The world’s most famous rock club opened in December 1973, when musician/actor/nightclub manager/concert impresario Hilly Kristal took over the decrepit Palace Bar and christened it CBGB & OMFUG (Country, Blue Grass, Blues & Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers). Beginning in early 1974, as Richard Hell later wrote in the New York Times, CBGB “housed the most influential cluster of bands ever to grow up — or to implicitly reject the concept of growing up — under one roof.” Those bands included Blondie, the Dead Boys, the Dictators, the Heartbreakers (with Johnny Thunders), Richard Hell and the Voidoids, the Ramones, Suicide, Talking Heads and Television.
Tens of thousands of performers — from multi-platinum rockers Pearl Jam and Guns n’ Roses to country superstar Alan Jackson — played the club until October 15, 2006, when it closed for good following a protracted rent dispute. The Patti Smith Group played the last show, and Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye told the New York Times: “When I go into a rock club in Helsinki or London or Des Moines, it feels like CBGB to me there. The message from this tiny little Bowery bar has gone around the world. It has authenticated the rock experience wherever it has landed.” Hilly Kristal died August 28, 2007, at age 75 from complications of lung cancer.
CBGB Holdings was established in May 2008 with members of Hilly Kristal’s family and some former employees. Since then they have been working with the artistic community including the musicians, photographers and writers that helped make CBGB the epicenter of a cultural revolution. Future plans include a new website, CBGB Radio, Comics, TV, live events such as Bonnaroo and new venues in strategic music and entertainment capitals worldwide.
I always loved this club! I played there many a time and even worked sound under Ron Glass!
Hilly was a fixture in my life and his passing was a loss to the music community that grew up under his guard.
phil common
Comment by phil common — February 8, 2010 @ 10:49 am
Seen the legendary club in december, still amazing…
Comment by Boris Hahn — February 9, 2010 @ 7:46 am
Hello all,
Please allow me a moment of your time.
I am a local business owner that has always had the ultimate respect for Hilly and the legendary CBGB’s.
I went to NYU nearby in the 80′s and have fond memories of how the neighborhood used to be.
I am currently in the business of producing unique fashion tee shirts that our company sells to major retailers such as Nordstrom,Fred Segal, and others.
I am thinking,perhaps it could please be possible to do a select group of CBGB tribute tees or other apparel items hat we can make.
Perhaps we could test the waters.
With your permission and blessing of course we might be able to focus on certain themes,bands or eras that CBGB’s made famous, as I’m sure there is a huge audience oout there,young and old that wish to connect to this great legacy.
Please let me know your thoughts on the matter.
We are not a huge corporation but our art and manufacturing teams work hard to put out a terrific product that we can all be proud of together.
I am available most of the time to meet, and you are welcome to visit our offices at 20 west 33rd street across from the empire state bldg.
Best wishes,
Morris Betesh
Dan Morris Apparel,Inc.
212 244 1033 ext 20
917 378 7900
Comment by Morris Betesh — February 10, 2010 @ 9:10 pm
Gabba Gabba Hey, from Argentina, the ramones born in the CBGB, he is a legendary club, HEY HO LET´S GO!!!!
Comment by ramone — February 15, 2010 @ 11:06 am
I performed at GBGB’s in 2000 with my band from Germany. That was one the best times I ever had in my life. Rock on CBGB!!!!
Comment by lo — February 17, 2010 @ 4:36 am
[...] zou dan eingelijk zover zijn dat ik op nr. 315 CBGB & OMFUG (Country, Blue Grass and Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers) zou gaan bezoeken: de [...]
Pingback by Faux Nostalgia | Johannes Lammers — March 7, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
I’m from Brazil did not know the history of CBGB but already I’m already diser that one of the biggest fan of this place =D
Comment by adriano xavier de almeida — March 12, 2010 @ 1:59 pm
I can not speak English so I used google for this escrver
Comment by adriano xavier de almeida — March 12, 2010 @ 2:02 pm
Before I die, I will go
CBGB Forever
Comment by Debannie — March 13, 2010 @ 5:16 pm
Played at CBGB back in the 80s in a band called Absolute zero based in Westchester Ny
It was an aswum experience playing there was the right of passage as a musician in NYC ,IT is THE BETHLEHEM OF PUNK ROCK !!
Comment by John Piacente — March 15, 2010 @ 8:57 pm
The rest room should be preserved as a shrine ,The walls were signed by virtually everyone who ever played there . The walls alone are worth millions in rock history !!
Comment by John Piacente — March 15, 2010 @ 9:00 pm
Gimme a job CBGBs. I will come all the way from merry old England to start my new life at CBGBs. :-> x
Comment by Rosy — March 21, 2010 @ 6:19 pm
if CBGB’s is cool
why didn’y Air Supply play there then
Comment by jesse — April 16, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
[...] in Just Kids, but they take their place amidst an even larger cast of characters. Places such as CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City and the rumblings of early punk music also play into the [...]
Pingback by Just Kids by Patti Smith « Book Lover's Blog — May 12, 2010 @ 12:40 pm
Anyone know why there’s no info about the 1st LP or Manster who played on it?
Comment by Mike v — June 7, 2010 @ 12:46 pm
To all of you saying you will visit CBGB’s before you die, you must not know that CBGB’s closed 4 years ago because of an insane increase in rent.
RIP CBGB<3
Comment by Blake — July 7, 2010 @ 1:14 am
i really want to come here, it looks MENTAL!
Before I die, i shall go
I promise
Comment by Georgie — July 17, 2010 @ 9:15 am
CBGB is one place of music history and legend. So many bands and so many people. This place should and well always be a shrine to great music.
Michael Gruber
Comment by Michael Gruber — August 1, 2010 @ 1:18 am
its on my bucket list!
Comment by kyle — August 16, 2010 @ 4:29 pm