CBGB’s – Photogeek Blog

Heading into the Weekend on a Positive Note.

With good news regarding recent tests coming from my neurologist. My long-suffering Mets surprising everyone with their wild-card win and success against long-time rivals the Braves and the Phillies. I welcomed the weekend with a sense of joy that seemed fleeting lately. Come Saturday, upon arriving home a just published book featuring one of my images was awaiting my return. The book, itself was amazing. Not only did it cover and reflect a very important period of my life. Many of the show flyer and fanzines illustrated within its pages. Mirrored that of my personal collections and boxes of memories of the time. The picture below features a friend at a mid nineties hardcore show at CBGB’s. The subject, whose name shall remain anonymous. Was/is a monumental influence on how I wanted to approach photographing bands and artists. I am extremely impressed with the books build and quality within. I’ll leave a link in case the subject matter (Fanzines and their importance to independent music.) interests you. https://tribalbooks.myshopify.com/products/cut-paste-the-american-hardcore-fanzine

Lost & Found

Concert Photography, Film Photography, Hardcore, Lower East Side, Uncategorized

I recall going to countless shows throughout the tristate during that long lost decade known as the nineties. Armed with my Nikon FM2, my 50mm lens and a couple of rolls of film. I documented each and every show I attended with an unrealistic enthusiasm that I was doing something unique and special. I had an entire linen closets of carefully described negatives, contact sheets and slides. Yet somehow, after numerous moves from my Hell’s Kitchen apartment. That gift for organization took a hit. Leaving many of the lesser known names on the bills nameless. Decades later, I can strangely recall when and where these shots were taken without an inkling on the name of the subject or the band they performed with.This image was taken at CBGB’s i the late 90’s. If I can recall, the bill featured a few Oi/Street Punk acts of the time. (Not my thing, but…) Featuring the clique blue collar, buzzed hair, and mutten chops. Your guess is good as any. If you have any idea, please share.

Lost & Found

NYC, Rock Photography, Show Photography

While retrieving an old hard drive featuring many of the negatives from my film camera days. I notice an image that was somewhat foreign to my eyes. One that captured my imagination while dialing back to my days of living in the storied NYC neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen. At the time, I was going out to see bands two to three times a week. Although I went to clubs and bars throughout the tristate area. CBGB’s and The Continental were more or less, second and third homes for me.This particular image caught my eye, perhaps due to my often lamenting, wishing I had taken more time to photograph the attendees and personalities that often hung outside the clubs. Upon close investigation. I came to the conclusion that it was The Continental, a downtown, east village bar on 3rd avenue, just off St. Marks place. My other guess is, due to the ethnicity of the woman filming the action. That it might have been the Asian/Female fronted punk band Yellow Scab. As much as I’m guesstimating. Finding an image I don’t remember taking or seeing, was cooler than an eskimo sitting by a campfire. Though the picture was taken some twenty five years ago. Noticing it for the first time gave it a new shine.

For Those Who Shall Remain Nameless

Concert Photography, Digital Storage, Indie Rock, Music, Rock Photography, Show Photography, Storytelling

If you read ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ you might recall that I digitized all of my photos and threw the pictures and albums out. Aside from creating a lot of room. Having all those pictures to play around with and put memory has been a lot of fun. Though there were certainly a few that saw new life with minor adjustments in Photoshop and Lightroom. It was the countless show photos I took at clubs, bars and halls that presented a very different challenge. That of remembering the bands names and methods of operation.

Funny, but I remember being at this show, taking this shot and standing on the side of that storied CBGB’s stage. I remember my friend Brendan working the door. while I can’t remember the band name or that of the guitarist. I remember they were the third band out of the five that played that day, I recall when the guitar string broke and how it led to the uncontrollable bleeding that followed. Undaunted, he finished the song and even the set before wrapping a rag around the cut and wiping down his guitar until all the blood was gone. It was the 90’s and CBGB’s was still the things of legend. Independent rock & roll was hanging on to its last threads of danger. Men were men. Sheep were scared and bands finished their sets, no matter what.

