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• The three volumes of "New York Noise" on Soul Jazz are all excellent as introductions to this intriguing music. Start with them.

  Posted by Alexander Meerkat at 1:58 PM GMT 18/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Good thing you asked!

  I definitely agree the place to start is with the Brian Eno produced NO NEW YORK collection. It's short, to the point, and if you don't like that you probably won't care to go forward in getting the rest of these:

  From the bands featured on the NO NEW YORK compilation these are the best and most representative CD's you can get:

  Contortions:
  Get the "James Chance Irresistible Impulse" box set on Tiger Style Records. It's a 4 CD set of everything you need.
  Honorable mention: The mini 3 inch CD single "Christmas with Satan" also on Tiger Style Records.

  Teenage Jesus and the Jerks:
  Get "Lydia Lunch's Teenage Jesus & the Jerks: Everything"
  on Atavistic Records.

  Mars:
  Get "Mars: The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978" on G3G Records and Spooky Sound.

  DNA:
  Get "DNA On DNA" on No More Records.
  Honorable mention: "DNA" on Avant/Disk Union/Jasrac Records. It's a killer live album from 1982.

  Plus you need all these:

  Glenn Branca:
  "Songs '77 - '79" on Atavistic Records. It features tracks from two of his groups: The Static, and Theoretical Girls.

  "The Ascension" on Acute Records.

  "Lesson No. 1" on Acute Records.

  "Indeterminate Activity of Resultant Masses" on Atavistic Records.

  "Symphony No. 1: Tonal Plexus" on ROIR Records.

  Sonic Youth:
  The first self-titled EP/Album "Sonic Youth". (blue cover).

  Also pick up Soul Jazz Records three volume compilation series:
  "New York Noise" 1978-1982.
  "New York Noise Vol. 2" 1977-1984"
  "New York Noise Vol. 3" 1979-1984"

  These Soul Jazz Compilations are the more "danceable" side of No Wave, and walk a thin line between No Wave and just the New York underground scene of the time. They pick up the pieces left behind by the original "No New York" compilation, with a broader definition, and assortment, which should please many critics, and groups of the time who feel the broader scope of what was going on in New York during it's creative highpoint, was not represented by the famous "No New York" compilation, that instead favored the most extreme side of things, which was really the point, the idea of that compilation, and what a shock it was to 1978!

  I highly recommend these artists that are featured on the Soul Jazz Compilations:

  UT, Konk, Liquid Liquid, Bush Tetras, ESG.

  Orange Mountain Music Records has a compilation out called "From the Kitchen Archives-New Music New York 1979" which features composers who were creating and breaking new ground at the same time that No Wave was.

  Further Information:

  Soul Jazz also has a book out called "New York Noise" that has some great photos and essays by David Byrne and Laurie Anderson.

  Thurston Moore and Byron Coley have a book out called "No Wave, Post Punk, Underground New York 1976-1980"

  There is also a fairly recent DVD out on Soul Jazz Records called "135 Grand Street, New York, 1979" which features quite a few of these groups playing live in a small space.

  Other Honorable mentions:

  CD:
  The group "Transmission" has a sole CD out on Radium/Table of Elements Records. From 1981-82, these two future Swans members were creating massive instruemental drum and saxophone pieces that sound like an extreme Jon Hassell playing through a jet-engine.

  DVD:
  Dinosaur L mastermind Arthur Russell has a documentary devoted to him called "Wild Combination: A Portrait".

  The not so great, but still kind of okay documentary "Kill Your Idols" tries to confront the original No Wave artists against today's New York scene, but fails to give enough information and history and instead only presents a lot of bickering.

  The original Brian Eno produced compilation No New York really drew a line, an example, of which many critics, and groups of the time, feel didn't represent the broader scope of what was going on in New York during it's creative highpoint, and instead favored the most extreme side of things, which was really the point, the idea of that compilation, and what a shock it was to 1978!

  If you want to include The Lounge Lizards, Suicide, or solo material from Arto Lindsay or Iku Mori, there are other groups like, early recordings by Material, Curlew, Tom Cora, John Zorn, Fred Frith, that tie in to what was going on at the time in new york, but might take away from the strict No Wave title.

  (feel free to edit, rearrange, and spell-check me)

  Thanks Mojo!

  
  

  Posted by Jacob Powers (Seattle, WA) at 9:40 PM GMT 18/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• The Mars Complete Studio Recordings was reissued on No More Records - get it from Forced Exposure or any fine record shop like Other Music or Amoeba or Downtown Music Gallery.

  Posted by Pete at 12:24 AM GMT 19/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Mars: The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978 was reissued on No More Records. You can get it directly from Forced Exposure or a fine record store like Other Music, Amoeba, or Downtown Music Gallery.

