Amazing book documenting a time in East LA chicano culture before it was fetishized and diluted. The book introduces you to the photographer with a few images of  70s punk bands she was shooting at the time, Early go-Go's, X, and East LA's The Undertakers that are rarely recognized or remembered by the white-washed punk documentarians of the world.

In 1983, while in Los Angeles checking out the West Coast punk music scene the British photographer, Janette Beckman, came upon a story in the LA Weekly describing El Hoyo Maravilla (HM), a Mexican-American street gang based in East Los Angeles. There were no photographs to illustrate the story so Beckman called the the reporter and introduced herself. He agreed to drive her out to Maravilla Park and make introductions to members of the local gang. Everyone had their poses down; they reminded me of the punks and New York B-Boys. One day, I asked a kid, ‘What is that teardrop tattoo under your eye?’ and he told me, ‘That means I’ve been in jail.’ They were badass but I didn’t know. To me, they were just kids. I saw the beauty in them.” 

Softcover
750 copies
48 pp 6 x 8 1/4 inches