Saturday, October 07, 2006

One Last Time on the Bowery

For the last couple weeks I've been hunkered down in the Studio working on some recordings with a cool band from Manchester, UK. Earlier this week I got a call from my old friend Syd Straw who invited me to play
with her band at CBGB's on friday night. CB's is closing. And while I don't really think its cool for Hilly to owe his landlord the homeless shelter while collecting literal millions from the licensing on his t-shirts I have to say CBGB's has for sure been a big part of my New York
life.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

I've played CBGB's countless times since the Del-Lords made their NYC debut there with a month of tuesdays in 1983. Played there with Ned Sublette. You know Ned. Willie Nelson cut the song we used to play called "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other". Played there with the World Famous Blue Jays. Played there with my band Roscoe's Gang a few times...one of which led me to take matters into my own hands and open my own bar the Lakeside Lounge with my partner the Hound I also played there with Los Dudes and most recently with Steve Earle and the Dukes and Mary Lee's Corvette on election day in 2004.

Met a lot of friends there and had a lot of fun. Can't imagine that they will be able to recreate the most famous bathroom in all of
rock and roll in Las Vegas?

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

The neon beer lights always cast a lovely glow.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Musicians usually have a love/hate relationship with the place. In the Del Lords days we were lucky to get a little over $20 bucks each out of the gig after the "Hilly Tax". $20 bucks could get you a Hamburger Deluxe Platter at the Kiev and a haircut at Astor Place.

I was there when all the musicians in town actually paid to get in to see Spinal Tap play and I also pulled an English guy off of critic Robert Christigau. Seems the Englishman had taken offense at some of Christigau's barbs in the Voice.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Ah well, thanks to CBGB's and their wonderful staff and thanks to Straw for inviting me to do the gig.