ARChive of Contemporary Music

Everyone - Just got this news NOW, so sorry for late notice. Also avail on Youtube tomorrow, VICE News takes a look inside the archives on VICE News Tonight at 11p. "For the last 35 years, the ARChive of Contemporary Music has preserved over 3 million records in its Tribeca facility, making it one of the largest record collections in the world. Now, rising rents are driving ARC out of New York City."

About Nov. 2 Chance, coincidence and serendipity are curious things. Last night in search of a Halloween film, chilling and not gory, I watched The Thing (1951...). Maybe for the 5th time. It hosts an incredible ensemble cast, effortless overlapping dialog, Howard Hawks the rumored co-director and Marshal Dillon as a plant-based spaceman. (Don’t forget Bob Dylan cites him for his moniker, not that poet guy). And when do they launch their fight to keep Aliens out of America? Nov 2d. Still awake, I randomly choose another film, A Stranger In Town, (1943). Here a cranky Supreme Court Associate Justice, played by Frank Morgan (Wizard of Oz) goes duck hunting on vacation and runs afoul of small town corruption. Soon he’s mentoring a young politician to read his law books rather than swing his fists to get justice. It is all too common for Americans in American films to hit someone whenever they don’t know how to solve a problem, laugh at someone’s misfortune or pass off a swindle as clever. Not to mention everyone thinks it’s A-OK to carry a shotgun into a courtroom. The windup is a speech by The WIZ charging that the inability to work for the common good of all makes you a traitor. He actually uses the word traitor. Strong words. War years. Everyone cheers. It’s Nov 2d. Vote!

The ARC has just received three soundtrack 45s from Singapore. All three on the Life Records label and feature these great company sleeves. The composer of this title, Zubir Said, also composed the Malaysian National Anthem!

As I slowly catalog our Punk era singles I am amazed by the value of these scarce, independently released, 45 in ARC’s collection. These are not the mass produ...ced and widely promoted bands we are familiar with. These are releases by mostly ephemeral outfits, with highly personal vision, that never gained a large audience but looking at the limited, ongoing demand loyal fans are out there. So as we are busy setting up our new home, look for occasion posts on recordings like Fakir The Only Dance There Is/F-A-L-A-N-G-E ( 7 single, no date [1981], no label, no number, no speed [45]). This No Waver was issued in an edition of 100 (ARC has two) and only available at the late, great 99 Records shop in the Village, NYC. Name of band is handwritten in felt tip on front of sleeve and each back is different, spray painted and hand painted by Bob Solete. The band, R. Kane (gtr, voc), Bill Schilling (gtr), Janine Gentile (bass) Bobby Schilling (drms), only did four live performances, the first at the ‘Red Brigade Benefit’ at Club 57. At the Noise Fest, 1981, at White Columns, Thurston Moore described them as awesome, odd and sensual. Discogs says, 8.26.2020 : 3 For Sale from $528.24, Median sale was $240.00 and highest to date $263.16 ALSO: Back covers of our two copies of the only Fakir release.

Not the Grateful Dead cover band but an LA punk group formed 1977, and this was their only single. While the Kill the Hippies cover catches your eye, the b-si...de sound of Brainless is the weirder wonder, with some nice arty No New York style blipping short-stroke guitar work. Geza X was on guitar and went on to perform and produce some stellar early CA punk recordings. B-side Kill smells kinda Fugs, as in Kill for Peace. This is just one of the thousands of Punk-era 45s I’ve been sorting through and listening to as ARC-in-Exile tries to catalog them all (donate yours?) for a book. As I check the sales sites this transparent gold version has actually sold for $199.00 and hard to find from anyone who knows better for less than $100. Ours was a gift back in the day from the wonderful Dangerhouse (1978-1980) label when we were working on the first edition of the Volume discography.

The above is not a minimalist canvas, but the cover of a scarce Bauhaus release. I discovered it while going through our Punk era singles. We’re cataloging th...is large group of 45s in preparation for a graphics book on our collection, and for something worthwhile to do while our permanent collection is in storage since our relocation. This single has a black blank front cover with the only information about the release printed in small white type on the bottom of the black back. The song Sanity Assassin in on the side with a plain black label, and Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit In The Sky is on the white blank label side this song an apt choice for Bauhaus I think. The record was donated to ARC on 1/28/1987 by Kathy Schaer, who we have lost track of, and she included the note, 1 of 400 printed a Xmas gift for Fan Club members only. Discogs says,Only 325 copies of the single were sent out as a present / compensation to the fan club members who had paid their subscription before the band split up. And from this very limited issue, 50 copies were inadvertently thrown away during an office clearout ! While values of recording are always suspect, this single has actually sold for between $352.94 and $914.47 See more

Giving a new meaning to cat-a-logging as I work on keying in 5000+ punk singles at the ARC-in-exile today...