  Posted by Pete at 12:27 AM GMT 19/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Don't.

  Gosh, that question was easy. What's the next one?

  Posted by Lydia Brunch at 10:56 AM GMT 20/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Well, just get Suicide 1st album. Yes, the No New York is still the best too.

  Posted by Anonymous at 12:24 AM GMT 21/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Liquid Liquid.
  Post Punk.
  Post Disco.
  No Lyrics - of a disceranble nature. Salvatore Principato using his voice more as a thread that weaves between the other instruments.
  Ghostly funk that slides in and out of the No-Wave phenomenon, but they were defintely part of the scene and still are. They are due to support LCD Soundsystem on their farewell tour in Madison Square garden in April. Now that would be some gig! Maybe Mojo could offer some free tickets in a competition. ;0)

  Posted by dino at 12:52 PM GMT 21/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• 
  IMPLOG - Holland Tunnel Dive: Warped masterpiece predating techno around 81, pulsing into Suicide's back alley until Glen Miller's horn section turn up.
  otherwise...

  SUICIDE - 2nd album.
  Made with Mothercare money and Marty Rev's new toys, the ultimate cold-as-ice New York statement from the Godafthers of post-punk

  Posted by Anonymous at 4:37 PM GMT 21/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Funny, I just got this album today without hearing anything prior to the purchase.

  Posted by Green. at 4:40 PM GMT 21/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• UT is a group that has its origins in the first post-no wave splatter bomb that was 1979. They shouldn't be overlooked as an important link between later no wave and the post-post-post-punk of the last five years.

  UT's recording output never really got out of the demo closet until later in the mid-1980's. That's a good thing. UT's sound aged and strengthened.

  Start with "In Gut's House". Its a sparse mature thump of a record that benefits from the passage of time (79-87). Packaged originally over two 12"s, UT's bleak tarmacadam sound and anti-message comes through best here.

  UT is an underrated group. Period.

  Posted by Andy at 6:36 PM GMT 21/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• Another vote for Ut's In Gut's House.

  Posted by J Neo Marvin at 6:39 AM GMT 24/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• How to buy? Use money! Buy it all. How many No Wave records were there anyway. Atavistic and others already mentioned have done a great job of representing most or all of the recorded output of Mars, DNA and Teenage Jesus; and any craven record nut knows to buy anything with an Infidelity or Lust/Unlust or Ze label.

  How many releases by Lydia, or Branca, or Arto or James Chance (here's a vote for the Flaming Demonics!) isn't worth at least a few listens, if not a lifetime of wonderfully bleeding ears?

  Fantastic to see the anonymous mention of Don C.'s IMPLOG, but let's continue down that road and give many cheers to Jody Harris' beautiful (and only? I forget) solo album with David Hofstra on bass and Fred Maher on drums, and yes, all the early Frith/Material/Curlew overlapping projects and gigs; and the two fine and forward thinking Quine/Harris albums.

  The No/New/Disco/Instrumental/Jazz/Funk reverie of polyglot NYC must not be understated. And that being the case, how have the Raybeats not been name-checked?

  Finally, let us pay tribute to my personal favorites, the all mighty beast combining Lydia's still young, punky and spunky deadpan ruminations over reverb soaked Beefheart surf CLACK and abstracted riff that was the epochal EIGHT EYED SPY which included the omni-present and talented Pat Irwin, the conceptually prescient (and dead) George Scott, and your Cave buddy Sclavunos (there's yr name drop). There are only a few live documents, and one post-Scott studio record that suffers from his absence. However, ALL are essential. ESSENTIAL!!!! Get it all, NOW. Do what I tell you.

  Also - more than honorable mention to Lydia's gorgeous "solo" record piloted by Quine, Queen of Siam, and her slinky way ahead of it's time 1313 collaboration with some Weirdos andBeefheart Alum Robert Williams.

  Posted by noisejoke at 2:03 PM GMT 25/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• RE: Lydia Brunch

  Funny stuff. Thanks for stopping by. How much do you charge to haunt a house?

  Posted by noisejoke at 2:10 PM GMT 25/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• On second, and third, thought, how does this subject not merit a full on Mojo attack powered feature? Most of the participants are still around and creating, and though their initial tenure didn't generate a lot of cash, there's certainly been a lot of plundering of their gold since. Lester Bang's infamous screed in the Village Voice, "The White Noise Supremacists" is a (largely negative and typically shot from the hip) touch point, but Andy Schwartz's esteemed NY Rocker did a great job documenting the later and literal days and the intersections amongst musicians (and visual artists and filmmakers). Not the least of his scribes on the beat was a young (name drop alert) Ira Kaplan (who also did some time with Ze).

