The Pressure of Survival In the Big City

Shot by Godlis, Stromboli's Pizza, Saint Marks Place, NYC, 2014

My interview with Godlis on the Vinyl District

I recently did a short interview with Godlis for The Vinyl District in light of his successful Kickstarter campaign. Please have a look...

"I’ve known David Godlis’ photographs longer than I’ve known him. If you’ve read any number of books or New York Times articles about CBGB and related subjects, chances are you know his work as well. I finally befriended him 6 or 7 years ago during one of my frequent periods of unemployment. He needed some help scanning proofsheets, and I was able and willing. Listening to a mix of Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, and Howard Stern broadcasts, we got to know each other pretty well." Continued here.

Kickstarter Project of Note: The Godlis Punk Photo Book

I am very excited to help promote the launch of this Kickstarter campaign as I've known about it his plans for it for a few years now. Readers of Stupefaction will know his name, and if you don't, shame on you. David Godlis, better known by his professional name, Godlis, will be self-publishing a high quality compendium of his timeless photos of the scene in & around CBGB between the years 1976-1979. An intro/forward will be written by Jim Jarmusch, and most likely the photos here on this page will be included. This is a MUST.

If you like punk rock, old (at this point) NYC, music history, and fantastic photography with a definite point-of-view, please consider supporting this project. Watch the trailer below, and be sure to visit the Kickstarter page. And of course, you can always visit the Godlis website!

The Ramones, ©Godlis

Handsome Dick Manitoba and friend, ©Godlis

Blondie, ©Godlis

The No Wave crew, ©Godlis

Patti Smith, ©Godlis

Shot by: Godlis

Visit Godlis.com or Photos by Godlis

Daily Travels: Passover 1980 by Godlis

by Godlis

A Man Called Destruction: The Life and Music of Alex Chilton, From Box Tops to Big Star to Backdoor Man

A biography about Alex Chilton 

+ writing by Holly George Warren 

+ cover photography by Godlis 

= GREAT 

Order here

Facebook page

Richard Boch remembers the No Wave era

"The End" by Pat Place

Richard Boch, 1979

Friend Richard Boch, who currently is working on a memoir of his time as the door man of the Mudd Club, wrote a nice article for the Poughkeepsie Journal about the late 70's in downtown NYC. Some of his art, along with pieces by Bob Bert, Pat Place, and photos by Godlis & Marcia Resnick, are currently on display at Ai Earthling Gallery in Woodstock, NY, entitled No Wave Heroes through January 12.

New York City, 1978 — the streets were dark but the noise was deafening. I was out every night, far from the sidelines where I once stood, and moving toward the heart of what was happening.

When CBGB, the birthplace of punk, ushered in the sea change a few years earlier, I cheered as Patti Smith and the Ramones — radical and on fire — came out swinging. Boundaries undefined, they opened the door for no wave’s primal scream. Lydia Lunch grabbed a microphone and her band, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, let loose a disjointed urban mashup of sound; James Chance and the Contortions — saxophone and vocals wailing away, Pat Place’s guitar tearing right through the middle. Arto Lindsay’s band DNA was a pounding, frenzied scream and cry. Boris Policeband followed up with a sonic assault on violin and transistor radio, taking pride in his ability to clear the room.

In the spring of 1978 musician and superman Brian Eno stepped in and tried to produce and define the no wave sound before the next fire started. A few months later, Steve Mass opened the Mudd Club on White Street and gave everyone a place to call home. Continued here.

"Cookie Mueller" by Bob Bert, 1985

Shot by: Godlis - Happy Rosh Hashanah

Coney Island, 1979, ©Godlis

Shot by: Godlis

Arturo Vega at CBGB, 1977 photo ©GODLIS

From Boston To The Bowery by Godlis: Open Now In Boston!

Godlis! Live in Boston!

FROM BOSTON TO THE BOWERY
Photographs 1970-1979
JP Art Market - 36 South Street

Boston MA

Artist Reception Thursday June 6th

Open NOW thru July 21st

Just Daisy! Daisy checks out the Just Chaos! opening at Bookmarc

Our pal, Daisy, who usually checks in once in a while with her Letters From London, happens to be in NYC this week. Last night she attended the opening of the Just Chaos! photo show at Bookmarc in the west village. Here's what she had to say:

Met lots of punk rockers last night - ahem… maybe I shouldn't have started with the word "MET". Did you read the reviews of the Gala at the Metropolitan Museum's annual fundraiser Costume Ball the other day?  Someone on TV actually asked Vivienne Westwood who she was wearing,  and they didn't mean her Bradley Manning jewellery.

I read about the Gala in the Costa Coffee lounge at Heathrow. They have free newspapers. The Times of London loved it: "Crowns are the new Tiara's," they wrote. The Daily Mail hated it (probably because Lady Diana is dead and couldn't be there).  

I am a bit confused about it all.  It's not like the designers were meant to re-create 1976, were they?
I thought Madonna's outfit with her signature crucifix on her bottom was trying hard, and please, someone, give Sarah Jessica Parker something to eat.

