Some of the best music came out of that club....

Question:
Who is your favorite CBGB's Band?

Choices:
Television
Talking Heads
Blondie
The Ramones

 

This could definitely go in the new Punk thread. I can' believe only four people voted. I'm really worried about today's youth.

So... What is CBGB... you know, in case some kids come on and don't know, or something.

CBGB is a famous club in New York that spawned most of the American Punk movement in the 1970s.

Oddly, the name actually stands for Country, Blue Grass, and Blues, none of which is the music you actually associate with the place.

Blondie wasn't punk right?

Or maybe I'm thinking of ABBA... ABBA wasn't punk...

Are you just screwing with us, Shad? I'm thinking yes but I've gotta check and be sure.

Blondie's self-titled debut from 1976 definitely should be considered one of Punk Rock's first documents. Just check out "Rip Her To Shreds," which come to think of it should have been on my list of 25 Favorite American Punk songs.

Television was the first band that popped into my head when I saw this thread, but then I started thinking.. and Talking Heads take it. Sorry.

Torn Curtain is fucking incredible though.

I don't feel dirty when I curse in this thread.

I voted Ramones. One band I think of when I hear CBGB mentioned is Patti Smith Band. Wouldn't have changed my vote though.

quote:

Originally posted by less_success:
Are you just screwing with us, Shad? I'm thinking yes but I've gotta check and be sure.

I honestly get the two of them mixed up. Because my dad used to play them both back and forth when I was little. And... there are blonde woman in both groups. (Parents shouldn't confuse the children with music!). I was seriously asking is Blondie was Punk though.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:
I was seriously asking is Blondie was Punk though.

All groups have their phases..

But yeah, Blondie started out on the punk side and then went trendy with the New Wave thing.

This poll was easy for me, Talking Heads by a mile. Though I never knew much about CBGB, Talking Heads are one of my favorite bands and I think that their significance and quality easily transcends all the others.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Talking Heads... significance and quality easily transcends all the others.

I wouldn't go that far; have you ever checked out Television?

I would pick the Ramones from this poll. I've never been a big Blondie fan, and although I like Television and the Talking Heads, I don't think either matches the strength of the Ramones catalog. Hell, "Blitzkrieg Bop" alone gets the Ramones a victory here.

quote:

Originally posted by Jglass:

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Talking Heads... significance and quality easily transcends all the others.

I wouldn't go that far; have you ever checked out Television?

Yeah I have, they have about two or three really good albums and one classic album.

Try having about six masterpieces (classics) in a row and arguably two of the best live albums of all time squeezed in between those six albums. Their influence amongst so many artists is remarkable and they are one of the best bands of all time—easily.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Try having about six masterpieces (classics) in a row.

It is amazing how the Ramones were able to do that, wasn't it?

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Yeah I have, they have about two or three really good albums and one classic album.

Try having about six masterpieces (classics) in a row and arguably two of the best live albums of all time squeezed in between those six albums. Their influence amongst so many artists is remarkable and they are one of the best bands of all time—easily.

I voted for the Talking Heads, I'm just saying... I love me some TV.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
It is amazing how the Ramones were able to do that, wasn't it?

I'm not a Ramones fan... at all. I haven't been since 8th grade. They just annoy the hell out of me now.

I don't want to rag on the Ramones, because I love 'em, but really they pretty much just wrote the same song over and over. I think the two most intersting picks were Television and the Talking Heads, I went with Verlaine and the boys but I could have voted for the Heads. New York Dolls should have been on the poll and the Modern Lovers.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Though I never knew much about CBGB

I think I've mentioned this in the book thread, but I think Clinton Heylin's From the Velvets to the Voidoids should be required reading for anyone even remotely interested in the history of Rock & Roll. Not only does he go into great detail about CBGBs but he also chronicles the amazing Cleveland and Detroit scenes of the same era. It's scholarly and yet he manages to weave a very readable little narrative.

I was in NYC when the week they closed CBGB down. I wanted my friends to make a stop by it, but no in my group knew what it was or cared enough. I guess since I'd never been to it before, it would kind of suck to drop by just to see it in the death throws.