Lydia Lunch

Lydia Lunch

Lydia Lunch is an American post-punk singer, spoken word artist, poet, writer, photographer and actress from Rochester, New York. Born Lydia Anne Koch in 1959, she is associated with no wave, post-punk and related experimental and alternative forms. Her work spans more than four decades and often deals with nihilism, rage, violence, eroticism, surrealism and pornographic art.

Early life and New York work

Lunch arrives in New York City at the age of 16 and works as a bar maid and go-go dancer at the Baby Doll Lounge in Tribeca. In New York she meets Alan Vega, who becomes her first friend in the city, and Willy DeVille, who gives her the surname “Lunch” because she often steals lunch for The Dead Boys. She later lives for about a year with James Chance, first in a two-room walk-up on East 2nd Street and then in a small storefront on Twelfth Street. She also lives in a communal house of artists and musicians that includes Kitty Bruce, the daughter of Lenny Bruce.

No wave and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks

After befriending Suicide at Max’s Kansas City, Lunch founds Teenage Jesus and the Jerks in 1976 with James Chance. The short-lived group becomes an influential no wave band, and both Lunch and Chance appear on the compilation No New York. Lunch later appears on two tracks from Chance’s Off White album in 1978, credited under the name Stella Rico.

Film and visual work

Lunch appears in films by Scott B and Beth B, including the short Black Box and the feature Vortex, where she plays a private detective called Angel Powers. She also appears in films by Vivienne Dick, including She Had Her Gun All Ready and Beauty Becomes the Beast, and works with Pat Place in those projects. Beyond performing, she acts in, writes and directs underground films, and collaborates with Richard Kern on several films, including Fingered.

Solo work, Widowspeak and collaborations

In the mid-1980s Lunch forms her own recording and publishing company, Widowspeak, and releases her own material through it, including songs and spoken word. Her solo career includes collaborations with J. G. Thirlwell, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Nick Cave, Billy Ver Plank, Steven Severin, Robert Quine, Sadie Mae, Rowland S. Howard, Michael Gira, The Birthday Party, Einstürzende Neubauten, Sonic Youth, Die Haut and Black Sun Productions. She also performs and records spoken word with Exene Cervenka, Henry Rollins, Don Bajema, Hubert Selby Jr. and Emilio Cubeiro.

Writing and other projects

Lunch also writes traditional books and comix, including work with graphic novel artist Ted McKeever. Her wider output includes photography and ongoing work across music, performance, film and print.