An Imaginary Recollection of The Country, Bluegrass and Blues Music Club and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers

When? Sometime in the 70s. Where? 315 is the street number, you'll see the tent.“1-2-3-4”... That hectic voice comes straight from the bowels of the Bowery and it’s breathlessly followed by a sonic wave of guitar distortion. It's frantic, direct and essential. It resonates, crackles, pops and tears you apart. Out of the cerial box then, (what did you say was the name of that band on the plywood stage? ... Never seen them before, but Hilly said they were good. I think he said they were called the... the Ramones) you follow that filthy sound bouncing off the walls. Those demented Pollock painted kind of walls where the smoke and the filth have cemented together layer upon layer of posters and stickers. Hey Ho, Let’s go! The music is coming down like raw sledgehammers. You can almost ignite from the energy. What band did you come to see? Hey, watch that beer on the cable asshole. Oh, man the stink... This whole place smells of piss and vomit. But when the band play, you forget. When you are deaf it seems you lose a few olfactory neurons as well... You even contribute your share of stink and sweat to that of a couple of hundred bodies jumping up and down. Or were they just fifteen? Rough. Was that Patti and Tom kissing in the toilets? Did you see the toilet? It’s graffiti infested man, even on the soap. But marijuana is a good deodorant. It’s dark in there and it’s damp. Oh yeah, this whole place is a dump. Nobody is going to pack it in early tonight. I don’t care. The Bar is serving Joey’s favorite Bud light. What are you having Deb? Let’s go out man it’s getting stuffy in here. Out to that Extra place, that’s the wall on the record... Knock, knock who’s there? Zat you Patty? Yes Mr Burroughs... Come on in. I want ideas not quality. In chaos I’ve found the elixir of eternal youth. You are bleeding from the nose. Let’s find the rough diamonds in the primitive mine. Self expression not amusement. Derelict, lost souls, maybe... but not dead, man. Hilly what did you say to the health inspector who came around asking? Told him the ruts were playing next Sunday matinée. Television, who the hell are Television? Hell is the name, Richard Hell, and what’s your name sweetheart? I work here. A poet and horses. It’s 5.00 in the morning and we are closing down. I am a Sonic Reducer, aint’ no loser still ringing in my ears. And it was free. Free money, free time. All the time to dream and grow up. All the time in the world. 


Dammit. Time has gone by while you were waiting for things to happen. Flushed down the drain. Expecting something to happen. But nothing ever happens... Then again, there was a time and a place and some things did happen there. Was it original sin or original love? Don’t know my friend but it certainly was original.

Listen to:

The Feelies - Original Love (Live at CBGBs on 14/12/1977)