Bookmarc is a clean and bright corner bookshop owned by Marc Jacobs. Yes the fashion designer.  I am glad he has a bookshop.  He used to work for Louis Vuitton.  Now there are 200 Marc Jacob stores in 80 countries. This show was organised by Roberta Bayley who invited Punk Photographers:  Janette Beckman, Stephanie Chernikowski, Laura Levine, Julia Gorton, Eileen Polk, Marcia Resnick, Lee Black Childers, Danny Fields, Godlis, Bobby Grossman, Bob Gruen, Chris Stein and Joe Stevens, to put a few photos each in the store windows and amongst the punk rock literature inside.

Sofia Coppola tins of wine and Pelligrino were served.

Because I had been a little thrown by the torrential rain in the morning, but decided to visit the local thrift shop to see if they had anything interesting, $15 got me a pair of red tartan trousers.  Perfect!
I didn't see a pair of converse at the show but I did have a wonderful time - this included:

John Leyland & Andy Schwartz

Speaking with John Leyland (nee SPIN now NYT) about going to the punk show at the Met.  We both hoped the Gala was successful even if the punk exhibit fails. I saw Leee Black Childers (another Warhol Factory man) but we couldn't chat because he was being interviewed all evening pretty much.

Randy Haecker

I admired Laura Levine's photographic career and she told me how she organises events at her shop upstate called The Mystery Spot.

Randy Haecker told me he's working on a Clash Box Set (I forget how many discs but there are quite a lot).  He had a Marc Jacobs bag and when asked to show-and-tell he didn't produce a shirt or a tie, but a book, nicely wrapped, by photographer SHEILA ROCK.  Sheila just had a book launch in London.

I met a real-life ballgirl for the Phillies baseball team:  Ms. Ronnie Norpel.  She's even written a book called Baseball Karma & The Constitution Blues. 

Howie Pyro & Jahn Xavier

I met Howie Pyro who told me his punk rock flyer collection is still up in the Bowery Electric and will be for a few more weeks. 

I stood with Jahn Xavier who could name most of the people on the sidewalk from his youth - and I mean YOUTH.  He was 16 when he played bass for Richard Hell.. he named the CBGB's waitresses amongst others...

My Smoking Life

I met a Jewish-Norwegian man who had given up smoking three days ago.  WELL DONE.  I may have said, it's a bit of a mystery why we smoke, isn't it? And he produced a typed - on a TYPEWRITER - paper - why he liked smoking.

The Huff Post team lead by Mark Sax were on the sidewalk.

Handsome Dick Manitoba and Handsome son Jake were present. 

Handsome Jake & Handsome Dick

It was warm.  It got dark.  Godlis took a last look at the window before heading off to his neighbourhood.

Someone said, "I can't believe I'm nearly 60."

"You have such great skin."

Someone else said, "That's because we don't go out in daylight.  Rock and roll isn't a daylight thing".

I hopped the uptown train with a good friend.  We talked about Dylan, and people we knew, and how we are going to raise some funds of our own, without mentioning google, internet, like it was 1976.

See more photos of the event here.

From left: Julia Gorton, Laura Levine, Bob Gruen, Godlis, Stephanie Chernikowski, Bobby Grossman, Marcia Resnick, Roberta Bayley, and Leee Black Childers.

Giorgio Gomelsky in the NY Times

Giorgio Gomelsky in 1999, by Godlis

“Music is a journey, not something mapped out by a lawyer,” he said. “Human expression is when you make real what you feel. It’s about the discovery of reality behind appearances.” - Giorgio Gomelsky

The NY Times' City Room blog recently ran a nice profile on the legendary Giorgio Gomelsky that's worth a read. Check it out here.

Shot by: Godlis

Sometime in the 70's, NYC, by Godlis. Like him on Facebook.

Stupefied: The Godlis Playlist

Godlis by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

With this week's edition of Stupefied I'm happy to present someone who is not a stranger to these pages, my favorite noir-punk shooter...the one & only Godlis! I'm also happy to announce that Godlis, just this week, has relaunched his always rewarding website, and has also launched a fan page on Facebook. As if thats not enough, you can count on more news from Godlis-central throughout the year...

Godlis.com

Godlis Facebook

Now, sit back, and pretend you're in a darkroom somewhere on Saint Mark's Place, and enjoy...

