Phranc

Jewish-American lesbian punk-rocker turned folksinger, who has also appeared in the hardcore groups Nervous Gender, Catholic Discipline and Castration Squad. In the 80s she toured the gay/lesbian coffeehouse scene extensively, and her biggest breakthrough was as Morrissey's opening act for his 1991 British tour. She's quite talented, but has mostly remained a lesbian cult icon. Her new stuff is not as good as the music she put out in the 80s.

Albums:

• Folksinger (Rhino, 1985)
• I Enjoy Being A Girl (Island, 1989)
• Positively (Island, 1991)
• Goofyfoot (Kill Rock Stars, 1995)
• Milkman (Phancy, 1999)

• You can see Phranc in her punk phase in Penelope Spheeris' The Decline of Western Civilization (1981).
  
• During the 1990s, Phranc put together a Neil Diamond tribute show, entitled "Hot August Phranc," in which she not only sang his songs but performed in drag including a silver lame shirt and faux chest hair.
  
• As a visual artist, Phranc has exhibited her work (mostly in cardboard) in Santa Monica and New York.
  
• Phranc also hosts Tupperware parties. No joke. There's a niche in Los Angeles for Jewish lesbian punk folk singers to sell household products, and she's found it lucrative enough to fund her studio time. You can also order Tupperware through her Web site, www.phranc.net