B Scene Zine Volume 1, Issue 7, May, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: When the Clash Met Allen Ginsberg by Hank O'Neal Plus Punk Era Photos by: David Godlis, daryl-Ann Saunders, Bobby Grossman; featured street artists; Juke Box Roundup; and more.
Our Punk Rock Legacy We are nothing in this neighborhood if not diverse, but one very common trait is the baked-in punk rock legacy that's part of our communal DNA. When that Big Bang let loose on the Bowery almost 50 years ago, it was heard around the world and it reverberates today among those of us who were there and those of us whose parents weren't even born yet. How else do you explain the 20-somethings walking around in CBGB T-shirts. Fortunately for them and the rest of us, some of those who were there carried cameras and preserved for all time images of that glorious period when the EV was rock 'n' roll's most fertile petri dish. In this month's issue you'll see photos, many never before published, of punk's first wave, a few from the second and some British colleagues who joined in and came here early on. And we have an exclusive look at a rarefied moment in history when beat icon Allen Ginsberg met the UK's Photo: Bobby Grossman Clash. We hope you enjoy.
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B Scene Zine: Launch Party #6
Photos: Daryl-Ann Saunders and Jake Henzon
That Time The Clash Words and photos By Hank O'Neal
In January 1981 John Hammond, John Moore and I launched a new record company, Hammond Music Enterprises, with a fancy CBS distribution deal. One of the first things John Hammond suggested I undertake with him was to supervise the completion of an album he’d begun with Allen Ginsberg in
Allen Ginsberg, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones
1976, but which CBS would not release because they thought some of the lyrics were a bit rough. The record was incomplete and it was my chore to finish it up and shepherd it through production to become an elaborate two LP set. I met with Allen and we got to work. Fast forward to June 1981, The Clash began their run at Bonds supporting the release of Sandanista in June and one evening Allen went to a show, wound up backstage, bonded with Joe Strummer and Mick Jones and eventually wound up on stage that night where he did his song Capitol Air with the band, much to everyone’s satisfaction. Fast forward again to December 1981, and it was time for The Clash to record their final LP, Combat Rock. They block booked ElectricLadyLand for a month or so and they asked Allen to appear on one track, Ghetto Defendant, and Allen asked me to be at the recording sessions with him. I took photographs at one of them, on the 19th, according to notations in my now 41-year-old date book. The night I took photographs was reserved for Joe’s vocal overdubs, which he did all night long. During a break, Chinese food was ordered in and while the guys filled up, Allen and Mick and Joe talked about poetry. Allen had brought them books which they were reading, and when the food was finished Joe went back to his vocals. I took about a dozen photographs, but only one was used on First Blues, Allen’s record. The others reproduced here are previously unpublished.
Met Allen Ginsberg And a never-before-seen page from Joe Strummer's notebook with rarely heard Clash lyrics.
Joe Strummer gave the handwritten lyrics at right to Allen Ginsberg as the poet prepared to read some spoken word that would serve as background on the song Ghetto Defendant, from the Clash's final album Combat Rock. The last verse in the notebook, which begins "Soap floods of oil and water..." never made it onto the record, though it was performed live a few times.
David Godlis opens Renowned downtown photographer David Godlis, whose published works include the seminal CBGB punk rock photo book "History is Made at Night," opened his photo archives to give BSZ readers a look at some of his lesser known works from the era. Clockwise from top left: John Lydon, PiL, Warwick Hotel, NYC, 1979; Poly Styrene, X-Ray Spex, CBGB, 1978; The Clash, Palladium, NYC, 1979. Opposite page: top, Iggy Pop, NYC, 1980; bottom, Contortions, CBGB, 1979. Godlis was featured on the cover of the Dec. 2021 issue of B Scene Zine.
His Punk Rock Vault
From The Archives Of An archive of punk rock pics by former East Village Eye photographer Daryl-Ann Saunders contains unseen gems that are expected to be published for the first time in a forthcoming book. Right, Butthole Surfers, Irving Plaza, NYC, 1986; Below, (l-to-r) Richard Hell, Johnny Thunders, Adele Bertai (of Adele Bertai & the Bloods), Robert Quine, Peppermint Lounge, NYC, 1981.
Daryl-Ann Saunders
Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, NYC, 12/16/1987.
Dave Insurgeant (Regan Youth), West 4th Street subway station, NYC, 03/27/1983.
Greer Lankton, at home in the East Village, NYC, 10/09/1984.
Alan Vega (Suicide) and his artwork, at home, NYC, 03/17/1983.
John Lurie (John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards), NYC cafe, NYC, 09/18/1984.
(r-to-l): Harley Flannagan (13 yr old drummer of the Stims), Rose (his mom) and 2 unidentified friends. Max's Kansas City backstage, NYC, 11/21/1979.
Bobby Grossman: low Fidelity New Book of Downtown rock/culture photos coming Following his smash opening at Howl! Arts/Howl! Archive on the Bowery, the Kickstarter for Bobby Grossman's new book, Low Fidelity, got started May 2. Photos include: Fab Five Freddy, 1980; Kate Simon & Richard Hell, CBGB, 1977; Sid Vicious & Johnny Thunders, Palladium, 1978; a rare smiling shot of Johnny Ramone and Joey Ramone, 1977.
