If supporting social causes is important to you, and you also like classic American punk rock, you might feel the need to dress yourself in this attractive Black Lives Matter T-shirt. This sharp design by Noble Tee Shop incorporates the image of four white bars on a black field that any fan would instantly recognize as the iconic logo for LA-based punk band Black Flack. Yes, it is pretty cool, and available in a variety of shirt styles, sizes and colors for $24.95 each at This Link!
This Image By Chris Lavado, All Other Images By Gail
New York is an influential state and city, with millions of tourists flocking there year after year so that they can experience the Big Apple. This is because New York is known for and famous for a variety of things such as its iconic Statue of Liberty, exciting Broadway performances, and exclusive shops. The state and city have captivated people all over the globe, and it’s showing no signs of lessening its grip and influence on the rest of the world.
What about New York and the music scene, however? New York and music go hand-in-hand, with some of the biggest bands and musical performances coming from this high-rise city. In 2021, New York is still influencing the music scene.
Continue reading How New York Is Still Influencing The Music Scene In 2021
Marc Bell, Ivan Julian, Robert Quine and Richard Hell: The Voidoids Circa 1977 (Image Source)
Ivan Julian has been re-diagnosed with an invasive form of cancer and needs our immediate help! Ivan faces a serious surgery within the next month and won’t be able to fully recover and work for at least 6 months. A GoFundMe campaign started by Julian’s son Austin (Link Here) is looking to raise $75,000 to pay for medical (surgery and post op-care), cost of living, and health insurance expenses.
For those who do not know Ivan personally, you are probably familiar with his music. Ivan is a founding member and guitarist of the quintessential punk band, Richard Hell and the Voidoids. He has played in influential musical groups including The Clash, The Foundations, and Matthew Sweet and is a continuous force in the New York music community. Ivan continues to produce cutting edge music to this day in his recording studio, Super Giraffe Sound, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A powerful influence on rock music for decades, it is important for us to support the artists who have paved our way and help them continue sharing their gift to us. Ivan is facing a big challenge ahead, but can win the fight with your help!
Funds Raised as of Monday November 25, 2019
Additional information about Ivan’s battle:
In late October 2015, Ivan Julian was diagnosed with stage 3.5 cancer. From November 2015 to February 2016, Ivan’s doctors ordered an aggressive treatment plan: 5 days a week radiation and a combination of chemotherapy pills as well as injections. During which time Ivan was unable to work and was in constant pain. His medical and living expenses accumulated. What saved Ivan’s life in 2016 was crowdfunding from people like you. The GoFundMe Campaign and Heart On Fire, a musicians benefit held at City Winery in May of 2016 by a group of generous friends and fellow musicians, together helped raise enough money for Ivan to get his much needed treatment.
The treatment Ivan’s doctors ordered was brutal, but effective. When asked about what he went through for a Newsweek article, Ivan described it as “the black hole”. Despite the pain, Ivan returned to work once he was able, teaching young aspiring film/music students about audio at the City College. Due to Ivan’s health condition, he’s only able to work for limited hours as a part-time Adjunct Professor, to which position there is no health insurance eligible. Without the previous crowdfunding, Ivan would not be able to get the treatment his doctors ordered for him.
Now we are here asking for your help because Ivan’s cancer has come back. It has evolved into a specific type that has an unpredictable growth rate, and has the potential to be imminently fatal. Because of the threat the cancer is imposing, the doctors have ordered surgery. The surgery that Ivan’s doctors have prescribed would remove the cancer permanently. This surgery, however, will require months of recovery time where Ivan will be unable to work and will still need to take care of rent, insurance, and the expenses of the surgery. Because of the unpredictable nature of his type of cancer, This surgery is slated to take place within the month, and can’t be postponed with risk of the cancer spreading to a point where treatment is impossible.
We are hoping to raise $75,000 for Ivan to cover his medical bills and necessary leave from work for at least six months during his recovery. Ivan’s insurance and New York City rent alone will take a huge toll on Ivan without any generated income. It is crucial that Ivan has support from us in his time of recovery, and that we give back to someone who has given so much throughout his life. Visit the GoFundMe campaign to make a donation at This Link.
If you would like to donate directly, please Venmo @Austin-julian-3.
Photo By Gail
This poster by Peter Savile, who first came to prominence for his designs for Factory Records, was issued to promote Joy Division’s 1979 debut album, Unknown Pleasures. Band member Bernard Sumner found the image, a rendering of successive waves emitted by a pulsar, in an astronomy textbook. Saville reversed the image from black-on-white to white-on-black, conjuring the darker atmospherics of the album’s sound. The Cover Art design has attained an iconic status, particularly of late, going so far as to spawn the term “joyplot,“ which refers to a method of data visualization that involves the layering of successive and comparative histograms.
Photographed as Part of the Exhibit, Too Fast To Live Too Young to Die: Punk Graphics at the Museum of Arts and Design in NYC.
Photo By Gail
This great mural of Patti Smith by Brooklyn-based street artist Huetek recently had to be touched-up by the artist after it was badly tagged by a random dick bag. The pose is modeled after the famous series of images by Smith’s close friend and former lover, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe — which were used as Smith’s first press photos as well as the cover of her debut album, Horses. Originally painted in July of 2018, the mural is part of the East Village Walls project, and can be found outside of Julie’s Vintage Clothing Boutique at 84 East 2nd Street just west of First Avenue. Punk Lives!