Indie and punk music made me feel I was betraying my race
Musician and author Stephanie Phillips has released a new book titled 'We Were Here' that explores the often-overlooked history of Black artists in rock, punk, and alternative music. Phillips shares her personal experience of feeling like she was betraying her race for loving these genres, while also highlighting how systemic exclusion and biased journalism erased Black contributions from music history. The book features discussions with other artists and examines pivotal figures like Sister Rosetta Tharpe and bands like Bad Brains to correct the historical record.
- ▪Stephanie Phillips, a singer and journalist, wrote the book 'We Were Here' to document the role of Black people in alternative music history.
- ▪Phillips argues that Black artists were frequently forgotten or excluded from rock and punk narratives due to segregation and biased music journalism.
- ▪The book highlights influential figures such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe and pioneering punk bands like Bad Brains who were historically under-recognized.
- ▪Pauline Black of The Selecter agrees with Phillips, noting the difficulty Black women face in being accepted within the punk genre.
- ▪Phillips describes her personal struggle with feeling like a 'black weirdo' and having to keep her love for rock music secret while growing up in Wolverhampton.
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| Original publisher | BBC News — UK |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckrerpx4wz7xo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Fri, 25 Sep 2026 23:37:08 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-26T01:35:59.595Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-26T01:35:59.595Z |
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Indie and punk music made me feel I was betraying my raceImage source, Anna-Rose McChesneyImage caption, A new book by musician and author Stephanie Phillips sets out the history of black people and alternative musicByVanessa PearceWest MidlandsPublished1 hour agoGrowing up in Wolverhampton, Stephanie Phillips says she was initially pretty much into the same chart music as her friends.But alongside TLC, Aaliyah and Destiny's Child, she developed a passion for rock, indie and punk."It was music that meant a lot to me as someone who was very shy and needed an outlet," she said. Yet she felt compelled to keep that passion hidden."There was always this idea that black people weren't really into alternative music, or punk," the musician, journalist and author told the BBC.
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