Here's the actual link (hit the pic) to the latest film on ARC that ran on Vice TV recently https://youtu.be/P7ZBkWUE3Lw

C+C = Celebratin’ + Catalogin’ Well I haven’t worn shoes for a week as I go into the 4th of July weekend! And it will be a few weeks before we can start workin’ at the new ARC. So I thought I’d pass the time on my book about Punk 45s. So the Fourth was my first day sorting and cataloging thousands of relevant discs. Turned out to be a whole day cataloging German releases things I picked up in the early 80s when I was DJ throughout Europe. Some arty things in the mix... like this Holger Hiller single above, celebrating on the mantle with our local Patriotic bear. Do let me know if you have a Punk 45 collection. OK? The book will be unique in that everything in it will be part of the ARC’s collection and I hope to illustrate more than 2,500 discs. I’ll have lots of singles to trade for things we do not have and welcome donations. Great fun ahead. See more

Here @ ARC we are loading a 26' van a day for 30 days and quite a few small vans are making deliveries to our new home. Even Paul Stanley is plain tuckered out!

GIVING TUESDAY, but.... Well there are so many heartfelt pleas going out today. For healthcare, healthcare workers, food aid, education, candidates who actually could make things better. So after you help them, consider the ARChive. We are relocating. We love New York City. It’s been our home for 35 years. But the City has never offered an once of help, and rents were our undoing. The good news is our new home upstate is spectacular. It will allow us to create a state...-of-the-art research facility, residencies for scholars, concerts and a full range of preservation services. Most importantly, we will now have long-term safe conditions for the collection and a secure future. One of the things we saved, thinking of Cinco de Mayo and beyond the thousands of Mexican recordings here at ARC, is this napkin from our collection of musical themed textiles. One way folks can help is to contribute to our move. We started on Mayday and will be be loading a van everyday till the end of the month. Each vanload costs $2,500.00. If you’re able, that would be a great donation. So far three people have. We suggest via PalPal or even better, our newest supporter, every.org. Every.org allows donors to make automatic, regular donations every month. AND it can be set up so there are no fees or deductions ie, the charity gets 100% of the donation. Even small donations add up and really help. Do give them a look-see. And here’s another look at one corner of the ARC, sadly imprisoned sounds ready for moving!

Well ARC is busy packing up for our move to our new home. One thing we discovered is a few boxes, much used and re-used, the one below from 1989, when we moved from Chambers St. to a then desolate Crosby St. Looks like the box has been overused at least 4 time and still holding up well. Us too. That move took only 3 van trips this one will take 25+ So we’re asking folks who can, to donate $2500. Everything helps, but that’s what each truckload will cost. The Begga...rs Group was the first to contribute, so a big thanks to them. We STILL need someone with a small van and time to haul some of our more fragile items. Regardless keep in touch, be well, and pass along our info. if you know anyone who may be interested. Thanks! B.George and Fred Patterson. 212-226-6967

Well ARC is busy packing up for our move to our new home. Bad timing, but we have no choice. Of course it’s hard for everyone these days, we understand that. We hope you are all staying safe. But we do need to move the library and Fred and I are working on separate floors yards apart, worn out, but healthy. Because of safety issues we can’t hire new workers and interns impossible at this time. Attached is pic of one corner of the ARC ready for the moving vans! Sad to s...ee all those swell LPs and 45s boxed up maybe for a year but we have little choice. We are shooting to be completely in our new space in upstate NY by the end of May. The moving costs are $80,000+. BTW boxes alone are running about $12,000. Another 1000 LP boxes (other pic) just came in today. All this is a lot for us at a time when everyone is worried about money and we are unable to provide any services. Sad to say the government is not helping. So we’re asking folks who can to donate $2500. That’s what each truckload will cost + we need 25 30 truckloads. We could also use someone with a small van and time to haul some of our more fragile items. We can load up the van and keep everyone isolated and safe. Regardless keep in touch, be well, and pass along our info. if you know anyone who may be interested. Thanks! B.George and Fred Patterson.