CBGB was a club in New York in the late 70's that put The Ramones, Joe Jackson, Patti Smith, The Talking Heads, The Police, The B-52'S and Blondie on the map. Sometime in the early 90's I watched a horror film called "Fear No Evil" that was made in 1981 and featured music by all of aforementioned musicians above. This is how I discovered the CBGB music scene and it was truly an awakening experience on my 12 year old brain. Ever since then I have had a huge admiration for this time in music evolution that rocketed the first wave of alternative music into the mainstream. Last year, a film on the CBGB scene was released. The library now owns the dvd for reserve. Please read on for more information
CBGB was released last year and tells the story of club owner Hilly Kristal who tried to make a space for country, bluegrass and blues artists in the 1970's, but it ended up being a magnet for music that was unable to fit into any specific category. A sort of next step in rock music that blended elements of different music together and also created entirely different sounds that had never been heard of before(punk, new wave, thrash, surf, rockabilly, avant garde etc).The following are just a few of the artists that led the way.
The Velvet Underground seemed to pave the way with their innovative style in the late 60's. Then later came this new music called punk led by Iggy Pop and The Stooges as well as The Ramones and Blondie. Poet Patti Smith struck a huge blow for feminism and became one of first frontwomen to be punk, tough, angry, deep, inspiring, fearless and just plain cool all in one. Most female alternative artists of the 80's and 90's all credit Ms. Smith as an influence.
There was the brainy art school kids known as The Talking Heads who represented the clever and artsy yet hip side of CBGB. The Police symbolized the intellectual side of new rock. Elvis Costello had elements of a deep/philosophical Buddy Holly who at times had a pinch of melancholy in his music. The B-52'S made a campy fun side of the new wave.
CBGB finally closed it's doors for the final time sometime last year but there is talk of new buyers taking over the club.
To reserve a copy of CBGB, just click here
Thank you for reading,
-Fred
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