No Wave-30th Anniversary

[schwenko]

although pinpointing a specific date is problematic, a good argument can be made that No Wave was "born" 30 years ago this week.
During the first week of May 1978 (May 2-6) a series of concerts was held at Artists Space in NYC. Each night 2 "no wave" bands played sets. The final 2 nights featured the bands, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, DNA, Mars and The Contortions. 6 months later they were featured on Brian Eno-produced "No New York".

Possibly apocryphal, the style got its name when Lydia Lunch (Teenage Jesus and the Jerks) answered the question "Do you consider your music new wave?". "No it's no wave".

Other important bands in this genre included Theoretical Girls, Ut, The Gynecologists, Red Transistor, and the various bands succeeding Teenage Jesus, Contortions,DNA (e.g. James White and the Blacks, Eight-Eyed Spy, Dark Day, Lydia Lunch, Beirut Slump etc.).

There are now 2 books recently written documenting the No Wave scene, including

http://www.amazon.com/No-Wave-Marc-Mast ... 578&sr=1-1

and a book by Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), for which Teenage Jesus will be playing 2 shows next month at the Knitting Factory.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081099 ... EMA632MWNM

[Frau_Blucher]

Cool stuff Schwenko. No New York is certainly essential even if it only has those four bands. I'd also recommend NY No Wave: The Ultimate East Village 80s Soundtrack. Interesting that Sonic Youth's early track "I Dreamed a Dream" that appears on volume 2 of New York Noise could very easily be classified with those No Wave acts. The NY Noise volumes aren't perhaps strictly No Wave, but I'd check that out too as a related piece.

[schwenko]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/books ... ?th&emc=th

[i_like_lectric_motors]

I love how they call Thurston "Mr. Moore" throughout the article. [:D]

Anyone into this stuff should see "Kill Your Idols" if they haven't already.

[club80]

Good stuff Schwenko. I will pick up the no wave book. It's funny...when I opened the link for the book, they mentioned Bush Tetras as no wave. I never thought of them as no wave at all. Just bass driven, funky post punk. I know that a compilation called "Hysterie" captured some of Lydia Lunch's work with 8 Eyed Spy, Beirut Slump and Teenage Jesus & The Jerks in one spot.
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/release/820288">Hysterie</a>


We didn't sell a lot of records, but somehow we left an impression.
-Johnny Ramone-

[schwenko]

[quote][i]Originally posted by club80[/i]
<br>Good stuff Schwenko. I will pick up the no wave book. It's funny...when I opened the link for the book, they mentioned Bush Tetras as no wave. I never thought of them as no wave at all. Just bass driven, funky post punk. I know that a compilation called "Hysterie" captured some of Lydia Lunch's work with 8 Eyed Spy, Beirut Slump and Teenage Jesus & The Jerks in one spot.
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/release/820288">Hysterie</a>


We didn't sell a lot of records, but somehow we left an impression.
-Johnny Ramone-
[/quote]

There is now a "Video Hysterie" available.
The Pitchfork author's No Wave book considers Bush Tetras No Wave, or at least No Wave derived.

[club80]

Thanks schwenko. Sounds like a worthwhile purchase.
As for the Bush Tetras...well...every man is entitled to his opinion/interpretation. I don't have to agree with the author. Then again, in the great scheme of things, it doesn't matter that much.


We didn't sell a lot of records, but somehow we left an impression.
-Johnny Ramone-

[schwenko]

[quote][i]Originally posted by club80[/i]
<br>Thanks schwenko. Sounds like a worthwhile purchase.
[/quote]

You could, alternatively, see TJATJ in person at the Knitting Factory this Friday night.

[club80]

[quote][i]Originally posted by schwenko[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by club80[/i]
<br>Thanks schwenko. Sounds like a worthwhile purchase.
[/quote]

You could, alternatively, see TJATJ in person at the Knitting Factory this Friday night.
[/quote]

Easier said than done. Yes, I'm a New Yorker. No, I could never get my wife to go. She hates the city and, while a fan of new wave and some post punk, etc, no wave is a little too out there for her.


We didn't sell a lot of records, but somehow we left an impression.
-Johnny Ramone-