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LANDMARKS MAX THE BRONX NEUHAUS' The places, spaces, and monuments of A column on "TIMES NYC's musical past, the gear and processes present, and future. that inform SQUARE" the music we make.

when antonín dvoRák came to New York from the Old World, he was on a quest, as he put it, to “discov- er” American music, as if it were a rare earth element or it's short-sighted to claim a country a creature from the depths of the sea. In an 1895 essay has a single distinct sound. But even with glob- for Harper’s Magazine, the Czech composer wrote, from al hardware distribution as good as it has ever his house at 327 East 17th Street: “The music of the peo- been, we are all still interested in the kinds of ple is like a rare and lovely flower growing amidst en- creative restraints that geography puts on the croaching weeds. Thousands pass it, while others tram- QUEENS sounds we make. Harald Björk, a 2013 Red ple it under foot, and thus the chances are that it will Bull Music Academy participant, makes synthe- perish before it is seen by the one discriminating spirit sizer music in Sweden. We spoke with him about who will prize it above all else.” MANHATTAN the gear he uses, Swedish and otherwise, and This idea of one person entranced by a siren song how these machines have shaped his sound. while surrounded by the oblivious hordes is in keeping with Max Neuhaus’ “Times Square” installation, which RBMA: What Swedish synthesizers are popu- sits beneath a series of metal grates on Broadway be- lar in Sweden? tween 45th and 46th Streets. It was here in 1977 that Neuhaus, a Texas-born, New York-bred percussionist Harald Björk: The modules and synthesizers and sound artist, conceived of a work so subtle yet so from the fancy brand Cwejman sound really dynamic that the “discriminating spirit” would have good but are a little out of my budget. Then no choice but to stop in his tracks and let the sounds WHAT:"TIMES SQUARE" we have Nord. That has ruled the live market of the city wash over him. Or, more accurately, syn- WHERE: GRATES ON for quite some time—almost every band has a thesizer-generated tones amplified by miles of subway BROADWAY BETWEEN LOGOS Nord these days. Their products are quite stur- tunnels into never-ending peals of deep and sonorous 45TH AND 46TH dy, built with a quality feel. Teenage Engineer- vibrations, as if a church bell, clanging away, was some- STREETS, MANHATTAN ing is another interesting brand that is more how buried in the pavement. WHY: SOUND about the design and playfulness. Their prod- In Dvorák’s time, Broadway entertainment was clus- INSTALLATION uct OP-1 made a real buzz. tered around Herald Square, so Times Square rang out WHEN: 1977–1992; The origins of 2002–PRESENT not with sounds of musicals such as the 1891 block- iconic images from RBMA: How did your gear setup change from buster A Trip to Chinatown (and its hit number “After the track “Bigfield” to the Estelle EP, which is the Ball”), but the clip-clopping of horses transversing BROOKLYN NYC's musical history much more lo-fi? crooked cobblestones. In the 1980s, when the area mor- explained. phed into the psychographic center of cheap thrills and HB: On “Bigfield” I used the Korg Electribe video arcades, the sonorous clanging of “Times Square” EMX quite [a lot] for some internal sounds and continued unabated. “Times Square” went silent in STATEN ISLAND filters, but also to sequence drum machines 1992, when Neuhaus moved to Europe, but it returned long since consultant for the The Cooper Union’s like the MFB-522 and my JoMoX AirBase99, with its creator in 2002; upon Neuhaus’ death in 2009, the cbgb logo has and synths like Technosaurus Microcon II. the DIA Foundation took over the installation’s mainte- transcended its humble beginnings at typeface design program, who sees links to [The] Estelle EP was more or less written and nance. Today you can hear “Times Square” as Neuhaus 315 Bowery. What had once been a dirty 19th-century Tuscan wood type. With its produced with two drum machines and three intended it—a surprising yet gentle respite from the synthesizers, except for the vocal parts. It was chaotic city above, pointing to a world of never-ending club in a fringe location is now enshrined split ends and spurs in the middle, Tuscan made in a quite