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MoMa Shines Light on NYC's Punk Revolution
Materials by Patti Smith, Ramones showcase cultural shift
By Matt Cantor
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Posted Aug 19, 09 3:35 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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New York’s Museum of Modern Art is showcasing the gritty glamour of the city’s 1970s and early ’80s music scene, where punk, New Wave, DIY, and noise rock ruled, Rolling Stone reports. New Yorkers were feeling alienated—the city was bankrupt in 1975; President Ford told it to “drop dead"—but that helped inspire “completely honest” art, says one rocker.
The exhibit includes a recording of the Patti Smith rap-poem Piss Factory, which describes a fierce independence and lust for fame; original LPs from the Talking Heads and the Ramones, among others; and “reckless and raw” music videos by the likes of Sonic Youth, writes Alex Vadukul. At the close of the exhibit is a collection of photos, articles, ads, and posters proving the scene’s national impact.