Leaving Normal: Hilly Kristal
a tribute:
[audio:https://vintage.ricecooker.site/mp3_wp_rc/liljj_telev.mp3]
Little Johnny Jewel Pt 1 & 2 by Television
the news:
Founder of legendary New York punk rock club dies
Agence France-Presse
Last updated 10:02am (Mla time) 08/30/2007
NEW YORK — Hilly Kristal, founder and owner of an underground rock club in New York known as the spiritual home of American punk, has died of lung cancer, local media reported on Wednesday.
Kristal launched CBGB in 1973 in a derelict bar in the East Village, at that time a poor, rundown district of the city. A fan of acoustic music, he initially intended on offering music the club was named after: Country, Bluegrass and Blues.
But after he allowed two young, obscure rock bands — Television and the Ramones — to perform, the club evolved into a center for underground music and punk rock. And Kristal attracted raw talent by requiring bands that only play their own original music.
Patti Smith and “The Godfathers of Punk,” The Ramones, got their start at the dark, dank club, as did Blondie and the Talking Heads. The New York Times called Kristal a “rock midwife.”
“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 high energy rock and roll, which seemed to take shape right here at CBGB,” Kristal wrote in a history posted on the former club’s website.
“We called this music ‘street rock’ and later ‘PUNK’ — ‘come as you are and do your own thing’ rock and roll,” said Kristal.
The Bowery club closed its doors in October 2006, after a farewell performance by Patti Smith, due to a massive rent hike. Kristal said he could not afford the 65,000 dollars a month the landlord was demanding and spoke about reopening the club possibly in Las Vegas.
Kristal died on Tuesday, said New York One television, quoting relatives. He was 75.
special feature on CBGB’s & an interview with Hilly Kristal: glidemagazine.com
post utk event skrg dah xleh komen eh? dok bes ah bosss…huuhu!
turtles marching again 3 photos!
http://nizang.multiply.com/photos/photo/32/1
” I’ll tell you about punk rock: punk rock is a word used by dilettantes and, uh… and, uh… heartless manipulators, about music… that takes up the energies, and the bodies, and the hearts and the souls and the time and the minds, of young men, who give what they have to it, and give everything they have to it. And it’s a… it’s a term that’s based on contempt; it’s a term that’s based on fashion, style, elitism, satanism, and, everything that’s rotten about rock ‘n’ roll.
I don’t know Johnny Rotten… but I’m sure, I’m sure he puts as much blood and sweat into what he does as Sigmund Freud did. You see, what, what sounds to you like a big load of trashy old noise… is in fact… the brilliant music of a genius… myself. And that music is so powerful, that it’s quite beyond my control. And, ah… when I’m in the grips of it, I don’t feel pleasure and I don’t feel pain, either physically or emotionally. Do you understand what I’m talking about? Have you ever, have you ever felt like that? When you just, when you just, you couldn’t feel anything, and you didn’t want to either. You know, like that? Do you understand what I’m saying, sir? ” – Iggy Pop
Mahai..just saw this.
RIP Hilly.
I certainly hope they don’t go through with the plan to reopen CBGB’s in Las Vegas.
CBGB’s in Vegas would be like relocating Paul’s Place in Genting.
I hope Paul’s Place will be relocate at Genting in future!