The Bags
Mark Vallen
Giclée Print 22 1/2 x 30 inches

This Giclée print is a perfect reproduction of the acrylic painting Vallen created of Alice and Patricia of The Bags. Printed in a limited edition of only 150 prints, Vallen hand-signed and numbered each one. The image is printed on high quality Arches white paper, with a white border left around the artwork.

The artist never forgot seeing the Bags perform in 1977 at the Masque (the first punk club in Los Angeles). Lead singer Alice (far left), and bass player Patricia (right), had an absolutely mesmerizing stage persona and he immediately wanted to paint their likeness. Vallen painted this double portrait in 1979.

In performance Alice was a kinetic ball of frenzied female madness... she shook and twirled, spun and jerked, leapt and kicked, as if some massive electric current coursed through her body, all the while wailing out her venomous lyrics. The Bags were one of LA's original punk bands. In a fit of egalitarianism each band member adopted the last name of "Bag" in order to hide their true identity, and in early performances band members actually wore bags over their heads! However their anonymity didn't last for long because they managed to forge themselves into one of LA's most celebrated punk legends. The Bags were one of the very first LA bands to have an independent record label release, and they appeared on the first punk compilation album YES LOS ANGELES from DANGERHOUSE Records. The band was also featured in the documentary film THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION by Penelope Spheeris.