Noh Mercy

Formed in San Francisco in 1977, Noh Mercy was comprised of only two women: Esmerelda and Tony Hotel. The band's motto was "No Boys On Guitars" as a reaction against male-dominated rock 'n' roll. They didn't need boys or guitars. They harnessed the angularity of Devo, the punk/poet attitude of Patti Smith, and the art spectacle of Roxy Music, all ground down to a minimalist core of voice and drums. As prescient as bands come, Noh Mercy preceded the defiant queer rebellion of Riot Grrrl and the frenetic art minimalism of the early 21st century by decades.