A few months ago Barbara London, a curator at the Museum of Modern Art (a.k.a. MoMA) got in touch with me thanks to the suggestion of college buddy/art star Cory Arcangel. Last year, Barbara had curated an exhibition called Looking at Music which focused on “the dynamic connections that occured from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s”, covering media works and related art from the likes of Nam June Paik, Bruce Nauman, Steve Reich, Yoko Ono, John Cage, Jack Smith and others. Now she was working on a sequal of sorts, focussing on the late 70s and early 80s.

We met up and she showed me a lot of the stuff she was planning to include and I went on and on about some of my favorite music of the period, because as you can imagine, I like a lot of music from that period. This past weekend I finally got to see the show, Looking at Music: Side 2. It was really cool and if you’re in the New York tri-state metro area, I highly recommend you check it out. There were artifacts like an original copy of X Magazine and the Artist’s Space poster pictured above. They had many records on display set-up with headphones, Suicide, K-Rob vs. Ramelzee, Sonic Youth, Talking Heads…and most excitingly, they had tons of TVs set up with all kinds of great clips. Laurie Anderson’s O Superman, Beth B.’s video for the Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight, super vintage Blondie and CBs stuff. But the real centerpiece of awesomeness was a film shot by Ericka Beckman.

I got the backstory from Ericka via Jeffrey Lohn. In August 1979, VPRO television in Rotterdam asked Ericka to help prepare a segment on New York No Wave bands. Paul McMahon (A Band, Daily Life) and artist Nancy Chunn organized an evening of filming of several bands/artists in their loft. After many years, Ericka edited this footage back together and Lee Ranaldo did some work with the audio and it was part of the Sonic Youth show “Sensational Fix” and is now on display as part of Looking at Musc: Side 2. The video features two or so songs each from several young bands of the period…Theoretical Girls, A Band, Ut, Rhys Chatham, Jill Kroesen, The Static, Morales, Youth in Asia, John Lurie, Steven Piccolo and Chinese Puzzle. A pretty amazing document and a perfect compliment to Virginia Piersol’s video recorded at Jeffrey’s loft that I’m always talking about. Maybe one day these two can be released on DVD together.

On top of all of this, MoMA was cool enough to stock some of those essential No Wave related Acute releases in their store. Here’s a photo. As you can see, due to popularity they had to order many more copies of our CDs then the Talking Heads and Sonic Youth releases.

First of all, in case you haven’t seen this yet (and if not I assume you live under a rock…or just aren’t on Facebook)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03u_6DadGms[/youtube]

Jools Holland and Leslie Ash visit Danceteria, the Roxy and the Paradise Garage and hang out with Mark Kamins, Arthur Baker, Ruth Polsky, the Peech Boys and others. Watch to the very end for a snippet of Quando Quango.

As usual I try to channel those times and attitudes, even if it’s a tiny lounge and not a converted roller rink or parking garage! This friday I’ll be DJing at the Mint Condition party at the Label Lounge at 174 Rivington. Stop by and maybe I’ll even tell you about the upcoming Acute releases, because believe or not, Acute’s still planning on putting out some CDs and records (yes…RECORDS). Here’s the story for friday:

Mint Condition fuses rare extracts of disco, electro, rap and funk into an intoxicating, moisturizing concoction that will leave skin silky smooth and deliciously dark. Apply generously and regularly to all areas. Reapply at frequent intervals.

This time we’re doing Mint Condition at the intimate and groovy Label Lounge, in the L.E.S. on Rivington near Clinton St. We are also proud to present Tropical Jeremy and Dan Selzer, making their first Mint Condition appearances.
www.labellounge.com

MUSIC SELECTORS:

DEVIN DEVEAUX
Devin Deveaux retired from his successful Miami-based transportation business to pursue his true passion: disco. The electropical musical narratives he constructs are inspired by the colorful characters he encountered on his adventures on and above the high seas. Check his releases on Black Vinyl Records, Elan Records and Formaldehyd Records, available at itunes and beatport.
www.devindeveaux.com

SELECTOR HONEYKNUCKLES
Selector HoneyKnuckles is the distinguished mind behind such world changing inventions as the lamborghini, G-string bikini, Aqua Velva, and the morning after pill. Having grown bored with science he now dedicates his time to mixing records and perfecting his macaroni and cheese recipe.
www.thehoneyknuckles.blogspot.com

TROPICAL JEREMY
Tropical Jeremy brought Beppe Loda (Afro Cosmic legend) from Italy to play at PS1 and do a mini US tour in 2007. He founded the Alldisco and Beat Club parties at Subtonic and Capones. Dazzle Ships for 3 years. These days he’s focused more on production and quality over quantity DJ gigs. In the past year or so he’s played at MOMA, Sculpture Center, Guggenheim, Museum of Art and Design, etc.
www.tropicalcomputersystem.com
www.bumrocks.com

DAN SELZER
Dan has been dj’ing disco, house, techno, italo, new wave, post-punk, hi-nrg and AM gold records in NY for over a decade, from the chic crowded indifferent clubs of Manhattan to the underground jaded lofts of Brooklyn, he’s done it all. While he’s known by a few for his post-punk reissue label Acute Records, he will be remembered mostly for the Crazy Rhythms mix CD recorded with Mike from Italians Do It Better a few years back. Dan was the resident DJ of the influential Transmission party at Plant Bar and co-resident of the influential Alldisco party at Capones and the not-influential Dazzle Ships party at Heathers with the influential Tropical Jeremy.
www.acuterecords.com/blog (you’re already here!)
www.myspace.com/newyorkendless