Throwback to February 1979 with James White & The Blacks

Slash magazine, December 1979

New York City, 1979, by Edo Bertoglio

New York City, 1979, by Edo Bertoglio

James Chance & The Contortions "Buy" 35th Anniversary Edition Now Available!

Out this week digitally, the new & improved Buy by the Contortions! It includes 5 bonus tracks, and still sounds ahead of its time 35 years later. Check it out at the following stores:

iTunes

eMusic

Amazon

James Chance faces off against George Clinton for the cover of NY Rocker in 1979

James Chance related items of interest

Its been a little while since we've posted anything, so here's a little something to tide you over - two items relating to James & No Wave that may interest you:

- First up, our friends Pat & Emily from Nightclubbing have a new column up this week at Bedford & Bowery featuring footage of DNA shot at the Mudd Club in 1979. See that here.

- Secondly, Marc Miller over at 98 Bowery just launched an online exhibition of No Wave film related photos & ephemera. See it here. This includes the above poster, plus a photo of Anya Phillips (from Amos Poe's The Foreigner) we've never seen before, and other items of interest.

Sept 23, 1979: The M-80 Festival, Minneapolis MN (Part 2)

 

Here's a rare bit of history - an actual ticket stub from the M-80 Festival held in Minneapolis in September 1979 where the Contortions appeared. We've posted video footage of this before.

Anya Phillips by Edo Bertoglio (1979)

As we await James' return from the tour, we take a moment to share this beautiful image of Anya Phillips, taken from a recent New York Magazine piece on women of the NY post punk scene, as photographed by Edo Bertoglio in 1979. See the entire story here.

The Squat Theatre: Dec. 28-29, 1979

On December 28 & 29, 1979 (33 years ago!), James White & The Flaming Demonics made their their premiere performances at The Squat Theatre at 256 West 23rd Street. The photos in this post, including the astounding find of the Anya Philips guest list from the event, are courtesy of The Squat Theatre.

Besides the two night stand by James & his band, James & Anya had also programmed some dates leading up to the Flaming Demonics shows: "The Little Devils Club Presents a Week of Dance Party: After Hours Dance For Lost Souls," Dec. 24-27, 1979.

  

According to the Squat Theatre website: James previews his new band, which is essentially Defunkt with James as frontman. The only holdover from the old Contortions is Patrick Geoffries on guitar. The Defunkt lineup was augmented by Vernon Reid on guitar and John Purcell on saxophone. There would remain significant overlap between the membership of Defunkt and the Flaming Demonics/James White and the Blacks for the next few months, although eventually James established his own distinct rhythm section so that he could tour.

East Village Eye, May 1979

Issue #1 of the East Village Eye. Available from 98 Bowery.

Sept 23, 1979: The M-80 Festival, Minneapolis MN

The Contortions (James Chance, Patrick Geoffries, Kristian Hoffman, Melvin Gibbs, Ronnie Burrage, Joe Bowie, Byron Bowie, Steven Kramer, & Bradley Field) performing "Contort Yourself" and "Good Times" by Chic, Sept. 23, 1979, at the M-80 Festival in Minneapolis MN. 

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Paul Tschinkel's InnerTube - The Contortions (1979)

New York's premiere no wave band, The Contortions, performing at Max's Kansas City in 1979 as filmed for Paul Tschinkel's Innertube.