Mark Kamins interview with Love Saves the Day author Tim Lawrence

Kamins at Danceteria. Courtesy of Emily Armstrong.

Writer Tim Lawrence, who wrote the indispensable history of dance music in New York City during the 70's, Love Saves the Day, conducted a lengthy interview with longtime DJ and record producer, Mark Kamins back in 2008. At the time, Lawrence was doing research for his long awaited Love Saves-follow up, Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor, 1980-83, due in 2015.

Kamins, of course, was an essential face on the scene at the time between DJ'ing at clubs like Danceteria, and working with artists. He is best known for helping Madonna get her record deal, and did plenty of great remixes, and recordings as well, which has been thoroughly documented. He was tireless, and sadly passed away about a year ago.

Red Bull Music Academy recently posted a short version of the interview, and if you're really compelled, you can get the entire thing over at Tim Lawrence's site. While reading, I suggest listening to this terrific collection of Kamin's related recordings curated by Lawrence, and posted by Red Bull.

Danceteria flyer for opening night. Courtesy of Rudolf Piper.

NYC Clubbing Nostalgia: Danceteria and After Hours

Over the last couple of days, two articles of note have come to my attention regarding "the old days" here in NYC. They may be of interest to some of you, and will do nicely as we await the follow up to Love Saves The Day, by Tim Lawrence, which will cover the NYC club scene in the 80's.

The guys over at the always interesting DJ History just posted a story that's as much a tribute to the late, great Mark Kamins as much as it is about Danceteria. 

"In New York in the eighties, more was more. The city was crawling out from its burnt-out seventies bankruptcy and wanted to pile on as much colour and life and asymmetric haircuts as it could cram into a strobe-lit graffiti-strewn cellar. Rents were still dirt cheap in many parts, especially the areas below 14th Street, so if you had the driving ambition to open a gallery or a nightclub, or a boutique, or a performance space, it wasn’t hard to find a basement or a derelict storefront and get on with it." Continued here.

And, originally posted in 2009, Steve Lewis writes a brief history of after hours clubs in New York during the 80's for Black Book magazine. Robots images courtesy of Save The Robots' Facebook group.

 
"In the 1980s, the illegality, desperation and danger of the after-hours scene were drugs in themselves. I ran a joint called The World for some guys who were so unsavory that their lawyer partner seemed honest by comparison. After the filler patrons had all gone to bed, the owners would open the door for special friends and celebrities, who partied until dawn and beyond. In one of the boldest outlaw moves ever, a sledgehammer opened up a common wall to the burnt-out tenement next door. Squatters were rousted, and the space became the new It Club. Five-gallon jugs of vodka were hidden in the ceiling and connected to pipes and faucets, and the brew was served to Madonna, Carolina Herrera and Joan Rivers -- to Prince as well as paupers." Continued here.

Dedicated to Mark Kamins

Dedicated to Mark Kamins & all who remembered him last night at Santos.  

Source.

In memory of Mark Kamins: An all out pow wow of ''Everbody'' at Santos Party House, April 17

In memory of Mark Kamins: An all out pow wow of ''Everbody'' at Santos Party House, April 17

When legendary DJ Mark Kamins passed away back in mid-February, he left behind a whole lot of friends around the world, but especially here in the city where he made his name. On April 17, at Santos Party House, a veritable all star lineup of many of these friends will pay tribute. This includes a headlining appearance by Konk, who haven't performed together since 1986! 

Proceeds from the party will benefit the newly established(?) Mark Kamins Scholarship Award in Electronic Music. Keep up with any developments via the event Facebook page here.

There will be more to come, but here is whats on tap so far:

Konk (All original members: Dana Vlcek, Shannon Dawson, Scott Gillis, Geordie Gillespie, Richard Edson,Jonny Sender, Daniel Sadownick)

Also appearing (all backed by the debut of the MK Pow Wow Band):
Coati Mundi (Savannah Band / Kid Creole and the Coconuts)
Nomi Ruiz (Jessica 6 / Hercules and Love Affair)
Johnny Dynell (Jackie 60)
John Robie w/Harmoney Trujillo

and DJ sets by:
Mike Pickering (The Hacienda, Quango Quango, M-People)
Jellybean Benitez (FunHouse, Feel the Spirit)
Francois K (Deep Space, Body and Soul)
Veronica Vasicka (Minimal Wave)
Justin Strauss (Mudd Club, Area)
Eric Duncan (Rub & Tug, Still Going)
World War Walter (Danceteria, Mudd Club, The World, Pyramid)
The Migt Godfather of Electro Hip Hop (Zulu Nation)
Stretch Armstrong (WKCR FM)
Jazzy Nice (Giant Step)
Bill Bahlman (Danceteria, 99 Records)
Murray Elias (The Ritz, Limelight, VP Records/Profile Records)
Mark Fotiades (Danceteria, Mute Records)
Kip Lavinger (Save the Robots)
Ivan Ivan (Mudd Club, Pyramid)
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$20 DONATION
proceeds to go to expenses and the
MARK KAMINS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD in ELECTRONIC MUSIC
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Mark Kamins RIP

Mark Kamins - RIP

Just to bring everything full circle, here is Madonna in her debut performance as Madonna at Danceteria in New York, 1982. She performs her first single, "Everybody," which was produced by Kamins. He was responsible for bringing her to the attention of Seymour Stein at Sire Records. See Mark's considerable discography here.