Just before the attacks on 9/11 took place, Al-Qaeda operatives took out their number one nemesis on the ground in Afghanistan, Northern Alliance leader Ahmed Shah Massoud. While I’m not suggesting that it’s necessarily the same kind of thing taking place here, I find it interesting that CBGB’s is closing its doors just days before freedom in America officially ends this Tuesday. One wonders if one had to happen before the other.
For those of you who are depressed that the birthplace of punk rock is going to become something like a Starbucks, perhaps there is a small glimmer of hope. Perhaps all is not lost. I just learned from a fellow on Metafilter that the spirit lives on. Yes, you can apparently still buy CBGB merchandise at Nordstrum!
That last link made me vomit.
OK. In honor of CBGB’s closing, I want to give you a preview of the “Mark Maynard’s Top Ten Albums of All Time” list that I’ve been working on. As three of them may never have happened without CBGB’s it seems fitting to mention them here. They are:
“Horses” by Patti Smith
“Ramones” by The Ramones
“Marquee Moon” by Television
These records made my young life worth living, and they continue to make me happy today, in spite of all the shit we’re living through.
Goodbye, CBGB.
17 Comments
Am I the only one here who actually worked at CBGBs? My band played there; I had pieces in a couple of comic art shows at the gallery. I didn’t really like the place, and won’t miss it; still, it’s sad it closed. The rent, by the way, had been raised to $65,000 a month: another sign that real estate has gone insane.
Kristal is packing up all the fixtures; they’ll be preserved in a museum in Vegas. What the hell, maybe that’s where they belong.
Am I the only one here who actually worked at CBGBs? My band played there; I had pieces in a couple of comic art shows at the gallery. I didn’t really like the place, and won’t miss it; still, it’s sad it closed. The rent, by the way, had been raised to $65,000 a month: another sign that real estate has gone insane.
Kristal is packing up all the fixtures; they’ll be preserved in a museum in Vegas. What the hell, maybe that’s where they belong.
If I worked at Nordstrums that counts, too, right?
If I worked at Nordstrums that counts, too, right?
I took a dump there once that, I’m convinced, was more talented than anyone who had taken the stage in the last 20 years (other than Mr. Skinner, of course).
Only if you made it a point to steal something every day, Ol’ E.C.
As for CBGB, I never went. I’ve seen plenty of shows in New York, but, somehow, I never went there. I guess, in retrospect, I probably should have… I don’t really hold the place in such high regard. It was just a venue that made itself available to the right people at the right time. The stuff that came out of there was truly magical (and it probably should be a museum), but it wasn’t as though the place created the magic… If I had more time to think about it, there’s probably a good post that could be written comparing and contrasting CBGB’s with Warhol’s Factory… I’ve got bills to pay though.
And that’s cool that you played there, Doug. The next time I see you, you’ll have to tell me about it.
yeah, and Tower Records, too.
Two out of three are on the money. I can’t stand Patti Smith myself, one of the most overrated artists of all time. I suspect she would be a barely remembered punk bottom feeder (Jim Carroll anyone?) if she had been a man. Wait,…is she a man? Never mind.
Plus her and this LP is directly to blame for Michael Stipe. Unforgivable.
Bob
The few times I went to CBGBs it was a dump. It was a good place to see a show, but it no longer was an important place. It’s hard to feel sorry now when it hasn’t been as relevant for 25 years.
I saw Doug’s band White Knuckle Sandwich play at cBGBs 313 Gallery next door.
Patti Smith may have been the Courtney Love of her day, but that doesn’t change the fact that Horses is a damn fine record. (Even overrated poets can hit the mark on occasion.) And, I think the addition of the female voice rounds out the group nicely. My only qualm is that Talking Heads aren’t represented, but they may have joined the party a bit late (and from outside the city).
Yeah, dude two of your three are on my top twenty albums http://radiofreeubu.spaces.live.com/?_c11_MusicList_listid=cns!20644E2D1DEF7917!204&_c=MusicList
of all times and the Ramones would have made the top twenty five. And although Patti’s last few albums have blown her first few would blow away anyone with half a hemisphere — and Jim Carroll wasn’t all that bad either. I’ve seen him do several kick ass shows, including a spoken word one here that turned into a solo act when co-headliner Allen Ginsberg couldn’t make it. There’s some crap on the Live at CBGBs album but there were a few good tunes too from some actual punk bottom feeders.
If I were in charge, a man would have his head chopped off for even suggesting that a “Top 20” list could be compiled without mention of the Ramones… You are a lucky man, Ubu.
Otherwise, I like a lot of your choices. Lou Reed’s “Take No Prisoners Live” is also on my list, as are a few others you mention. (When I finally release my list, I’ll issue a press release.)
I’ve long debated which of the Ramones first four albums is the best. Right now I’m leaning toward Leave Home. Best album cover goes to Rocket To Russia. I once had that on vinyl but had to sell it when I needed money.
I share the dillema, Terry. I went with “Ramones” because of the emotional tie I have to that record. You’re right though, all those first four are great.
Everywhere you go there you are: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/arts/music/04cbgb.html
Joey Ramone is probably the only person in the world whose wax figure would look more lifelike. I hope they have one.
And now Maxwell’s is closing.
Read more:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/maxwells-in-hoboken-to-close-in-july/