United By… (The Crowd)

Commentary, Concert Photography, Documentary Photography, Indie Rock, Location Shooting, Music Journalism, Narrative, Photo Journalism, Rock Photography, Show Photography

Over time, I began to include a few pictures of the crowds expressions, participation and overall reaction to particular acts, sets and song. For as long as I’ve att Crowd (1 of 1) Crowd Gap (1 of 1) ended shows and gone to concerts, every act with little to no exception, had a particular song that the audience knew every word, hook and breakdown. While it was always a great opportunity to capture the moment when a singer reaches his emotional halcyon or time the moment when the guitarist launches in the air. It might also be the perfect opportunity to catch the reaction to the crowd. The images to your right were captured about eight years apart. The above captures the crowd at a Revelation Records showcase at CBGB’s. While the one below shows the emotion of the crowd during a set by the band Thursday at Atlantic City’s House of Blues.

United By… (Bivouac)

Anecdote, Indie Rock, Music Journalism, Photo Journalism, Rock Photography, Show Photography, Storytelling

Bivouac were a band from Derby, England who had an excellent album called ‘Tuber’ on Elemental in 1993. On that album was an acoustic jam called Biv (1 of 1) ‘Dead End Friend’ which featured a verse “Daren’t go to the dentist…for fear of being (pause) fucked while you’re asleep.” It was a great song and I played the fuck out of it. When the time came for them to tour, they stopped in New York City to play CBGB’s. I was able to set up an interview with which was conducted outside the club guitarist, vocalist (pictured below) Paul Yeardon, in which we talked about touring, the bands reactions to being in New York City for the first time, and of course, our mutual fears of the dentist. I highly recommend checking out the band and learning more about their music.

Bivouac

Elemental Records on Discogs

United By… (Al Gaydos)

Concert Photography, Friendship, Music Journalism, NYC, Photo Journalism, Rock Photography

I first met Al when he was playing bass for New Jersey’s Dog Tired. Al Gaydos (1 of 1) A punk band heavily influenced by bands such as the Pogues and Still Little Fingers with lyrical muscle that might find itself swimming with more emotive bands such as Dischord Records Rites of Spring and Embrace.

When I moved to Manhattan in 1994, I began to see more and more of Al. I always and still do, consider him a good friend. Enjoying going to see him in a number of bands including The Fury’s (Who eventually changed their name to The Truents.) and (pictured here.) The Deviators. Though I haven’t seen Al in years, I’m sure if we ran int0 one another, we’d be able to pick up just where we left off. If interested, you can find more information about Dog Tired, The Truents and The Deviators on Discogs. I’ll leave a link just below.

Discogs

United By… (Superchunk)

Indie Rock, Memories, Merge Records, Music Journalism, Rock Photography, Superchunk

Bystander-46 Plain and simple, Superchunk changed my life while leading me into an exciting and rewarding musical direction that still inspires me while eating up most of my time and disposable cash. After a few years of worshiping the band and picking up everything I could find from Merge records, I finally got to see the band live at the intimate settings of my favorite music venue, Maxwells. ‘Till this day, 1991’s “No Pocky for Kitty'”and 1993’s “On the Mouth” still get regular spins and remain as two of my desert island discs. If I can recommend anything. It would be to visit Merge records and get to know each and every band and record on the site. Merge Records

United By… (Mouthpiece)

Hardcore, Indie Rock, Music Journalism, Narrative, Rock Photography, Show Photography

Though I was still very much into straightedge and hardcore music during the nineties, Mouthpiece @ The Wetlands I only manged to see New Jersey’s Mouthpiece several times. The most memorable are pictured below at New York City’s Wetlands and the legendary CBGB’s when I tagged along with Wendy Eager of Guillotine to conduct an interview with the band’s singer Tim McMahon. I also did an interview with Tim in Princeton ten plus years later over by the Record Exchange. You can order the band’s discography Here Musically and lyrically, Mouthpiece were heavily influenced by bands like Minor Threat and Youth of Today. Ultimately, carrying the torch into the 90’s and beyond. I also did an interview with Tim in Princeton ten plus years later over by the Record Exchange.

Mouthpiece @ CBGB's

United By… (Sense Field)

Uncategorized

Sensefield @ CBGB's Los Angeles, California’s Sense Field were one of a cluster of bands that brought emotive harmony and melody to 90’s hardcore. I captured this image during a Revelation Records showcase at CBGB’s at the time of their first full length “Killed For Less” which was released by Revelation Records. Sadly, Jon Bunch (pictured here) passed away at the age of forty-five.

Almost twenty five years, I still find myself enjoying 1994’s “Killed for Less” and the 1996 followup “Building”. if you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking them out Revelation Records to find out more about the band and see what release are available.