Minorities in New Wave

[ExRat]

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on why more racial minorities weren't drawn to the punk and nw movements. While there was small (some might even say token) representation in the alternative scenes, it is curious that more Asians, Hispanics, and African peoples didn't embrace the new wave more than they did. It seems that many of the sentiments of NW and punk were ideal for a large number of minorities to join the scene - e.g. individualism, anti-authoritarinanism, etc.

I know that (obviously) the ska scene had many blacks who were fans because ska was originally a self-contained black musical genre absconded by whites (which can be said about most urban music). But, NW just didn't seem to appeal very much to the larger African-American or Afro-Britsh populations. Maybe they saw it as too "odd" in a "quirky white" way? A genre that was too artistically inclined towards self-expression instead of speaking to shared sentiments/movements?

Just curious as to what everyone else might think on the topic.

[phillyidol]

Living Color! Loved them but they were kinda alt/rock.

[SwampThing]

My good friend at the time who was black introduced me to Devo and the Clash. He was a fanatic about punk and new wave (and skateboarding). Sadly my other black and asian friends used to make fun of the way the "Wavers" danced, and thought the music rea

[Sean]

Me myself being Asian I did know a lot of Asians that were into New Wave, especially in the 80's. I have a humungous collection as well as a lot of my friends. There were New Wave clubs all over the Asian communities in the 80's. Even the Asian clubs t

[design_femme]

oh man oh man, good topic!

Since I'm one of the younger kids on this board, I can't draw from past observations. I grew to love and learn about punk/post-punk/new wave/etc. much later. So pardon me if I have more questions than answers.

I don't know

[medication881]

Would Jaluka count in this category? Not exactly new wave...[?]

[waukena]

I think a lot of it had to do with exposure...I'm 44 and back then your only outlet for New Wave was really the radio, til MTV came along, and almost nobody had cable...remember, in the NYC area, it was really only WLIR, a fairly low power fm station...ur

[schwenko]

[quote][i]Originally posted by design_femme[/i]
<br>oh man oh man, good topic!

Since I'm one of the younger kids on this board, I can't

[i_like_lectric_motors]

More punk than wave certainly but Bad Brains! Also, Pat Smear of the Germs.

For new wave, The Thompson Twins had one black member.

[middlesexnj]

I loved the hot black/white thing in General Public and Sly Fox.

[middlesexnj]

And speaking of minorities, all those make-up wearing guys did a lot for the trans-gendered movement. Boy George, Dead or Alive, Adam Ant, Duran Duran, Grace Jones.

[xtc-1957]

Not truly New Wave, but....The Busboys.

[yipyipcoyote]

Black musicians contributed a lot to NW, apart from the already mentioned (Simple Minds, Big Country), they were in Fun Boy Three, I Level, Animal Nightlife, Orange Juice, Culture Club, Rig Rig & Panic and probably tons more.

[Bitter Almonds]

They stuck to their traditional rhythms: Tropical music, Jazz and Blues, Rap and Hip Hop, etc. They pretty much dominate the market in those sounds.

[bpdp3]

Don Letts was very instrumental in the early UK punk scene, and was a black man with dreadlocks. His 'Punk Rock Movie' is a must-see documentary of the bands of the era.