Rehashed Brownies, Anyone? Daddy Long Legs rock the launch of Heaven Can Wait, 169 Avenue A, between 10th and 11th
Ave A bar re-re-re-re-relaunched as Heaven Can Wait Words and pics by Reekie The Avenue A bar/venue formerly known as Brownies, Hi-Fi, Coney Island Baby, Lola and East Berlin will henceforth be known as Heaven Can Wait until further notice. A gala relaunch one Monday in March featured two hot live bands and an open bar… while it lasted. Seems the only person that had a bad time on the night was the tenant in the apartment directly above who complains about the noise incessantly. The joint was jam-packed, and to be perfectly honest, it’s not exactly a fun place to be when it’s like that.
First act on, The Silk War, bobbed and throbbed and interpretive-danced their way through a set of retro new wave electro rock. After them, Daddy Long Legs swaggered and strummed and sweated their way through a set of retro blues and rock ’n’ roll. Both bands did New York proud, and we can only hope this is the caliber of talent we can expect at ‘The Bar Formerly Known As’ from now on.
Sound Advice:
LUCKY, 168 Ave. B, between 10th and 11th The most conceptual appliance on the list, Lucky is a sonic museum of jukeboxes from defunct dives like Lakeside and Mars Bar; as well as disks from the stages of Max's and Continental. The soundtracks from such fabled soirées as Click & Drag and Clit Club also come out to play.
7B HORSESHOE BAR aka VAZACS, Ave. B at E. 7th St. Frequent film shoot location, 7B's rig spins Misfits, the Replacements and Slade; as well as homegrown sounds from the NY Dolls, the Pristeens and Richard Hell. Country rockers the Old 97's weigh in with the crowd pleaser Oppenheimer.
CHERRY TAVERN, 441 E.6th St., between Ave. A and 1st Ave. No infinite repeats of Africa or Sweet Caroline here. Loaded for your listening pleasure are Johnny Cash, Kiss, CCR, Radiohead, T-heads, Motorhead… Why it makes me so hot I could scream: Alice Cooper! Alice Cooper! JOSIE'S, 520 E. 6th St., between Ave. A and Ave. B. Eclectic mix of entire albums by everyone from Roy Orbison to the Ramones, from Muddy Waters to the Monkees, and from the Band to the Buzzcocks. Almost all store-bought CDs. Easy appliance to read and wrangle.
Rating the neighborhood's jukeboxes with Ron Herczig DOUBLEDOWN, 14 Av. A, between 1st St. and 2nd St. The jukebox is a 24/7 assault of punk, garage, surf, lo-fi and rockabilly. Set to cue are such faves as the Cramps, Capt. Beefheart, Dusty Springfield, Sex Pistols, Bad Brains…definitely lives down to dive bar status.
THE LIBRARY, 7 Ave. A, between 1st St. and 2nd St. Crack open a tome to the tones of the Buzzcocks, Sonic Youth, Bauhaus, the Replacements, the Dead Kennedys, B-52s, the Pretenders, Thin Lizzy, the Circle Jerks…the Library gets an A for curation and hospitality
May's Featured Artists Ian Cinco Some call him Ian. Many call him Cinco! Ian is on a mission to make as many movies, animations, comics and works of art as he can before his time is up. He’s a multimedia artist and filmmaker.
He works with clients to develop unique visual styles and statements by combining film and video production with a passionate handson approach in the arts. He’s also the creator and host of EVERYTHING AND THE KITCHEN CINCO, an arts and entertainment podcast, self publisher of an art book series ERRATICA and a cyberpunk graphic novel NEON SPRING.
Konstance Patton Konstance Patton is an Indigenous American artist and oral historian
based in NYC. Her focus is community healing through street art. In 2020, Konstance co-founded the Artist Collective, Soho Renaissance Factory (SRF), following riots after the murder of George Floyd. In 2021, she organized the Be A Lover Festival, a live street art and performance based community walking tour with over 60 artists in Soho, Noho, and the LES. Konstance hosts the Oral History podcast, FCKING REJECTS, where she interviews creators about their journey. Be A Lover.
Vanessa Kreytak Vanessa Kreytak is a born and raised NYC artist. Her mother was Pratt Institute grad so, naturally, art has always been a big part of her family life. Her artistic passions lie with a paint brush and a spray paint can, both of which feel like home to her. Her work typically portrays an infusion of strong female subjects with more natural elements such as water, sun, and space.
BLACKLIGMA BLACKLIGMA is a multi disciplinary artist whose work is utterly incomprehensible and therefore full of deep significance. Their signature work can be found on the streets, in galleries, and on the “inter-webs” . CHECK THEM OUT AT———> JBARRAL.COM and @BLACKLIGMA.
This pisses us off: Kenny Scharf Defaced
Here at BSZ, we're a pretty chill bunch and we're definitely all about free expression, but, damn it, don't shit on an iconic art landmark by one of the most influential street artists of all time. (see before and after below) "That is not cool at all," said @missfrizzdazzle, left, who was tending to business a few doors away at the vintage and wearable art store @3rdandbzaar. We agree. Come clean up your mess and give the neighborhood back its Scharf. The piece is on the front of the old UCB Theatre on E. 3rd between A and B.
Back Cover photograph: James Chance by Daryl Ann Saunders
Our Punk Rock Legacy
Volume 1, Issue 7, May, 2022
B Scene Zine