CBGB

History

20th century

CBGB was founded on December 10, 1973, on the site of Kristal's earlier bar, Hilly's on the Bowery, which he ran from 1969 to 1972. Its iconic logo was designed by Karen Kristal. Kristal's intended theme of country, bluegrass, and blues music along with poetry readings yielded to the American movement in punk rock. A pioneer in the genre, Ramones played their first shows at CBGB.

In 1973, while the future CBGB was still Hilly's, two locals, Bill Page and Rusty McKenna, convinced Kristal to let them book concerts. In February 1974, Hilly booked local band Squeeze to a residency, playing Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the club's change from country and bluegrass to original rock bands. Squeeze was led by guitarist Mark Suall, later with CBGB's quasi house band the Revelons, which included Fred Smith of Television and JD Daugherty of the Patti Smith Group. Although these bands did not play punk rock, they helped lay its foundation. The August 1973 collapse of the Mercer Arts Center left unsigned bands little option in New York City to play original music. Mercer refugees—including Suicide, the Fast, Ruby and the Rednecks, Jayne County, and the Magic Tramps—soon played at CBGB.

On April 14, 1974, in the audience of Television's third gig were Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye, whose Patti Smith Group debuted at CBGB on February 14, 1975. Other early performers included the Dina Regine Band. Dennis Lepri was lead guitarist as well as the Stillettoes which included Deborah Harry on vocals. The newly formed band Angel and the Snake, later renamed Blondie, as well as Ramones arrived in August 1974. Mink DeVille, Talking Heads, the Shirts, the Heartbreakers, the Fleshtones, and other bands soon followed. During this era, media coverage was mostly provided by the SoHo Weekly News, Punk, and New York Rocker, while the more established papers such as The Village Voice and The New York Times largely stayed away.

In April 1977, the Damned played the club, marking the first time a British punk band had ever played in America.

During 1975 and 1976, Metropolis Video recorded some shows on film. Beginning in 1977, Metropolis Video filmmaker Pat Ivers and partner Emily Armstrong continued to record shows in a project called Advanced TV, later renamed GoNightclubbing. Ivers' and Armstrong's films are available at the New York University Fales Library.

CBGB's two rules were that a band must move its own equipment and play mostly original songs, although regular bands often played one or two covers in set. CBGB's growing reputation drew more and more acts from outside New York City.

In 1978, new wave songwriter Elvis Costello would open shows for the Voidoids, while the Police played at CBGB for their first American gigs. Meanwhile, CBGB became famed for Misfits, Television, Patti Smith Group, Mink DeVille, Dead Boys, the Dictators, the Fleshtones, the Voidoids, the Cramps, the B-52's, Blondie, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, the Shirts, and Talking Heads. Yet in the 1980s, hardcore punk's New York underground was CBGB's mainstay. Named "thrash day" in a documentary on hardcore, Sunday at CBGB was matinée day, which became an institution, played from afternoon until evening by hardcore bands such as Reagan Youth, Bad Brains, Beastie Boys, Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law, Cro-Mags, Leeway, Warzone, Gorilla Biscuits, Sick of It All, Misfits, Sheer Terror, Stillborn and Youth of Today.

In 1990, violence inside and outside of the venue prompted Kristal to suspend hardcore bookings, although CBGB brought hardcore back at times. CBGB's last several years had no formal bans by genre.

21st century

In 2005, atop its normally paid monthly rent of $19,000, CBGB was sued for some $90,000 in rent allegedly owed to its landlord, Bowery Residents' Committee (BRC). Refusing to pay until a judge ruled the debt legitimate, Kristal claimed that he had never been notified of scaled rent increases, accruing over a number of years, asserted by BRC's executive director Muzzy Rosenblatt. Ruling the debt false and that BRC had never properly billed the rent increases,the judge indicated that CBGB ought to be declared a landmark, but noted that Rosenblatt did not need to renew the lease, soon expiring. Rosenblatt vowed to appeal.

Expecting Rosenblatt's resistance to lease negotiation,

A nonprofit corporation housing homeless above CBGB mostly through donations and government funding, Planning to move CBGB to Las Vegas, Kristal explained, "We're going to take the urinals. I'll take whatever I can. The movers said, 'You ought to take everything, and auction off what you don't want on eBay.' Why not? Somebody will".

Closure

Many punk rock bands played at CBGB when they found it was going to close in hopes that their support could keep it from closing. Rocks off, a promoter in New York, organized CBGB's final weeks of shows to book "many of the artists who made CB's famous". On October 15, 2006, upon Patti Smith's last show at CBGB, the storied bar and club closed.

Aftermath

After closing, the old CBGB venue remained open as CBGB Fashions—retail store, wholesale department, and an online store—until October 31, 2006. CBGB Fashions moved to 19–23 St. Mark's Place on November 1, and closed nearly two years later in summer 2008.

Hilly Kristal died from complications of lung cancer on August 28, 2007. In early October, Kristal's family and friends hosted a private memorial service in the nearby YMCA. Soon, there was a public memorial, contributed to by CBGB onetime staff and by others.