01. Hank Williams – Lost Highway
02. The Byrds – I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
03. Patti Smith Group – Ask the Angels
04. Blondie – In The Flesh
05. Television – Venus
06. Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
07. Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes
08. The Velvet Underground – Beginning To See The Light
09. The Clash – (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
10. Cheap Trick – Surrender
11. Ramones – Sheena Is A Punk Rocker 

12. Iggy Pop – The Passenger
13. Tom Waits – Downtown Train
14. Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
15. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – Time
16. Gram Parsons – Return Of The Grievous Angel
17. Elvis Costello – (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
18. Bob Dylan – Visions Of Johanna
20. The Kinks – Waterloo Sunset
21. Townes Van Zandt – Pancho & Lefty

Time Is On My Side: Godlis slideshow next Monday in Soho

TIME IS ON MY SIDE : A Photo Slideshow talk by Godlis

Monday October 15 at 7:00PM

SOHO PHOTO GALLERY 

15 White Street 

NYC

more information here

Shot by: Godlis

From the NYC street archives - Rosh Hashannah edition:
Wise men taking on the big issues of Time & Life, Sixth Avenue NYC 1979 ©GODLIS

Sun Myung Moon RIP

Subway NYC 1976, photo © GODLIS

Sun Myung Moon - RIP

About the photo - from Godlis: In 1975 I was living with a couple of photographers in an ex-moonie house in Brighton Allston MA. They left their recruitment sign on the front of the house. We were too lazy/busy to take it down, so everyone passing thought we were them. The moonies left a lot of fish in the refrigerator in the basement, right near my darkroom. I moved to NYC six months later and they were all over 34th street at the New Yorker Hotel. This photo was taken in the summer of '76 when Reverend Moon appeared at Yankee Stadium.

On the scene: Godlis reviews Dylan at Bethel, 9.2.12

Thanks to Godlis for letting me rerun his great review of a recent Bob Dylan show in Bethel, NY, at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival. If you've never made the trip out there its definitely worth it. Bob Dylan's new album, Tempest, is out any minute now...take it away Godlis:

9/2/12, Bethel NY: Crazy Day in the Bob Dylan world. Fabulous new record Tempest being streamed free on iTunes as I write this. First listen to the 45 verse/no chorus epic song about the sinking of the "Titanic". Tribute song "Roll on John" about John Lennon. It doesn't get much better than this. AND I SAW HIM LIVE Sunday night! Wow!  Here's my review of the show...

I wasn’t even going to bother to contribute a review of this Bethel NY show to the online Bob Dylan community. On this lazy summer night, I was perched  almost too comfortably uphill from the stage in my $30 lawn seat. From that distance I couldn’t really attest to anything specific that was going on onstage - what Bob & the band were wearing or who was playing what instrument type was beyond my point of view. Usually I’m up close & personal, but no notebook in hand tonight, I was ready for just a summer dose of Bob. But jeez, I’ve waited 48 hours now for someone to post a review, and nothing was delivered. So…somebody’s got to reach for the rising star, and I guess it must be Up to Me.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect end of summer September night in Bethel NY. Full moon rising over the hills as Bob Dylan and his band took the stage shortly around 9:15. Talk around the Bethel Woods site had been about what tracks from Tempest anyone had already heard, and whether he was going to open with Leopard Skin or River Flow, which he’d changed up the night before, and whether he was going to play guitar much. But really it was a very, almost too very laid back crowd. Lot of wandering tie-die types. Some were mathematicians and some were carpenters wives to be sure, but there seemed to be no real sense of urgency to this crowd. Well hey I hadn’t seen Dylan since that outdoor Brooklyn show a few years ago. Hadn’t seen the current state of this touring band in a while, so I guess I can offer a fresh perspective.  Bob was about to come onstage and I was ready for a lethal dose. (Continued after the break)

Charles Ball remembered by Godlis

Charles Ball on the Bowery, 1977 ©Godlis

Following today's sad news about Charles Ball, Godlis checked in with some fantastic images of the man about whom he said, "Charles was a Dylan fanatic, and I fondly remember going to see the Street Legal Dylan at Madison Square Garden one night in 1978. Charles brought along a suitcase with his giant tape recorder, to record the show. I still have that tape of Dylan singing a monumental version of Changing of the Guard - a song that Patti Smith has since been known to cover."

"I heard of Charles Ball's death this afternoon and just can't shake that feeling. He's been underground for so many years now in Florida, gone from his New York scene, that I can't remember the last time I saw him. I think it was on a drive up to Westchester in the early 90's when he was helping me on a video project with my photos. He was working in an audio store up there, and got me a discount on a tuner. Then he was gone one day, no forwarding address or number, and I never heard from him again. We met at CBGB's in 76, when he was working with Terry Ork, and I took this photo of them on Delancey Street after we visited the Teenage Jesus loft one night. He set me up to do at least three Teenage Jesus sessions. Charles used my Alex Chilton photo for the Bangkok 45 and made it legendary. I'm not sure if I ever got paid, but I still spent a lot of great time in the day with Charles Ball - as insufferable as he was visionary. R.I.P. now Charles."

All images ©Godlis

Charles Ball & Terry Ork, Delancey Street, 1977 ©Godlis

Bob Quine, Lydia Lunch, Charles Ball in the studio, 1977 or 1978 - Vanguard Studios? ©Godlis

Daily Travels - Somebody Might Wave Back

Godlis, Dallas BBQ, St Marks & Second Ave, NYC