On this date in 1984: Spinal Tap turns it to 11 at CBGB

[Breaking it like the wind at CBGB. Photograph: Ebet Roberts/Redferns]

A little trivia via the History Channel:

Only two years removed from a disastrous 1982 world tour that not only failed to turn the album Smell The Glove into a comeback hit, but also led to the group's breakup, Spinal Tap now had to suffer the indignity of seeing the Marty DiBergi-helmed behind-the-scenes film of that tour gain widespread theatrical release. Would the numerous embarrassments catalogued in the hard-hitting rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap provoke public sympathy for and renewed interest in the band that Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls began back in 1964 as The Originals? Or would the group behind such familiar classic-rock hits as "Give Me Some Money" and "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" be consigned once and for all to obscurity? In this atmosphere of uncertainty, Spinal Tap elected to go back to their roots, kicking off a tour of small American rock clubs with an appearance at New York City's legendary CBGB's on May 6, 1984.

h/t @cbgbandomfug

More details emerge about the CBGB music festival this summer

Gothamist first pointed out that the CBGB brand was eyeing opening a club somewhere in the city ... Then, BoweryBoogie heard about a CBGB music festival happening this summer... Now our friends at This Ain't the Summer of Love found some more details on the event (sort of buried) at CBGB.com.

In part:

The CBGB Festival is a five day celebratory showcase of music, film, distilled spirits and learning. From The Bowery and the Lower East Side to the streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, join them as they turn it up as loud as it will go this year during the 4th of July holiday week. July 4-8, 2012: Named for the greatest rock-n-roll venue in the world; they proudly introduce the first Annual CBGB Festival. Experience four energy-fueled days & nights of music, rock-n-roll films, insider-industry workshops, and intimate storytelling; all LIVE, all in New York City. CBGB has defined music and culture for generations of people around the world. Universally recognized as the birthplace of punk, CBGB continues to define new music and popular culture by fostering live performances & personal expression from artists around the city and across the globe.

You can read the rest of it at This Ain't the Summer of Love.

Interesting... even if it does sound like a treatment for an energy drink commercial...

Bye Bye CBGB

[Bruno Hadjadj via Clic Gallery]

From the EV Grieve inbox ... you know there are rumors that some new-era CBGB will resurface fairly soon... a reader passed along this information about the original CBGB via a news release from the Clic Gallery...

BYE BYE CBGB is a final goodbye to one of the last relics of New York punk rock and 1970s/1980s underground culture. CBGBs is a place that continues to thrive on in the collective unconscious; a historic landmark that belongs just as much to teenagers buying their first Ramones album as it does to those who attended the first Ramones gigs in 1974. It was in this dingy little rock den on Bowery and Bleecker that the seeds of punk rock germinated before transforming worldwide counterculture forever.

On October 14th, 2006 people came from all other the world to say “Bye Bye” to CBGBs before the club shut its doors for good. Indoors, there were 48-hours of star-studded performances, but it was the emotionally-charged going-ons right outside the club’s doors that captivated multimedia artist Bruno Hadjadj. Using sketches, photography, and videos, he immortalized the anonymous throngs who queued up outside to pay their final respects. For two days people dedicated poems, artworks, mementos, and performances to the legacy of the greatest rock club of all time. Hadjadj’s resultant body of work not only tells the tale of an era coming to an end, but also pays testament to the incredible endurance of CBGBs influence.

“Bye Bye CBGB” is comprised of black and white prints and silver prints mounted on light boxes with the flickering electric lights animating the figures. The accompanying sketches are rendered with a mix of ink and pencils.

February 2 - February 28, 2012
Clic Gallery NYC
255 Centre Street

Here's the perfect space for the new CBGB

So as Gothamist reported this morning, there's some sort of movement to bring back CBGB.

Let's jut gloss over whether this is even a good idea... If the new CBGB people need a space, here's an option: 313 Bowery, once home to the CBGB Gallery... right next door to CBGB, of course.

The space has been on the market for months. (See the listing here.)

The Morrison Hotel Gallery checked out of 313 Bowery at the end of September. Recently, the space became home to Riff, which sells the rock-and-boa inspired clothing line called Andrew Charles, created in part by Steven Tyler. Apparently, though, that store is only here on a temporary basis.

The lower level can be leased separately, where that secret club was for a bit.

Can you come home again?

Is CBGB back from the dead?

[Corbis]

First Marky Ramone's (probably fake) leather jacket, now this?

So Gothamist is reporting this morning that somebody or another will be opening a new outpost of CBGB. Per Gothamist:

We have it on good authority that the legendary venue is still alive in spirit, and angling to take over a new space in Manhattan. With the contents of the original club still around in a basement somewhere, if all goes according to plan it will even look like the old space.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Vegan notes a tweet from an alleged official CBGB Twitter account that asked, "who would you like to see at the #CBGB Music Festival this summer? No band to big or to small."