Kristal's ex-wife Karen Kristal and his daughter, Lisa Kristal Burgman, battled legally over the purported $3 million CBGB estate, and settled in June 2009 with Burgman receiving most of the money left after payment of creditors and estate taxes. In 2011, a group of unknown investors bought the remaining CBGB assets, including the associated intellectual property and original interior. The location is now occupied by John Varvatos fashions.

In December 2015, various news outlets reported on a rebranded CBGB "reopening" at Newark International Airport as CBGB L.A.B. (Lounge and Bar) by New York chef Harold Moore, which had opened as of the end of December 2015.

Venue

By late 2007, fashion designer John Varvatos planned to open a store in CBGB's former space, 315 Bowery, but to tastefully trail CBGB's legacy rock and roll stickers on the walls, and much of the graffiti at the toilets was preserved, as were some playbills, found behind a wall, from shows at the club's 10th anniversary in 1983. The store opened in April 2008.

In 2008, a SoHo art gallery dedicated to music photography, the Morrison Hotel, opened a second location in the onetime CBGB Gallery at 313 Bowery, but the Morrison Hotel gallery closed in 2011. The space was then occupied by a surf-oriented Patagonia store until late 2021. Amanita gallery subsequently moved in at 313 Bowery in 2022.

Called the "Extra Place", the alley behind the building became a pedestrian mall. Dead Boys' Cheetah Chrome rued, "All of Manhattan has lost its soul to money lords", yet reflected, "If that alley could talk, it's seen it all". CBGB's nomination as a landmark drew an explanation:

Legacy

CBGB's second awning, the one in place when the club closed in 2006, was moved into the lobby of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

The CBGB Festival produced large free concerts in Times Square and Central Park on July 7, 2012. They also showcased hundreds of bands in venues across the city. The festival premiered dozens of rock-n-roll movies in theaters around Manhattan. A new CBGB Festival was announced to take place at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn on September 27, 2025.

Directed by Randall Miller and starring Alan Rickman as Hilly Kristal, the film CBGB, about Kristal and the origins of the club, was released in October 2013 to harsh reviews.

Appearances, mentions and parodies

• CBGB was in a promotional ad aired during New York City's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
• CBGB appears in the 2010 rhythm game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
• In The Shapers' song "Old School Punk Star", the venue is referenced in the bridge: "...and to rock on at the CBGB ..."
• Rapper Aesop Rock mentions CBGB in his song "Shrunk", "Telephone uncovered by purveyors of the Ouija/Then checked against the CBGB women's room graffiti"
• The Wheatus song "Christmas Dirtbag" mentions CBGB, "...Aftershow party at CBGB..."
• Talking Heads mention CBGB in the song "Life During Wartime", "This ain't no Mudd Club, or C.B.G.B."
• The Heads, a spin-off band of Talking Heads, mentions CBGB in their song "Punk Lolita," off their album No Talking, Just Head; "She was a punk Lolita, C.B.G.B. era."
• LCD Soundsystem's 2002 debut single "Losing My Edge" references CBGB, "I was the first guy playing Daft Punk to the rock kids. I played it at CBGB's. Everybody thought I was crazy".
• The season 19 The Simpsons episode "Love, Springfieldian Style" features a punk bar called CBGB, where it stands for "Comic Book Guy's Bar".
• The bar is parodied in Mort the Dead Teenager as "ABCD's", where the main characters play in the third issue. Creators Larry Hama and Gary Hallgren performed at CBGB alongside other New York-area comic artists and writers with their band The K-Otics in the late 80s to early 90s.

