CBGB book launch at CBGB [The ZOO]

Legs McNeil

CBGB book launch at CBGB

CBGB's threw a party last night to launch their self titled book that celebrates 30 years of photographs taken at CBGB's. A publication made all the more poignant by the fact that 'rumor' has it that CBGB's will soon be closing its doors for good; their lease is up and the landlord wants to raise the rent. At first glance, it looks like it's a case of a scum sucking capitalist pig putting the squeeze on the little man, but after last night I'm thinking that cbgb's is either cheap or crap at business and maybe both. While nothing much has happened there for the past 20 years and with almost all the Ramones dead, it's still an institution in the New York Music scene with great brand recognition.

So they have a book launch, but they won't let me look through the book, "If you want to have a look, you can buy one up front" I was told as I casually flipped through the pages of books piled high on the stage. PR lesson #1: if you want free press let me look at the fucking book. PR lesson #2: invite some people who are under thirty. It was like geriatric rockers night. I couldn't get near the shuffle board; sure these guys are part of the institution that is CBGB's but surely some other bands of significance have played there in the past 20 years.

So spend a little money on marketing, work that brand and you might be able to pay the man and keep the music live.

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