ASF interview from February 1987

A month ago I was going through an old trunk of things I have collected for the past 25 years or so. The entire trunk was packed full of punk memorabilia that I have amassed since I was a teenager. Some of it good and most it bad. Anyway, I used to do various fanzines over the years, and in the 80s I did a lot of mail interviews. Since I lived in Oklahoma and not many bands came through, so I had no other real choice.

One of the zines I worked on, which never came out, was called Trapped In Moore. The name referenced the town I was living in at the time. Moore is, or was (I hear it's changed quite a bit over the past 20 years) a bedroom community south of Oklahoma City. Your typical suburb of the 80s, where the jocks ruled the day and the rednecks kept the weirdos in check. Punk rock, or more aptly, hardcore, at the time was definitely not the cool music. You've heard the story a million times by now I'm sure. So anyway, Moore was a dull and boring place to live. So I did fanzines and wrote to bands to feel a little less trapped in that town. Four months after this interview was conducted I moved out of that town and never looked back.

This interview was with ASF, an all female trio from Boulder, CO. Unclean put out their EPs and they had a LP on Flipside around the time this was done. One of the members, Leslie Mah, went on to be in Tribe 8.

Who are the members of A.S.F., and if you want, give your ages.

Leslie - bass, vocals.
Shannon - drums.
Tracie - Vocals, guitar.

How did A.S.F. get together and how long have you been together?

Tracie - Me and Leslie started playing about 3 years ago and eventually got other members. We've been together for about 3 years.

Do you have any jobs other than the band?

Shannon - Shannon and Leslie work in a groovy neck tie factory where we make the most expensive ties in the US.
Tracie - I work at a printing shop doing bindery work. Real exciting.

What are some subjects you write songs about?

Tracie - Just about how we feel, and things going on around us. Personal experiences.

Are any of you straight-edge? Any opinion on straight-edge ideologies?

Shannon - Pass me another beer.
Tracie - No. Straight-edge is fine and I think a lot of people need to be that way because they can't handle themselves. Whatever people want is fine as long they're happy.

From the picture in Flipside #50, I noticed two of you have skateboards. Where are some good places to skate at in Boulder, and what is the skate scene like there?

Tracie - There's not really much of anything in Boulder. Not even many punks, so of course nowhere to skate. No place to have shows anymore unless you have lots of money.

What made you start A.S.F.?

Tracie - Me and Leslie always wanted to be in a band so we did it together.

Where did you find the word "scrunti"?

Tracie - Some friends in Kenosha came up with it. It's a slutty girl.

Who are some of your favorite bands?

Tracie - Exploited, Ruebella Ballet, Gash, Frightwig, Super Heroines, and a lot of others.

In what direction do you see hardcore heading?

Tracie - Toward uncaring, toughness, fashion, and just really not having any sort of message any more besides, 'Let's get drunk and fuck'.