CBGB – A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986

In December 1973 Hilly Kristal changed the name of his roots music bar from Hilly’s on the Bowery to CBGB and altered his musical policy to hire mostly rock bands. He was indifferent to many of them (“No one is going to like you guys, but I’ll have you back,” he told Joey Ramone), blissfully unaware of how important his scruffy little club would soon become. In the span of only 15 months, the five groups that comprise the CBGB’s pantheon all debuted: Television in March 1974, followed by Ramones in August and Blondie in October, then Patti Smith in February 1975 and Talking Heads four months later. Those five groups all quickly got record deals and became popular enough to outgrow CBGB’s. By the fall of 1977, Smith was the only one who was still playing there. What succeeded the Big Five was an array of new and retro styles, all of which feature here: No Wave (Sonic Youth, Mars, DNA, Bush Tetras), post-punk (Ritual Tension, Unknown Gender, Khmer Rouge), mutant funk and R&B (James Chance and The Contortions, Mink DeVille), art-rock bands (R.L. Crutchfield’s Dark Day, The Revelons, Erasers, Jeff and Jane Hudson) hardcore punk (Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Vatican Commandos, Beastie Boys), and lots of power pop (Sorrows, The dBs, The Rudies, The Miamis, The Paley Brothers) . The club’s best-known bands are present on this compilation but we’ve also revived interest in dozens of unfairly forgotten acts that, for a moment in time, made an album, EP, 45, or even a demo that crackled with innovation, wit, and joy. CBGB no longer exists, at least not in the physical plane, but what happened between those soot-filled, beer-stinking walls continues to reverberate around the world. TRACK LISTING DISC ONE 1 The Dictators – (I Live For) Cars And Girls 2 The Harlots of 42nd Street – S&M (I Can’t Live Without You) 3 The Magic Tramps – S&M – Leather Queen 4 Patti Smith – Free Money 5 The Brats – Be A Man 6 City Lights – Travelin’ Man 7 The Hounds – Call Me (Previously unreleased on CD) 8 Erasers – It Was So Funny (That Song That They Sung) 9 Ramones – Beat On The Brat 10 Stuart’s Hammer – Everybody’s Depraved (Live at CBGB) 11 The Planets – Come On Up (Previously unreleased) 12 Milk ‘N’ Cookies – Not Enough Girls (In The World) 13 Just Water – They Live By Night 14 Television – See No Evil 15 Mumps – Crocodile Tears 16 The Heartbreakers – Born To Lose 17 Testors – You Don’t Break My Heart 18 The Dead Boys – Ain’t Nothing To Do 19 The Senders – You Really Piss Me Off 20 The Electric Chairs – Fuck Off 21 Marbles – Forgive And Forget 22 Cherry Vanilla – Hard As A Rock 23 Tuff Darts – Fun City 24 Talking Heads – A Clean Break (Let’s Work) (Live) DISC TWO 1 Suicide – Ghost Rider 2 Pure Hell – I Feel Bad 3 Helen Wheels – Room To Rage 4 Blondie – Picture This 5 Mars – Helen Forsdale 6 Come On – Don’t Walk On The Kitchen Floor 7 Mink Deville – “A” Train Lady 8 The Heat – Instant Love (Previously unreleased on CD) 9 Genya Ravan – Aye Co’lorado 10 Theoretical Girls – Lovin’ In The Red 11 Richard Hell & The Voidoids – The Kid With The Replaceable Head 12 The Stillettos – Pink Stillettos 13 The Paley Brothers – Baby, Let’s Stick Together 14 Neon Leon – Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Alive (Previously unreleased on CD) 15 Revelons – The Way (You Touch My Hand) 16 New York Ni**ers – Just Like Dresden ’45 17 L.O.K. – Fun House (Previously unreleased on CD) 18 Material – O.A.O. 19 The Laughing Dogs – I Need A Million 20 Shrapnel – Combat Love 21 Peroxide – Heart Disease 22 Student Teachers – Christmas Weather 23 Tom Verlaine – Breakin’ In My Heart 24 Richard Lloyd – Number Nine 25 James Chance & The Contortions Jailhouse Rock (Live at CBGB 1978) DISC THREE 1 The Cramps – Garbage Man 2 The Dots – I Don’t Wanna Dance (With You) (Previously unreleased on CD) 3 The Miamis – We Deliver 4 Model Citizens – Shift The Blame 5 The dB’s – Black And White 6 The Rattlers – On The Beach 7 Love Of Life Orchestra – Revolution Is Personal 8 Urban Verbs – Next Question (Previously unreleased) 9 Sylvain Sylvain – Teenage News 10 Stimulators – Loud Fast Rules 11 Tot Rocket And The Twins – Reduced 12 The Bongos – Telephoto Lens 13 Outsets – I’m Searchin’ For You 14 Sorrows – Teenage Heartbreak 15 The Lounge Lizards – Do The Wrong Thing 16 Nervus Rex – There She Goes 17 The Cosmopolitans – Wild Moose Party 18 Polyrock – Your Dragging Feet 19 Lenny Kaye with The Lone Wolves – Child Bride (Previously unreleased on CD) 20 R.L. Crutchfield’s Dark Day – Arp’s Carpet 21 The Colors – Jealousy 22 TV Toy – (Don’t Blame It On The) Weekend 23 DNA – Blonde Red Head 24 The Rudies- Sherri Goodbye 25 The Raybeats – Tight Turn 26 Phosphenes – Asexual (Previously unreleased on CD) 27 Minor Threat – Straight Edge DISC FOUR 1 Bush Tetras – Things That Go BOOM In The Night 2 Human Switchboard – (Say No To) Saturday’s Girl 3 Disturbed Furniture – Information * 4 The Necessaries – Back To You * 5 Chemicals Made From Dirt – Oriental Television * 6 China Shop – If It’s New 7 James Blood Ulmer – Open House 8 Nihilistics – You’re To Blame 9 Beastie Boys – Egg Raid On Mojo 10 The Individuals – My Three Sons (Revolve Around The Earth) 11 Rhys Chatham – Drastic Classicism (edit) 12 Unknown Gender – Boys-Girls (Radio) * 13 Khmer Rouge – Hinterland 14 Bad Brains – Banned In D.C. 15 Heart Attack – English Cunts 16 Outpatients – Fight 17 Vatican Commandos – Housewives On Valium 18 Sonic Youth – The World Looks Red 19 Jeff & Jane Hudson – Operating Instruction 20 Glorious Strangers – Deception * 21 Nona Hendryx – Transformation 22 Reagan Youth – No Class 23 Rat At Rat R – Assassin 24 Ritual Tension – Social Climber 25 The Ordinaires – Grace * Previously unreleased on CD