CBGB & OMFUG: Thirty Years from the Home of Underground Rock [Hardcover]

Hilly Kristal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005

Hilly Kristal originally intended his club to showcase the type of music his venue's notorious letters stand for: Country, Bluegrass, Blues. Little did he know his club on the Bowery would be the birthplace of a new era of music in New York City: Punk. While CBGB ultimately didn't describe the music the club was known for, OMFUG (Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers) still represents what the club provides for all voracious "eaters" of music.

CBGB & OMFUG is a musical and cultural landmark, recognized worldwide and visited by countless tourists and music lovers each year. In these luminous pages, CBGB's influence and legacy is honored with 200 photos of some of the most celebrated artists in music history. With an introduction by Hilly Kristal, an afterword by David Byrne, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and cofounder of Talking Heads, and additional commentary by numerous performers and patrons, CBGB & OMFUG features unforgettable images by the many photographers who documented an American institution.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The inside cover shows a men's restroom with its urinals plastered in stickers and graffiti. The first photo is of the Ramones posing on the sidewalk, thumbs hooked inside the front pockets of their skinny jeans. It's punk-rock documented in all its glory in this fabulous chronicle of the happenings at CBGB & OMFUG, the dingy, legendary music hangout in Manhattan's East Village. In his introduction, Kristal, CBGB's founder and owner, explains that the place was "originally meant to be a country and blues club," but "is famous for being the birthplace of a new era of punk." Opened in 1973, the club's early years saw AC/DC, Blondie, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Television, the Talking Heads and, of course, the Ramones, of whom there are plenty of pics. The '80s brought Sonic Youth, the Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Live and Pearl Jam. And with the 90s came Courtney Love, Liz Phair and the Goo Goo Dolls. (The chronological history ends with the Libertines in 2003.) The b&w pictures, taken by Roberta Bayley, Bob Gruen, Godlis, Kate Simon, Ebet Roberts and others, come in two wavelengths: posed and candid. Quotes from the photographers on the artists, the music and the locale add depth-says Tommy Ramone, "The initial patrons were artists, bohemians, drag queens and Hell's Angels-who could ask for more?"-but these raucous, invigorating photos really stand on their own.
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About the Author

Hilly Kristal is the founder and owner of CBGB & OMFUG, CB's 313 Gallery, and CBGB Lounge. Kristal's determination to showcase original music launched the careers of numerous legendary performers.

David Byrne is cofounder of the influential and innovative musical group Talking Heads. In addition to being a critically acclaimed musician, he is also a director, producer, documentarian, composer, photographer, and designer. He has published many books of his artwork, and has recently shown at Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810957868
• ISBN-13: 978-0810957862
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 10.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Photo Essays
  • #92 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Portraits

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars CBs Celebrated In Pictures., August 20, 2005

By 

Warren Z. (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: CBGB & OMFUG: Thirty Years from the Home of Underground Rock (Hardcover)

Forget the current controversy surrounding CBGBs, this book isn't about that. This book uses pictures to describe the life and times of this Bowery landmark from it's early days in 1973 to the present. The first picture (not counting the inside cover shot of their famous toilets) is of The Ramones, and the last shot is of Handsome Dick of The Dictators. In between lies b&w photo after b&w photo of punk and New Wave in its infancy. If you were there this book will remind you of how it was. If you weren't this book will graphically tell you the story of NYC area kids tired of corporate rock who just wanted to play a few chords as loud as they could so they could feel the rush.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Visual feast for the eyes, December 12, 2005

By 

Paula Ehler "psychomom" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: CBGB & OMFUG: Thirty Years from the Home of Underground Rock (Hardcover)

The days of punk are long gone in a haze of AquaNet, black eyeliner and black leather. But thankfully, a handful of artists had the forsight to immoralize the scene in glorious black & white. The photographs are arranged in chronological order and include a who's-who of the punk scene. Some of the in-your-face images bring you to front center stage where you're right there with the usual suspects--Ramones, Television, Blondie. There are lots of surprises too including a great shot of Stiv Bators with Divine, and a shot of Klaus Nomi, Christopher Parker & Jim Jarmusch taken outside at the front of CBGB's. If you ever wanted to know what the punk scene was like in its early days, or if you were there and need a bit of a jolt to jog your memory, you've got to get this book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Pics But No Substance, September 17, 2007

By 

Michael Harmon "Mike H." (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CBGB & OMFUG: Thirty Years from the Home of Underground Rock (Hardcover)

This is a good "coffee table" book but no stories to go along with the pictures. There is an intro from Hilly Kristal (R.I.P) but that's about it. Also not to many pictures from the later years or even from the hardcore days. A lot of Blondie, Television stuff.

If you wanna browse pics or have friends look at it to remember the good ol' days this book is cool. If you want a story and and detail events look somewhere else.