CBGB Opens Its Doors for the First Time

 On December 10, 1973, Hilly Kristal’s biker bar at 315 Bowery in Manhattan’s East Village became CBGB OMFUG (Country, BlueGrass and Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers). 

CBGB at 315 Bowery

Although his original vision for the club of country, bluegrass and blues didn’t come to fruition it did become a lightning rod for the protopunk and punk movement in New York City. 

Hilly Kristal (1931-2007)

Bands such as the Patti Smith Group, Television, Blondie and the Talking Heads got started there. 

Television (1974)

Blondie (1975)

Talking Heads (1977)

The Ramones played their first official show at CBGB in August of 1974 and then went on to play there almost every other day for the remainder of that year. 

The Ramones - Basically CBGB’s house band

CBGB closed its doors for the last time on October 15th, 2006 over a rent dispute with a final concert by Patti Smith with many special guests. 

Flea with Patti Smith (10/15/2006)

Richard Hell

 Richard Lester Myers was born on October 2nd, 1949. 

Hell would grow into many early punk acts including Neon Boys, Television and The Heartbreakers (not to be confused with Petty’s Heartbreaker).

Richard Hell and the Voidoids would release the punk rock anthem Blank Generation in 1977. 

Hell would come out of retirement in 1991 to release an EP and an album with Thurston Moore and Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth and Don Fleming of Gumball as the Dim Stars.

Relative:

Dr. Know

The Ramones First Show

The Ramones Last Show

Also on this date:

The Twilght Zone premiered in 1959