Handout 2 - Hilly Kristal and CBGB

Though the Lower Manhattan music venue CBGB held only 350 occupants, its influence was felt worldwide. During the 33 years CBGB was open, and particularly in the mid and late 1970s, the venue created a space for non-mainstream Rock bands that performed original music. In 1976, most of the bands that frequented CBGB were unknown outside of New York City, but over the ensuing years several of the groups--The Ramones, The Talking Heads, Blondie--became internationally successful. Many suggest that Punk music was invented at CBGB. Below is the history of CBGB as told by its owner, Hilly Kristal.

A Brief History of CBGB (Excerpt) From: http://www.cbgb.com/history-by-hilly

The questions most asked of me is, "What does CBGB stand for?" I reply, "It stands for the kind of music I intended to have, but not the kind of music that we became famous for: COUNTRY BLUEGRASS BLUES." The next question is always, "but what does OMFUG stand for?" and I say, "That's more of what we do, it means OTHER MUSIC FOR UPLIFTING GOURMANDIZERS." And what is a gourmandizer? It's a voracious eater of, in this case, MUSIC.

That first year [of business] was an exercise in persistence and a trial in patience. My determination to book only musicians who played their own music instead of copying others, was indomitable. ORIGINALITY (to me) WAS PRIME, TECHNIQUE TOOK SECOND PLACE.

Disco gives birth to “Street Rock” and later Punk The height of the Disco era brought an increasing dissatisfaction among rock musicians and their fans. The formula driven disco music and the long drawn out solos and other complexities in much of the rock of the late sixties and early seventies encouraged a lot of disgruntled rock enthusiasts to seek the refreshing rhythms and sounds of simple (BACK TO BASICS) high energy rock and roll, which seemed to take shape right here at CBGB. We called this music "street rock" and later "PUNK" - "come as you are and do your own thing" rock and roll.

CBGB and Downtown Manhattan in the mid-1970s Having a rock club on the Bowery [in downtown Manhattan], under a flophouse [a hostel in which multiple people share a room], does have some advantages. (1) the rent is (was) reasonable (2) Most of our neighbors dressed worse than, or more weird than our rock and rollers (3) The surrounding buildings were mostly industrial and the people who did live close by, didn't seem to care about having a little rock and roll sound seeping into their lives.

The disadvantages: within a two-block radius there were six flophouses holding about two thousand men, mostly derelicts. I would say most of them were either alcoholics, drug addicts, physically impaired or mentally unstable. Some of the men were veterans from the Vietnam War on government disability, and others were just lost in life or down on their luck. The streets were strewn with bodies of alcoholic derelicts sleeping it off after two or three drinks of adulterated wine reinforced with sugar. There were lots of muggers hanging around on the Bowery preying on the old or incapacitated men. When people were let out of jail or institutions they were very often housed in one of these flophouses by the city. The Bowery was a drab, ugly and unsavory place. But it was good enough for rock and rollers. The people who frequented CBGB didn't seem to mind staggering drunks and stepping over a few bodies.

1975 was a remarkable year for CBGB, and for me personally. No one was getting rich, but who cared. We were all having a ball. It was certainly exciting, discovering new artists, finding new bands, spreading the word, trying to get them recording contracts.

I certainly didn't love every band that played CBGB's but I did love to encourage them to do their own thing, to challenge the establishment. I've always felt the stronger you are about yourself and your own ideas, (in this case musical ideals) the more satisfying your success, hopefully, the more rewarding your future.

1976 was a year of celebration here in the United States because of the anniversary of July 4th 1776 - two hundred years ago we had our independence as a nation from the establishment - The United Kingdom. Two centuries later young people were still declaring their independence from the establishment, and some of them were having their say through rock music.

In the beginning as - is most often the case - the establishment (the record industry) and millions of rock fans were completely unaware of this new awakening of the 70's which has no uniting symbolism like the 60's. It was simply a need for young people to be heard, a need for young people to be speak, a need for them to be recognized as individuals. Listen to me! Hear me!! This is who I am, This is what "I" have to say!! These were not young people whose ambitions were to be great musicians or to become rock superstars. They were young people who simply wanted a voice. To get this voice, to have your voice heard, you have got to be able someway, somehow, be able to communicate with an audience that "might or might not" be receptive to what you have to say.

Record your responses to the following prompts below.

1. In what ways do you think the economic decline of Lower Manhattan might have created a space in which CBGB could prosper?

2. Do you think CBGB would have succeeded if it was located in the midst of many successful business and/or high-rent housing? Why or why not?

3. Kristal suggests that he and many of the bands that performed at CBGB were somehow “anti- establishment,” what do you think this might mean? What do you think they were against?

4. Kristal references the 200th anniversary of the United States as the celebration of “independence,” and suggests that CBGB represents something similar. However, much of the music created at CBGB became known as “Punk.” Why do you think it earned that title? How might you contrast “Punk” and “Patriotism”?