The popular 33 1/3 series from Continuum has a new call for proposals posted on its blog.
We’ve mentioned before our affection for the series, especially those volumes that move beyond memoir or criticism to offer something like a cultural history of the time and place a particularly seminal record was created. We even asked our students in Writing New York last year to buy Joe Harvard’s volume on The Velvet Underground and Nico, one of the albums (along with Patti Smith’s Horses) we include on the course’s syllabus. We conceptualize that unit as “From the Beats to the Punks.”
I’ve long had in mind a couple titles I’d propose to 33 1/3 if given the chance — and now that it’s here I’d like to put the question to friends, former students, and whomever else may be reading this (we know have more readers than people who comment). That’s right! Consider this a lurker amnesty post: we want to know what albums you think should be recognized as cornerstones or records of important moments or movements in the city’s cultural history.
Tip: the series has until now enforced a policy of publishing only one book per band, but given that they’re dropping this rule (!), feel free to suggest albums for bands already in the series. The full list of published and planned volumes is here.
Can’t think of key NYC albums? Maybe New York Magazine‘s recent feature on the New New York Canon will prompt you.
I’d like to see a record of The Fugs written up in this way, possibly their first record or their self-titled record. They seem to me like the best representative of a phenomenon that I don’t have any name for but sort of bridges the gap between Allen Ginsberg and Velvet Underground. Down and out in NYC in the late 60’s.
Shh! Don’t tell anyone, but that’s the title I’ve most wanted to propose over the last few years.
It also looks like Marquee Moon has been let out of limbo, though. Certainly it would be the bigger seller …
Hmmm…. I would be curious to see something about an early Talking Heads record – I’m surprised they haven’t done any Talking Heads yet.
And I don’t know if it would be appropriate, but I’d love to see something on No New York, despite its status as a compilation album. Or anything related to Lydia Lunch, who’s such a distinct influence on no wave and postpunk, and seems so tied to the New York scene.
They say they’ll entertain proposals on compilations, and you’re right: No New York would be a good one. As for Talking Heads — I could swear that they used to have one on the “forthcoming” list. Note that Blondie is now out of limbo as well. “Parallel Lines” was the first record I ever bought with my own money! I have no idea what happened to that record over the years — it must have warped or broken. But I just picked up a copy at the WFMU record fair last wkend.
Not sure I could write 30,000 words about Lydia Lunch. You should propose!
buy the contortions! unlike most of the no new york stuff, that record can stand up on its own. we’re lucky teenage jesus even agreed to enter a studio. [did anyone see the “reunion” show at the knitting factory with thurston on bass?]
fugs are definitely underappreciated. how about the holy modal rounders?
and since lester bangs is long dead, someone should start championing metal machine music as the best album ever made. (the weirdest thing about that record is that it’s actually beautiful).
Does Tuli Kupferberg still sell his writings and recordings on the sidwalks of the LES? In the mid-90’s I would run into him every couple of months.
I’ve talked to Bryan about wanting to do a 33 1/3 for The Pet Shop Boys’ “Please,” but it now occurs to me that the record had its birth in Bobby Orlando’s New York studios. The ironic rap in “West End Girls” was inspired by Brooklyn hip-hop, and the wonderful b-side “A Man Could Get Arrested” documents the Boys’ shenanigans in the East Village during recording.
wow! you guys have nice postingS!