A History of CBGB in 10 Songs | The Track Star Podcast

Iconic photographer Roberta Bayley joins The Track Star Podcast to break down how the CBGB scene formed in the mid-1970s, before anyone agreed on the word “punk” and the room was still mostly bands, friends, and a $2 cover.

Through songs by the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith, Blondie, and more, Bayley walks through the early CBGB ecosystem: what the club felt like night to night, how Punk magazine helped give the scene a name most of the artists didn’t even want, and how that label quickly spread beyond New York. She also tells the story behind her iconic Ramones photo becoming their debut album cover, shares road stories from the Sex Pistols’ chaotic U.S. tour, and reflects on documenting Blondie during their mainstream breakthrough.

Along the way, Bayley traces her path to New York: seeing the Beatles as a teenage superfan, coming of age in the San Francisco counterculture rock scene, living in London during the years leading up to punk, and arriving in New York just as CBGB became the center of a new musical underground.

Special thanks to Punk magazine and Ki Smith Gallery for hosting this interview. Ki Smith Gallery (170 Forsyth) is currently presenting a special Punk magazine exhibit featuring several of Roberta’s iconic photos, on view through January 18.

https://www.instagram.com/kismithgallery?igsh=MWJnMGU0djBoZ2Zndw==

Listen to our extended playlist for this episode:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MMexq71f2g4sSlv0YVKtn?si=n3lcHdPUS6OQyHAy7JXWcA&pi=2uwlnp2zReS5H&nd=1&dlsi=f86548e2ed9b4845
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-track-star-podcast-episode-15/pl.u-76oNNy6CvDjRDv0
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJwfZsOZW3kXFD3b10CWT-r1q9ooH2Ego

This Episodes Tracklist:
00:00 - Intro
24:36 - Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
29:07 - Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation
32:15 - Television - Marquee Moon
42:03 - Patti Smith - Gloria
43:12 - Blondie - X Offender
50:17 - Suicide - Ghost Rider
51:34 - The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog
53:40 - Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer
54:30 - Elvis Costello - Watching the Detectives
55:32 - Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen

New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday on all platforms. Let us know what artist, era, or genre you want us to explore next.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1d5i6AQX4dZaO4MDCbdhjR
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-track-star-podcast/id1836496108
More platforms: https://play.megaphone.fm/f-rd86qotxojfhckdq6uaa

Track Star Team: Jack Coyne, Kieran Coyne, Henry Kornaros, Noah John, Haley Sobel, Alex Fabry, Sarah Mann, Ellie Aslanian, Ryan Dirgins, Lauren Kennedy