Jul 31, 2011
Jul 23, 2011
Downtown Calling screening next week
For those of you who may not have seen it yet, and there are plenty of you, Downtown Calling will be showing this coming Wednesday, July 27, in NYC. Click here for details. The legendary Johnny Dynell will be DJ'ing along with Liquid Liquid's Sal Principato.
Jul 22, 2011
Last Night's Opening: Laura Levine and Rude & Reckless
Last night was an interesting one for anyone into the nostalgia trip for the mid-70's to mid-80's period of punk/new wave/post punk music and art. At the New Museum, there was the late-reported Gray two-set show. And at the Kasher Gallery was the long awaited opening for two exhibits: The Laura Levine: Musicians photography show, and the Rude and Reckless: Punk/Post Punk Graphics 1976-1982 collection. As planned I attended the shindig at the Kasher Gallery, and was glad I made it.
The gallery, a beautiful space thats just the right size, would make any exhibit look good...not that these two needed any help. More after the break.
Friday Ephemera - Letters from famous people to rock mags
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| Patti Smith to Creem, Feb 1974 |
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| Tom Verlaine to Rolling Stone, May 1980 |
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| Lenny Kaye to Rolling Stone, June 1968 |
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| Robert Christgau to Creem, November 1975 |
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| Elvis Costello's father to Rolling Stone, June 1979 |
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| Jonathan Richman to Creem, December 1973 |
All courtesy of RockCritics.org. Lest we forget Morrissey's letters.
Kickstarter projects of note: The VJ Diaries and Riot On The Dance Floor
The VJ Diaries:
Before MTV there was HURRAH, the club where the video jockey was born. Merrill Aldighieri is the first video jockey who chronicled a year of life in music video at HURRAH, a trend setting club in NYC. Her video recordings, like pages from a diary, will form the backbone of this documentary. New interviews with the bands, DJ's, club people, and lots of original animation will combine with the historic stereo concert footage of bands such as New Order, Gang of Four, Sun Ra, Suicide, Material, Magazine, Pylon, Defunkt, Richard Hell, and many more.
Each night Merrill improvised live video mixes of original animation and stock footage to interpret the DJ's music. Her public experiment caught on like wildfire, spreading to all the hot spots in town and MTV itself. Now an Emmy award winning animator and documentary filmmaker, Merrill creates an authentic view of musical history from an artist's perspective.
More info & donation information for The VJ Diaries here.
Riot on the Dance Floor:
What does it take to turn a lifeless, concrete bunker into a legendary club that hosted some of the ‘80s and ‘90s biggest bands? What does it take to forge a thriving, vital scene in a downtrodden, dangerous and marginalized city like Trenton, New Jersey, with nothing but flyers, postcards and pre-internet word-of-mouth? It takes passion, vision and, above all else, a dedication to the independent spirit that drove the underground music scene. It requires the ear of someone attuned to diversity and a set of balls big enough to book the envelope-pushing bands that most promoters wouldn’t touch. That man was Randy Now, and this is his story.
More info & donation information for Riot On The Dance Floor here.
Before MTV there was HURRAH, the club where the video jockey was born. Merrill Aldighieri is the first video jockey who chronicled a year of life in music video at HURRAH, a trend setting club in NYC. Her video recordings, like pages from a diary, will form the backbone of this documentary. New interviews with the bands, DJ's, club people, and lots of original animation will combine with the historic stereo concert footage of bands such as New Order, Gang of Four, Sun Ra, Suicide, Material, Magazine, Pylon, Defunkt, Richard Hell, and many more.
Each night Merrill improvised live video mixes of original animation and stock footage to interpret the DJ's music. Her public experiment caught on like wildfire, spreading to all the hot spots in town and MTV itself. Now an Emmy award winning animator and documentary filmmaker, Merrill creates an authentic view of musical history from an artist's perspective.
More info & donation information for The VJ Diaries here.
Riot on the Dance Floor:
What does it take to turn a lifeless, concrete bunker into a legendary club that hosted some of the ‘80s and ‘90s biggest bands? What does it take to forge a thriving, vital scene in a downtrodden, dangerous and marginalized city like Trenton, New Jersey, with nothing but flyers, postcards and pre-internet word-of-mouth? It takes passion, vision and, above all else, a dedication to the independent spirit that drove the underground music scene. It requires the ear of someone attuned to diversity and a set of balls big enough to book the envelope-pushing bands that most promoters wouldn’t touch. That man was Randy Now, and this is his story.
More info & donation information for Riot On The Dance Floor here.
Joe Lee Wilson RIP
Joe Lee Wilson RIP
Here's the opening sequence from a documentary about Joe Lee called "Around Joe Lee":
Jul 21, 2011
Tonight at the New Museum: The expressionist no wave of Gray
Before:
After:
"In every biography you read of the band Gray, it brings up the story that founding member Jean-Michel Basquiat named the band after Gray’s Anatomy, the 150-year old textbook that was an essential resource for his work. Considering those meticulous, systematic drawings of bones and muscles alongside Basquiat’s rough, violently emotional paintings, it’s difficult to discern what exactly he took away from the book." Continued here as well as info for tickets & set times.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gray - Drum Mode (Downtown 81) by vangogen
Jul 20, 2011
Alex Steinweiss RIP
Jul 18, 2011
Dear Richard Hell, I Think There’s Been a Communication Breakdown
A guest post by my friend Daniel De Wolff. If you need a writer he's available.
