Punk Magazine was a fanzine created by John Holmstrom, publisher Ged Dunn and Legs McNeil in 1975, and was the first publication to popularize the CBGB scene. Through this magazine artists such as The Stooges, the New York Dolls and The Ramones were accepted around the world.
Punk published a total of 15 issues between 1976 and 1979, as well as a special issue in 1981, and several more issues in the new millennium. Covers featured such artists as Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and Blondie.
In 2001 Punk was re-launched, but the events on 9/11 set back the plans for a relaunch. In 2006 the magazine was revived, and current issues are still being published.
In 2001, the Strokes emerged onto the rockscene, picked it up by the scruff of the neck, and gave it a much needed shaking down. Exploding onto the charts, the rock band from New York City didn't take long to crossover to a more mainstream audience.
The band have proved they have more depth to them than just cool haircuts, good bone structure, and thrift store chic, however, producing some timeless indie-rock classics such as "New York City Cops," "Someday," and "Last Nite." NEW YORK STORIES takes a look at the men behind the music, charters their unassailable rise, and offers some fascinating insights into the band.
The film gives a detailed insight into how the band were formed, interviewing people such as Gordon Raphael, producer of their albums, local New York bands and other people associated with the band. The film also looks at how they regularly played around the New York scene in local bars and clubs.
Singer of The Strokes, Julian Casablancas is regularly compared with Velvet Underground singer Lou Reed, with the band stating that Velvet Underground being a big influence on the music they create.
As well as giving information about The Strokes, this DVD also looks at other local New York bands and clubs, claiming that The Strokes have blown wind back into the New York scene.
This is a great DVD to watch if you are a Strokes fan, or even if you are just interested in seeing what the New York scene is like these days. The only downside to the film is that there are no interviews with any of The Strokes members or original music.
The Strokes are: Julian Casablancas (Vocals), Albert Hammond Jr. (Guitar), Nick Valensi (Guitar) Nikolai Fraiture (Bass) and Fabrizio Moretti (Drums).
The Strokes - New York Stories. USA: Mvd Visual, 2004
The Velvet Underground was a rock group formed in New York City. First active from 1965 - 1973, their better known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who have both gone on to have solo success.
Historians often hail the group for their incalculable influence on the punk and new wave of subsequent years. The group was uncompromising in their lyrics and music, to be sure, sometimes espousing a bleakness and primitivism that would inspire alienated singer and songwriters.
The Velvets got an unexpected benefactor when artist and all-round pop art icon Andy Warhol caught the band at a club around the end of 1965. Warhol quickly assumed management of the group incorporating them into his mixed-media art ensemble. Warhol was also responsible for embellishing the quartet with Nico, a mysterious European model with a deep voice whom the band accepted rather reluctantly.
Thier 1967 debut album, 'The Velvet Underground and Nico' was named the 13th greatest albm of all time in 2003. And in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked them 19th on their "100 greatest artists of all time".
The band went their separate ways in 1973 leaving a legacy influencing new and upcoming artists. The Velvet Underground influenced many artists and bands including David Bowie, Brian Eno, Patti Smith and more recently The Strokes.
Utenburger, Richie. The Velvet Underground. Allmusic, accessed 20th May 2010.
In the mid 1970's, a revolution was ignited on the streets of New York and London. It shattered the Status Quo, it redefined popular music and fashion, threatened the establishment, and legitimised an independent attitude.
The film interviews several people from the New York punk scene on different bands and how they influenced each other and how they contributed their own style and music to the scene. Interviews include members of bands the New York Dolls, Sonic Youth, MC5, Velvet Underground, the Ramones, Suicide, Bob Gruen - music photographer and staff from 'Punk' magazine.
Here are some interesting points brought up in the film:
People believe that punk dates back to the 1950's rock n roll era, people such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry were believed to be associated with punk, not because of their sound but because of their attitude, because they were different.
"It's different, your doing something new and you don't give a shit about commerciallity, and that's punk"
- Glenn Branca (Theoretical Girls/Static)
Velvet Underground were known for their trendsetting image and sound, largely due to band manager Andy Warhol.
The film talks about lots of other bands such as the Stooges, outlining Iggy Pop's unique behavior and presence. And how a Door's concert influenced him to act the way he does.
One of the films celebrated attributes comes from the form of it's cast, showcasing the who's who of Punk Rock culture contemporaries such as David Johansen, Thurston Moore, Henry Rollins, Captain Sensible, Jim Jarmusch, Mick Jones, Jello Biafra and Darryl Jenifer.
Although this film doesn't give a detailed history of how punk evolved, it gives a good insight to the bands that make up the punk New York scene.
Letts, Don. Punk: Attitude. USA: Freemantle Media 3DD Metropolis, 2005.
There is no greater home to creativity then New York City. The music of NYC is a diverse and important field of world music. It has long been a thriving home for jazz, rock and blues, and is also the birth place of hip hop.
New York had the earliest documented punk rock scene in the USA. Drawing on local influences such as The Velvet Underground, The New York Dolls, The Stooges and The Ramones, punk music developed at clubs such as CGBG's in the 1970's.
The term punk initially referred to the scene in general, more than the sound itself - the early New York punk bands represented a broad variety of influences.
Today it is so easy to access and download music. It's as easy as logging onto a computer and hitting the 'download' button. Although music can be bought online, its just as easy, if not easier to download music illegally with such programs as 'Limewire' or 'Napster'. We find ourselves asking, what is this really doing to the music industry? Is it killing it or is it giving small bands a larger technique of exposure then they thought they would ever get?
In the documentary film "Good Copy, Bad Copy", this issue is addressed as well as many others. The film looks at 'sampling' and discusses if it is wrong or right and what they can do about it. Dj's such as Girltalk use samples of already famous songs in his tracks to create mash-ups of several already made songs. But most artists don't seem to have a problem with this as it brings them back into the spotlight and perceives them as being 'cool'.
The issue is a debate that will continue for a long time. Although people might not have a problem with 'sampling' if they are recognised for their input, they might have a problem with their music being downloaded illegally for free. An example of this is Lily Allen, a famous pop artist who recently retired from her music career, as she believed she didn't make any money from selling her CD's, but didn't have enough energy to continually tour to earn a living. Another example is when rock band Metallica took on Napster in a bitter lawsuit to stop them giving their music away for free.
On the other hand, sharing music over the internet can be a positive for bands trying to get some exposure and their music heard. With the introduction of myspace, anyone can create a profile and upload songs to share with the world. So for them this is a positive thing.
I guess each artist has their own opinion, but will online file sharing see the CD become extinct? Or will the music industry be able to survive and continue as they have over the past years?
