RIP CBGB & OMFUG 1973 - 2006
A victim of gentrification, yuppies, corporate sponsorship, MTV and beer/soda ads.
CB's was the only "gig" my band ever played; it was in late July of 1997 and we got an invite for an open-mic night sort of thing and we ended up playing three songs: "Train Kept A'Rollin'" by The Yardbirds, "Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss, and Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll." Immediately after we literally jumped off the stage before we got hit by any flying beer, sweat, or urine. It was hot, stuffy, cramped and uncomfortable, and we loved every minute of it. We made it, and we never looked back. It was our first and only gig other than parties, rehearsal space or loaned/gifted studio time. And it was great. Somewhere in there, our signatures are on the backstage wall, the same wall that has overseen The Ramones, Talking Heads, and countless other long-since-retired members of the former rock and roll community.
Little Steven (aka Steven Van Zandt) perhaps said it best: "New York City and rock 'n' roll in general will never recover from losing this place."
RIP.
1 comment:
I would have been your groupie - your personal groupie that is... not treats for the other boys ;)
It's amazing that they're gone - so sad. The Vegas version will be a bastardized candy land creation with only the name bearing any resemblence to what the original once was.
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