Hmmm... so where does all this rate on the idea scale — good, bad...

h/t @saywhatagain

Former CBGB Gallery space still on the market

While trolling around the RKF site, we came across a listing (PDF) for 313 Bowery, once home to the CBGB Gallery at 313 Bowery.

The Morrison Hotel Gallery checked out of 313 Bowery at the end of September. Recently, the space became home to Riff, which sells the rock-and-boa inspired clothing line called Andrew Charles, created in part by Steven Tyler.

Apparently, though, that store is only here on a temporary basis.

Here's the listing... Ohh! And already name-checking André Balazs...

The lower level can be leased separately, where that secret club was for a bit.

Morrison Hotel Gallery vacates the Bowery

Back in March, the Post reported that "The Bowery is about to lose its last remaining atmospheric links to CBGB" — the Morrison Hotel at 313 Bowery.

At the time, Steve Cuozzo noted that the Morrison was on a month-to-month lease... apparently the Morrison folks have decided to leave... as the sign on the door shows...the space was almost empty, save a few framed photos waiting to be boxed up...

So what's next? Something fancy, for sure!

Per Cuozzo in March:

The 3300-square foot space at 313 Bowery now occupied by the Morrison Hotel music-photo gallery — named for the famous Doors album and a spiritual successor to the CBGB gallery that was adjacent to the club — has been put on the market by Elliott Azrak's The Max's Kansas City Co., which netleases the property's retail space from the Bowery Residence Committee.

"The netlease holders are looking for not just any tenant, but one who can leverage the history of the block and the unique Bowery demographic," one source said.

That could mean a restaurant/lounge — or another store similar to John Varvatos.

The secret club Extra Place by Max's Kansas City is also part of the deal.


[Photo from September 2009]

The Morrison Hotel SoHo NYC Gallery remains open on Prince Street. We reached out to the Morrison folks for comment/confirmation, and are awaiting word from them...

Report: CBGB brand up for auction

Bloomberg News has the following item today:

CBGB Founder’s Estate to Auction Brand Tied to N.Y. Punk Club
The CBGB brand will be sold by the estate of Hillel “Hilly” Kristal, founder of the New York rock & roll club that launched the Ramones and other punk acts.

Streambank LLC was hired to sell intellectual property rights related to the CBGB brand, the bank said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. The assets include trademarks, domain names, recordings and artifacts from the club, which closed in 2006.

The brand still resonates worldwide and could be used for new opportunities in live clubs, apparel and interactive media, Streambank said. The acronym stands for “Country Blue Grass Blues.”

“We’re expecting it to trade well in excess of a couple million,” said Jack Hazan, a principal in Needham, Massachusetts-based Streambank, which specializes in intangible asset transactions.

Now I'm trying to think of the worst CBGB-related branding opportunity...

On this date in 1975 at CBGB

Thanks to Karate Boogaloo for pointing us to a collection of CBGB ads from 1975 as they appeared in The Voice.

It's All the Streets You Crossed Not So Long Ago has posted dozens of ads... here's one from the paper dated June 16, 1975...

7/21/75

And here's James Wolcott's review of the Ramones from July 21...

She has a collection of ads circa 1975 for other venues, including Club 82 ... and the Beacon.

Thurston Moore and memories of 315 Bowery

La Blogothèque has this new feature on Thurston Moore, who talks about how he first came to New York as a teen... and a few other takes on his time at CBGB... the video includes a good deal of his latest solo material as well.

And from the written intro to the video by Derrick Belcham:

In the bathroom of 315 Bowery, in New York City’s East Village, a picture of a picture of a rock club hangs. The original was taken some time after the club closed last decade, an impression of a time when it had already lost modern relevance, reproduced so that even the faded memory it captured would be lost in a dimly lit hall of mirrors.

Outside of the bathroom, an attendant of John Varvatos tells me that the store policy is to not allow photography of the store. I tell him that it isn’t the store I’m taking photos of. The chagrin of my own borrowed nostalgia is forgotten in the shadow of his callowness. He becomes heated and directs me to an area by the door. Here, a farcical museum has been erected. Stickers and gig posters are gathered here, organized for optimum viewing behind a pane of glass, under-lit to provide an efficient area to gift wrap Italian-sewn men’s jeans.

Pop Market Store now open in the Morrison Hotel

Last Friday, I noted that a PopMarket Store was opening in the Morrison Hotel space on the Bowery.

And the store opened yesterday. They have vinyl, CD/DVD box sets and T-shirts for just a handful of artists, including Johnny Cash, the Stooges, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, the Clash, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Michael Jackson.

The store will be here through June 30, longer if things go well... They're also showing select documentaries too.

