The Nuclear Beauty Parlor facts for kids
| Formation | May 24, 1983 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | San Francisco |
| Dissolved | 1986 |
| Type | Affinity group/ Activist Art group |
| Legal status | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Protest, performance activism, prankster art |
| Affiliations | Livermore Action Group |
|
Volunteers
|
Ten founding members; nine additional volunteers |
The Nuclear Beauty Parlor was a group of women artists who used art and humor to protest nuclear weapons. They were active from 1983 to 1986 in San Francisco, during a time when many people wanted to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
The group is famous for a song they created called The Nuclear Beauty Parlor. Two members wrote the lyrics while they were in jail after a big protest in 1983. This protest happened at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which was one of the largest protests against nuclear weapons in the United States. The Nuclear Beauty Parlor often put on special performances to get media attention for their goal: getting rid of nuclear weapons. They were known for bringing fun and a cool, modern style to serious protests.
How the Group Started
On May 24, 1983, ten women formed a special team called an affinity group. This was to get ready for a big protest on June 20, 1983, which was the International Day of Nuclear Disarmament. They learned about civil disobedience from the Livermore Action Group. Civil disobedience means peacefully protesting by refusing to obey certain laws.
Over the next three years, more women joined the group. They became known for their unique performance art and activist art. Vicki Krohn Amorose, one of the first members, came up with the name Nuclear Beauty Parlor. She and Denise Slattery wrote the words for the Nuclear Beauty Parlor song. The group wasn't a regular band. Instead, they used political comedy, like a type of street theater, to make their points.
What the Group Did
On June 20, 1983, the group joined a protest at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. Over 1,000 protesters were arrested that day. Three members of the Nuclear Beauty Parlor were among them. They were held in tents at the Alameda County Jail for 11 days. The group first got attention from the news with a San Francisco Examiner headline that said: Nuclear Beauty Parlor a Hit in Jail.
In late 1983, the Nuclear Beauty Parlor became a non-profit organization called Bay Area Energy Action. Bill Graham (promoter), a famous music organizer from San Francisco, helped pay for the Nuclear Beauty Parlor song to be made into a 45-RPM record. A friend of the group, Stacy Baird, helped create the music and produce the record. The song on Side A, The Nuclear Beauty Parlor, was sung by Re Styles and other members of The Tubes. Side B, Awake, was recorded at OTR Studios. The record was released on December 15, 1983, with a press conference.
From January to April 1984, the group became well-known for their performance art. Their goal was to get media attention for the nuclear freeze movement. Their record was played on the radio and talked about in the news. On April 16, 1984, the group did their first "Tax Day action" at the Rincon Annex Post Office. They dressed as waitresses and served "weapon-themed" food to people waiting to file their taxes. They told people, "Have one, you paid for it!" This performance got attention from TV and newspaper reporters.
When the Democratic National Convention was held in San Francisco in July 1984, the Nuclear Beauty Parlor performed a play with songs called "The First Lady Debate." They recorded this play and sent tapes to radio stations across the country.
The night before the presidential election on November 6, 1984, the group put up thousands of posters against Ronald Reagan in downtown San Francisco. These posters were designed by artist Paul Mavrides. Even though the posters were quickly taken down after Reagan won, a photographer named C. Baldwin took a picture of them and made it into a postcard.
In December 1984, an article about the group in Ms. Magazine helped them sell more records.
For their second Tax Day performance on April 15, 1985, the Nuclear Beauty Parlor dressed as fancy nuclear weapons with price tags. They talked to people who were rushing to file their taxes. This also got them local TV and newspaper coverage.
In July and September 1985, the group showed off their nuclear weapon costumes in a fashion show called "The Nuclear Fashion Arsenal." This show was also performed at Fort Mason for the International Day of Peace.
In their third Tax Day performance on April 15, 1986, the Nuclear Beauty Parlor acted out "taxpayer robberies" using pink machine guns.
In the 1990s, the Nuclear Beauty Parlor record was placed in the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, a special library of peace-related items.
The group also created a public service announcement (PSA) for the 2020 election. You can watch it here.
Who Was in the Group
The women who first started the group were Marissa Hutter LaMagna, Diana Wendling, Denise Slattery, Laura Graham, Lisa Andreini, Cecilia London, Kathy Staats Hornbeak, Marjorie Newman, Vicki Krohn Amorose, and Fawn Yacker. Later, more members joined, including Connie Hendrix, Suzanne Stefanac, Kelly Cash, Lexine Alpert, Brenda Burson, Nancy Leszczynski, Siri Aarons, Christine Stiles, and Suzy Poole.