  Posted by noisejoke at 2:24 PM GMT 25/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• UT- 'In Gut's House'.
  Probably as late period as no wave gets(unless you count Sonic Youth's records of the time). This displays a complete lack of compromise yet also manages to weave in ghostly melodies and structures. An unheralded gem.

  Glenn Branca- 'The Ascension'.
  An early album length example of the compositional possibilities opened up by No Wave. A clear influence on Sonic Youth, Swans, Band of Susans etc (no surprise as members apprenticed in Branca's bands.)

  Swans- 'Cop'.
  Maybe not no wave in it's strictest sense but certainly the most pummelling and powerful sounding tentacle to emanate from that scene.

  Contortions- 'Buy'.
  A great display of that perfect moment where the dissonance of no wave could happily co-exist with the emergent punk-funk axis

  New york Noise vol.2(soul jazz) compilation
  Edges over the other 2 in the series due to it's focus on no wave rather than punk-funk/mutant disco

  Liquid Liquid-(mo' wax comp)
  Danceable demonstrations of the possibilities of percussion
  

  Posted by AvAnt at 11:13 PM GMT 26/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• "No Wave" was inspired by the earlier (six months?) and overlapping CB's scene, but, came about, to a large degree, in reaction and defiance. They fulfilled the promise made by formal elements in the music and lyrics of Television, The Ramones, and The Void-oids. It was certainly a distinct break from the traditionalism and reformulation offered by, for instance, the Heartbreakers, Blondie and Tuff Darts. The intermingling of these musicians of admittedly primitive, and willfully naive technique, with visual artists and film makers fulfilled the potential only hinted at by Patti Smith's poetry. It shouldn't be a surprise that Bob Quine was a transitional force.

  No Wave also represents micro-emigration of young people from not only the outer Boroughs, Long Island and New Jersey, but from other parts of the US and indeed, Europe and Japan. Many came for work, school and visual art careers. And they all didn't end up in the East Village or Lower East Side either. They lived in Soho, Chinatown, and even way uptown. Therefore the inter-disciplinary intermingling.

  Of course, the inclusion of dance or "body" oriented sounds can't be understated, either. While the sounds produced by Branca, Lydia, DNA, Mars, et al was, at least on first glance, anti-groove, groups like Konk and Liquid Liquid took advantage of the penchant for clubs like Tier 3 and Hurrah to do away with the traditional NY rock club (CB's, Max's, Bottom Line) setting of long tables aligned toward the stage.

  Sonic Youth, UT, and The Swans were indeed a result of No Wave both in personnel and sound. But they were not of the No Wave. If Television created the next NY underground in 1974, then Lydia and James did so in 1976. In fact, by the time No Wave term was coined, as a joke, in 1978, the original groups were already splintering and recombining, and even younger people were coming in. By 1980 the nascent SY, along with the Blinding Headache/Information crowd that would become the V-Effect/Mofungo/Scene is Now crowd would be pioneering NY's next great scene. V-Effect's "Stop Those Songs" produced by Fred Frith, is an astoundingly original, vibrant and concise statement and a lost (not to me) gem.

  My point here is essentially that No Wave, as a distinct form and scene, if it could be defined at all, only existed from 1976 to 1980, and produced a relatively small number of recordings.

  Other recordings of note, not yet mentioned in this forum:
  Robin Crutchfield's Dark Day - two great records of prescient Casio-toned minimalism by this early member of DNA. (He was replaced by Pere Ubu bassist Tim Wright, which gives evidence to even more wonderful musical miscegenation.)
  "John Gavanti" - Mars' mastermind Sumner Crane's take on Don Giovanni. Made with members of Mars and DNA, it's unique, hilarious, disturbing and frankly, journalistic. It's an unheralded masterpiece that joyously delivers the clamorous and discordant sounds, sights and indeed, feelings, of NYC then and always.

  Posted by noisejoke at 6:09 PM GMT 27/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• RE: Lydia Brunch

  Seconded - It was of it's time and should go no further - I'd rather listen to Mac and Katie Kissoon!

  Posted by Superenigmatix. at 12:25 AM GMT 09/04/2011 Report Abuse

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• No Wave is just a media created label. Some of it was OK. A lot of it was garbage. The Contortions were pretty good. Suicide was decent.These bands got better when they stopped engaging in noise art and started writing more conventional songs. The trick is that composing a good song with strong lyrics and melodies is always tougher to do.

  Posted by Ted at 8:06 PM GMT 09/12/2011 Report Abuse

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