Morrison Hotel becoming a PopMarket shop?

The Morrison Hotel gallery at 313 Bowery, the one-time home to the CBGB Gallery, has been on the market...

We spotted this sign on the front door...

PopMarket? Beta? Perhaps this is becoming a brick-and-mortar pop-up shop (sorry for using those terms!) for popmarket.com, which, according to its site, "is the ultimate shopping club for music fans offering its members limited-time private sales on the world's coolest music."

Well, it's better than a Starbucks! [Quickly ducking....]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tenant wanted who can leverage the death of the Bowery

Burning down the house, again

"According to Billboard and the late Hilly Kristal’s daughter, a documentary on CBGB, legendary New York City venue and birthplace of punk rock, is in the works." (Crawdaddy, with a hat tip to Karate Boogaloo.)

Tenant wanted who can leverage the death of the Bowery

Oh, missed this item yesterday in Steve Cuozzo's column in the Post (thanks Racked!) ... 313 Bowery, that one-time home to the CBGB Gallery that now houses the Morrison Hotel gallery is looking for a new tenant ...

(Confused by this — I spotted the "for lease" signs back in August 2009. Not sure what is different about the leasing now. Maybe to whip up some interest?)

So, Cuozzo reports:

The 3300-square foot space at 313 Bowery now occupied by the Morrison Hotel music-photo gallery — named for the famous Doors album and a spiritual successor to the CBGB gallery that was adjacent to the club — has been put on the market by Elliott Azrak's The Max's Kansas City Co., which netleases the property's retail space from the Bowery Residence Committee.

"The netlease holders are looking for not just any tenant, but one who can leverage the history of the block and the unique Bowery demographic," one source said.

That could mean a restaurant/lounge — or another store similar to John Varvatos.

The secret club Extra Place by Max's Kansas City is also part of the deal.


[Photo from September 2009]

And here's a slice of the CBGB pizza

Last Friday, I mentioned that Two Boots on Bleecker was introducing a new CBGB slice. I stopped by to try a slice after work. Sold out!

Anyway, finally remembered to swing by to try again...

I haven't had any slices from Two Boots in a good long time... and I was surprised by how much I liked this one...

Previously on EV Grieve:
2011, the year punk pizza broke: Two Boots introducing the CBGB slice

2011, the year punk pizza broke: Two Boots introducing the CBGB slice

Lenny Kaye will be on hand Friday afternoon at 2 for the unveiling of "CBGB (OMFUG)" pizza — available only at the 74 Bleecker St. Two Boots near Broadway.

Per an e-mail:

"Join us for a free taste of 'The CBGB (OMFUG),' check out the rock 'n roll memorabilia, and look out for other indigenous pizzas coming soon to all Two Boots locations."

The pizza has chicken, broccoli, garlic and basil pesto. (A slice is $3.75.)

As the tipster who sent this along noted, "I'm not sure how well broccoli goes with pesto, but it's Two Boots — they'll make it work."

Max's Kansas City and CBGB live! Sort of!

So this explains why we always saw so many empty bottles on Extra Place...

Thanks to a post this morning at Eater... we now know about Extra Place by Max's Kansas City. Per the website:

Almost 30 years have passed since the cultural institution Max’s Kansas City closed its doors. Andy Warhol once stated that it was “the exact place where pop art met pop life,” while William S. Burroughs credited it as “the intersection of it all.” However, its legacy lives on as the focal point of art, music, and fashion. Inspired by this history, the Max's Kansas City Co. opened Extra Place in January of 2010 as a venue for live music and exclusive private events. Located beneath the former home of CBGB, with an entrance on the storied alley Extra Pl. (off of 1st Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue), Extra Place by the Max's Kansas City Company revives the debaucherous and creative history that made the location so legendary. The Max’s Kansas City company renews these hallowed grounds by establishing Extra Place, a venue for the industries of art, music, and fashion.

Rumors: John Varvatos is reportedly looking for a buyer

Thanks to a reader for passing along this item from The Wall Street Journal's Bankruptcy Beat blog titled Kristal Estate Open to Selling CBGB Name. The last two paragraphs are particularly interesting:

Meanwhile, there’s buzz surrounding the club’s old digs at 315 Bowery in Manhattan’s East Village, which wasn’t among the assets sold to CBGB Holdings. Men’s fashion designer John Varvatos set up shop there in 2008.

The New York Post reported this week that Varvatos, whose rock ‘n’ roll-worthy designs have been worn by Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper, is seeking a buyer to help him get out from under a heavy debt burden. The designer’s current owner, VF Corp., (which owns Lee, Wrangler, Nautica and The North Face) declined to comment on “rumors and speculation.”

[Photo via]

Don't get any on you

Live Skull at CBGB circa 1986.

Hey Is Dee Dee Home?

Near 315 Bowery.