old-school way: Roland gear music beneath your feet. ! ADRIENNE DAY within an expensive menswear boutique. type has a Western feel, which makes sense from the early ’80s and some Korg PolySix sun- shine and glimmer on top. Even when Patti Smith performed the considering the club was originally meant club’s last rites in October 2006, it was RBMA: In what ways do you think your to showcase “Country, Bluegrass, Blues & equipment shapes your music? well past its “home for underground rock” Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers” HB: My works are half experiment that I want prime. (Founder/owner Hilly Kristal died rather than the punk rock that made it to try out with a machine, and half sponta- of lung cancer less than a year later.) But famous. Painted askew and DIY-style on neous ideas and transcribed feelings that pop the essence of CBGB & OMFUG staggers its dingy white awning, the CB’s logo was up the moment I create. So the machines give me quite a lot of inspiration. TOP 5… on. It’s an idea that’s been perpetuated, like a beacon for misfit artists, poets, and MUSIC!RELATED commodified, and memorialized ad musicians, all drawn to the club’s Wild RBMA: Do you ever impose creative limita- tions on yourself? 1 2 3 4 5 nauseam. And while much of its history West saloon vibe. ACTIVITIES IN THE CATCH A GIG AT CHECK OUT THE JOE SNAP A PIC AT GET WEIRD WAVE AT MERCURY LOUNGE STRUMMER MURAL MADONNA’S OLD See some live shows WHOEVER’S LIVE My interest in analog gear has made a lot has been documented, little has been said Those days are long gone, though. HB: EAST VILLAGE Whether you’re in Head to Avenue APARTMENT at the New Museum, IN THE EVR STUDIO of limitations. With software I could get stuck for the early set A at East 7th The queen of pop especially the Get We’re at 21 First about where that infamous logo came Richard Hell, one-time bassist for forever automating parameters and faders. PRESENTED BY or sticking around Street to see a wasn’t born into Weird performance Avenue, situated in Recording hardware, I have the limitations of through the late fitting tribute royalty. She slummed series. The Bowery a glass storefront from. Kristal’s ex-wife Karen has claimed Television—the first band of the punk movement by my hands. show, this Houston to the Clash’s it like the rest building manages to space; you can see Street venue is Joe Strummer. The of us and spent her keep things strange what’s happening East Village Radio (EVR.com) is a premier credit for designing and painting it, scene to play CBGB, in 1974—doesn't know sure to tickle your punk icon spent budding years at along the revered live on EVR at any Internet radio platform, streaming live to an RBMA: Have you ever built a song around a musical fancy. many years in the 234 E. 4th Street street. given time! We also international audience. Located in the heart but the truth might have gone with Hilly the logo's origins either, but had this to say Upcoming dates East Village, so (between Avenues A suggest grabbing the mistake? of New York City’s famed East Village, EVR.com will host JEFF the what better way to and B). Chill here free EVR Mobile App to the grave. via email: “I’m continually struck, when I carries on our neighborhood’s tradition Brotherhood, Peace, capture his lasting for a few minutes to take on the go of producing and nurturing vital music and HB: Since I’m the worst key player in the Sky Ferreira, and spirit than with a and then tell while you do each of “If she did paint it, I wouldn’t be see it on t-shirts everywhere, by the horror/ culture and placing them on the world stage. world, most of my leads and chords are mis- DIIV, to name a few. splash of graffiti your friends you the aforementioned EVR.com’s original programming streams live takes. But I believe it gives a little human touch vérité? walked in Madge’s activities. surprised if she looked at some sign hilarity of the phenomenon. Because of the from a storefront studio, providing a view footsteps. painter’s alphabet book for inspiration,” club’s cachet, all these people walk around in a very controlled environment. into downtown NYC’s legendary history for our local and worldwide listeners. says typographer Nick Sherman, a with such ugly chests!” ! SUE APFELBAUM !NICK SYLVESTER

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