On July 9th I was supposed to attend a free show by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists as part of the Village Voice's 4Knots Music Festival Kickoff at Pier 17 on the South Street Seaport. And then I was going to write about it. It was going to be a piece of relevant up-to-the-minute reporting. But it was hot out and I was tired so I took a nap instead. I’ve been told I’m too young for naps. Maybe I am. But then again maybe I’m not. All I know is I missed that show.
My good friend Ivan went, and was kind enough to send me a few notes. He told me I should write something about Ted Leo’s obsession with the idea of the sin eater. But I’m not in the mood to deconstruct. Instead here’s a video of Ted Leo doing “Ballad of a Sin Eater". Ivan also sent me what he called a quote from the scene: “Ted Leo’s owning it.” I don’t doubt that he was in fact owning it. But I honestly don’t feel bad about having missed that show. And it’s not because I don’t appreciate Mr. Leo or his Pharmacists.
Rather, my lack of desire to attend shows of late has something to do with an inability to connect. Perhaps I’ve developed a fear of letting go. Because that is the ideal, I think. We go to a show and we let go of our hassles and fears. If we’re lucky we experience a moment of transcendence. But this requires a loosening of the reins. This view casts club or concert hall as cathedral, concert goers as fellow believers. And maybe this is where it’s fallen apart for me. I feel like I’ve lost my faith. But in what I’m not exactly sure. I haven’t stopped loving music, the slight hissle and pop of the needle on my records before the first note kicks in and everything is alright. I still get get that giddy melancholy feeling in my gut like I’m the big bad Hulk about to do some damage when I hear Johnny Cash singing “Folsom Prison Blues,” that vicious fist tightening, jaw grinding jerk of fireworks tingling in my spine and the base of my neck when I hear Throbbing Gristle’s insistent, heavy “Something Came Over Me.” But this is all in the comfort of my home.
Richard Hell once said that he didn’t understand why audiences went to concerts: “I was very suspicious of that. I was pretty scornful of the whole apparatus. It was just so clear how hollow it all fucking was.” It’s an interesting thing to say--especially for a performer. He doesn’t trust the apparatus, the adulation, being watched. I’m pretty suspicious too, Richard.
I’m suspicious of bands that go up there and half-ass it while audiences go through the motions, glassy eyed drones in love with an idea that’s turned to ash. The last good show I saw was a little band called Bear Hands. Wintertime at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. I felt it there. The place was nearly empty. I stood right in front, let the bass apply its pressure and wash over me till everyone else disappeared. But lately, more often than not, I’m disappointed. So much tripe, so little time.
Jul 16, 2011
Exclusive: Godlis photos from Castle Clinton Patti Smith show 7.14.11
Huge thanks to Godlis for this exclusive set of shots he snapped Thursday night at Castle Clinton's River To River Patti Smith show. As you can see, the show spanned daylight to darkness, and according to Godlis, was "amazing". He would know.
She did a cover of the current Adele song ("Rolling In The Deep") and had backing vocals from Suzzy Roche, Lucy Wainright and Jesse her (Patti's) daughter. He also reports that Emma Watson was in attendance (you know, the actress who plays Hermione in Harry Potter), and Laurie Anderson (no Lou Reed). Besides the Adele cover, they did a great version of "Perfect Day," and a great version of "People Who Died" too.
All photos ©GODLIS @ LMCC . Please do not use without permission...ask us - we're nice!
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| Godlis: "They soundchecked Summer Cannibals but x'd it out." |
Jerry Ragavoy RIP
Jerry Ragavoy - RIP
"Stop" as recorded by Howard Tate
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: "Piece of My Heart" as recorded by Erma Franklin:
:Rolling Stones "Time Is On My Side":
Jul 15, 2011
Musical tourists take note: Walking with a Cro-Mag
Strange times we live in indeed...It could be my skewed perspective, but it seems like most of what's really interesting in music these days has already happened in the distant & not so distant past. Just ask Simon Reynolds. And in true entrepreneurial fashion, certain people are taking advantage of this fact, and I don't mean that in a negative sense. Ex-Cro-Mag frontman, John Joseph, and NYC concert promoter, Jake Szufnarowski, are two such folks.
Every weekend, two walking tours, hosted by these fellows, focus on the recent (i.e. last 40 years or so) musical history of the East Village and Lower East Side take place. Jake hosts THE PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE of ROCK N ROLL in NEW YORK CITY, while John takes participants through THE HISTORY OF ART, CRIME, DRUGS and PUNK ROCK ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE...phew! That's a lot to take in.
Nevertheless, if you're curious to see the former locations of sites like the former CBGB, Max's Kansas City, the Filmore East, and perhaps even places like the building used on the cover of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, or where the Stones shot their video for "Waiting On A Friend," these walking tours just might be for you.
Book your tickets, and get more info here. Originally published at the Vinyl District.
Friday Ephemera - Patti Smith setlist
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| Patti Smith setlist, Castle Clinton NYC, 7.14.11 (special thanks to RB) |
Jul 14, 2011
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