lee estate information 1990-1991

Box 2, Folder 4

"Word!" Craig Lee and Vaginal Davis Read Selected Works poster undated