| Antifolk | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Contemporary folk,punk rock |
| Cultural origins | Mid-1980s United States |
| Other topics | |
Anti-folk (sometimes spelledantifolk) is agenre offolk music that emerged in the 1980s in New York City. It was founded by the musician, author, and comedianLach, as a reaction to the commercialization offolk music. It is characterized by its amateur sound,DIY ethos, and often humorous, rebellious, or satirical lyrics. Antifolk music was made to diverge from, and sometimes mock, the perceived seriousness of the era's mainstream music scene,[1] while often still beingprotest music aimed at social change.[2][3] The latter element especially overlaps withfolk punk.
Antifolk was introduced by artists who were unable to obtain gigs at established folk venues inGreenwich Village such asFolk City and The Speakeasy.[4] In the mid-1980s, singer-songwriterLach started The Fort,[5] an after-hours club on NYC'sRivington Street on theLower East Side.[6] The Fort's opening coincided with the New York Folk Festival. Because of this, Lach dubbed his event theNew York Antifolk Festival.[7] Other early proponents of the movement includedthe Washington Squares,Cindy Lee Berryhill,Brenda Kahn,Paleface,Beck,Hamell on Trial,Michelle Shocked, Zane Campbell,John S. Hall,[4][8]Roger Manning,[9]Kirk Kelly,[10] andBlock.[citation needed]
The original Fort was shut down in 1985 by the police, and because of this the club moved locations several times, includingEast Village bars Sophie's and Chameleon, before settling in the back room of theSideWalk Cafe starting in 1993.[6][7] TheNew York Antifolk Festival was held annually at theSideWalk Cafe until its closure in 2019 (long outlasting the original Folk Festival).[11] Events have also taken place in theband shells inTompkins Square Park andCentral Park.[7] While living in San Francisco in the early 1990s, Lach helped establish a West Coast anti-folk movement at the Sacred Grounds Coffee House.[6]
Other artists to have achieved a notable level of success who have been considered anti-folk includeJeffrey Lewis,Regina Spektor andthe Moldy Peaches.[12][13][14]
In the 2000s the term was adopted in Britain, particularly in the London underground scene, with acts includingDavid Cronenberg's Wife and The Bobby McGee's.[15] The UK antifolk scene, largely centred in London andBrighton, has established its own identity, which was written about in a six-page feature in the September 2007 issue ofPlan B magazine.[16] In 2004 thelo-fi musicianFilthy Pedro started seasonal anti-folk festivals, which he promoted with Tom Mayne of the band David Cronenberg's Wife.[17] An anti-folk scene in Brighton, curated primarily by Mertle, was quick to follow that of London.
Other key figures within the UK anti-folk community includeDan Treacy of Television Personalities,Jack Hayter, Milk Kan,Extradition Order,Benjamin Shaw, Lucy Joplin, Candythief, JJ Crash, Larry Pickleman andPaul Hawkins.[citation needed]Emmy the Great andLaura Marling were added to the roster of antifolk artists as they play antifolk music with mocking lyrics.[18]Kate Nash started her music career playing anti-folk-style shows, including a concert promoted by Larry Pickleman and Mertle in Brighton.[19]
Dan Willson, who performs under the nameWithered Hand, is an Edinburgh-based musician often considered part of the genre. His first studio album,Good News, was released in 2009.[20]
Welsh antifolk artist Mr Duke has gained some popularity in Wales, andCrywank, an antifolk project from Manchester, surfaced in 2009.
Anti-Folk John S. Hall.