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Writer's pictureElvin Cartagena

CBGB

Updated: Jan 29, 2019

First time I went to CBGB was with my best friend Kenny.


(By the way, people pronounced it as CBGBs or CBs.


As we walked in and paid two dollars next thing, oh shit, my fucking ears..a loud roar of a band playing, raw, and in your face..the band...The Ramones.


I becamea life long fan of the Ramones that night!

I really appreciated no frills approach. They sounded like a strip down early 60s, 3 chords and a minor with a thrown 5 chord and fuck you up, very clever, One more thing that I noticed was they were always looking straight ahead at their audience, (never looked back, around or at each other, just 1-2-3-4-pause..then the Roar!!, "Hey Ho Let's Go!!,

I saw them again years later at a venue call L'Amour in Brooklyn, man, they were so tight, again, hey never looked at each other, they just stared straight ahead, white stage lights on their face.. then 1-2-3-4,.. Yes, Great Fun Band!!, I really miss them!




The best thing about CBs was the venue next door, Great Gildersleeves, which was more of a Rock and Roll venue, I sw many good bands there especially great guitar players I recall this one band, not sure of their name but their guitar player had an unusual way of playing, where his right wrist pointed straight upwards and played so fast!!, New York City had a great Rock scene back then, I recalled walking around SOHO and saw a sign.. Chuck Berry Tonight!, Yes, I went in saw Chuck yelling at the drummer, , was yelling at thethemmer,

ellinat the drummer, , he was yelling at the drummer,

, he was yelling at the drummer, , he was yelling at the drummer,

so

The best thing about CBs was also the venue next door, Great Gildersleeves, which was more of a Rock vibe, not so much Punk. More on this venue later. CBs was a cool, great venue and New York City back then had a great Rock scene.



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