Notes

References

1. Kokenes, Chris. (October 16, 2006). "CBGB sounds its final note". [[CNN]].
2. Amateau, Albert. (2014-06-05). "CBGB Co-Founder Karen Kristal Dies at 88".
3. Bryan Waterman. (2011). "Television's Marquee Moon". The Continuum International Publishing Group.
4. "Alchemy".
5. Jason, D. J.. (September 9, 1996). "Alchemy Gothic Mondays".
6. (December 19, 1993). "Playing in the neighborhood". The New York Times.
7. (January 24, 2003). "Pop And jazz guide". The New York Times.
8. [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/36481396 Yahoo Music coverage of concert] {{Webarchive. link. (July 26, 2008 .)
9. Marcus Gilmer. (May 8, 2012). "CBGB now a festival, could reopen in new location". [[The A.V. Club]].
10. ''[[Q (magazine). Q]]'' magazine, 2002
11. Initially, Kristal focused on his more profitable West Village nightspot, Hilly's, which Kristal closed amid complaints from the bar's neighbors. After Hilly's closure, Kristal focused on the Bowery club. Its full name of '''CBGB & OMFUG''' stands for "[[Country music. Country]], [[Bluegrass music. Bluegrass]], [[Blues]], and Other Music For Uplifting Gourmandizers". Although a [[gourmand. gourmandizer]] is usually a ravenous eater of food, what Kristal meant was "a voracious eater of (…) music".[http://cbgb.com Official CBGB website] {{webarchive. link. (August 8, 2006 .)
12. Crotty & Lane, "Interview with Hilly",''The mad Monks guide to NYC'', 1999, p 190.
13. Towsen, Nat. "Debunking CBGB Myths: An Interview with Dana Kristal".
14. [http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Debunking-CBGB-Myths-An-Interview "Debunking CBGB myths: An interview with Dana, Hilly Kristal's son] {{Webarchive. link. (September 15, 2007 , ''[[Tiny Mix Tapes]]'', September 11, 2007.)
15. David Nobakht. (2005). "Suicide: No Compromise". SAF Publishing.
16. Gendron, Bernard. "Between Montmartre and the Mudd Club: Popular Music and the Avant-Garde".
17. aficionado, Binky Philips Music. (November 2, 2010). "The Damned at CBGB: The Night Punk Was Officially Born in the USA".
18. "NIGHTCLUBBING Archive by Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong. MSS 305.".
19. Kristal's son claims the policy meant to avert owing royalties to [[ASCAP]]. [http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Debunking-CBGB-Myths-An-Interview "Debunking CBGB myths: An interview with Dana, Hilly Kristal's Son] {{Webarchive. link. (September 15, 2007 , ''[[Tiny Mix Tapes]]'', September 11, 2007.)
20. Chris Harris, [http://www.mtv.com/news/1507393/cbgb-doesnt-have-to-pay-90000-in-back-rent-judge-rules "CBGB doesn't have to pay $90,000 in back rent, judge rules"] {{Webarchive. link. (July 20, 2014 , ''[[MTV News]]'', August 10, 2005.)
21. link. (July 14, 2014 , Time Warner Cable News: ''NY1'', August 11, 2005.)
22. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6045796.stm "Stars return in CBGB's last shows"] {{Webarchive. link. (August 30, 2011 , ''BBC News'', October 12, 2006.)
23. Sarah Ventre. (September 30, 2010). "How far would you go to see a show". [[NPR]].
24. Sisario, Ben. (October 16, 2006). "CBGB Brings Down the Curtain With Nostalgia and One Last Night of Rock". The New York Times.
25. Dodero, Camille. (March 25, 2008). "CBGB St. Mark's shop closing at the end of June". [[Village Voice]].
26. [http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2009/06/the_final_cbgb.php The final CBGB settlement: Hilly Kristal's estate takes its last legal bow] {{Webarchive. link. (June 20, 2009, ''Village Voice'', June 16, 2009.)
27. (December 21, 2015). "CBGB to Reopen as Restaurant in Newark Airport".
28. "CBGB Is Reopening At Newark Airport, As A Restaurant".
29. Segal, David. (November 2, 2007). "A punk temple reborn: Would you like to see the $200 safety pins?". [[The Washington Post]].
30. (January 14, 2008). "Now Opening Saturday Special". Racked.com.
31. Karen Brettell. (Mar 27, 2008). "NY gallery keeps punk alive in old CBGB space". Reuters.
32. Ben Sisario. (Apr 19, 2008). "At the former CBGB, the punks once played but the rich now pomp". The New York Times.
33. Cuozzo, Steve. (March 8, 2011). "WilmerHale eyes 7 WTC". [[New York Post]].
34. "Patagonia New York Bowery Store - 313 Bowery NY, NY 10003".
35. (16 November 2021). "Wipe Out: Patagonia Closes its Bowery Surf Shop".
36. Jennifer Fermino. (Mar 25, 2008). "Hobo Goes haute". [[New York Post]].
37. [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000027.pdf National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: The Bowery Historic District] {{Webarchive. link. (July 10, 2014 .)
38. Blistein, Job. (December 14, 2016). "CBGB Awning Sells at Auction for $30,000".
39. Flanary, Patrick. (July 5, 2012). "CBGB Festival Brings Veteran Bands Back to the Stage".
40. Pareles, Jon. (July 8, 2012). "A Raucous Weekend for a Rock Club That's Long Gone". The New York Times.
41. "About Us". CBGB.
42. (2025-05-12). "CBGB Reborn as Brooklyn Music Festival Featuring Iggy Pop, Jack White, and Sex Pistols".
43. (April 10, 2013). "''CBGB'', new film tells the history of New York City's legendary club". laughingsquid.com.
44. "CBGB (2013)". imdb.com.
45. Linda Sickler. "'Punk rock' inventor Legs McNeil coming to Savannah post 'CBGB'".
46. Marc Campbell. (October 2013). "If you thought CBGB's bathrooms were full of shit, check out the movie".
47. link. (April 9, 2016 , NYC Olympic Committee via YouTube, (Timecode 1:36–1:49))
48. "A Los Angeles Social Diary".
49. "Old School Punk Star, by The Shapers".
50. "When checked against the CBGB women's room graffiti".
51. "Aftershow party at CBGB's".
52. "This ain't no Mudd Club, or C.B.G.B.".
53. "The Heads (Ft. Debbie Harry & Johnette Napolitano) – Punk Lolita".
54. "LCD Soundsystem – Losing My Edge".
55. "Larry Hama, Musician".