High on a hillside, the trucks are loading
Everything’s ready to roll
I sleep in the daytime, I work in the nighttime
I might not ever get home
This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco
This ain’t no fooling around
This ain’t no Mudd Club, or CBGB
I ain’t got time for that now. –Life During Wartime, Talking Heads, 1979
Life During Wartime incorporates elements of punk, new wave, funk, and art rock, creating a unique and infectious sound. Its driving rhythm, funky basslines, and David Byrne’s distinctive vocal delivery all contribute to its innovative musicality–of course Talking Heads played CBGB on regular basis.
When I was a kid—I heard of this place called CBGB. It was known to be a complete dive bar, yet hosted some of the coolest groups I knew. Sure they were punk bands—so their brand seemed to want to be in a dive bar, but what was the secret to CBGB? Heck, now everyone knows the place—there is even a TV show about it, but what made it different. Why was it so innovative, and what can we learn from CBGB today?
CBGB stands for “Country, BlueGrass, and Blues,” and it was a historic music club located at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. The club was founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973.
Before it became CBGB, the space was home to a bar called Hilly’s on the Bowery, which Kristal ran. He initially intended for CBGB to feature the kind of music its acronym indicated: country, bluegrass, and blues, as well as poetry readings. However, the club became a forum for the then-emerging music scene of punk and new wave.
The first band to perform at CBGB was the Angels, followed by other local bands. But the club really began to gain notoriety when it became a hub for punk rock and new wave bands in the mid- to late-1970s. Some of the most famous bands to come out of this scene include the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith Group, Blondie, and Talking Heads. These bands often played at CBGB before they were well-known, and the venue is credited with launching their careers.
Over time, CBGB became renowned for its gritty aesthetic. The club was truly known for its characteristic stickers-covered walls and notoriously grimy bathrooms.
Despite its cultural significance, CBGB faced financial and legal troubles throughout its history. The club’s owner, Hilly Kristal, had ongoing disputes with the Bowery Residents’ Committee, the landlord of the building in which CBGB was located. These disputes ultimately led to CBGB’s closure in 2006. The final concert was performed by Patti Smith on October 15, 2006.
After its closure, the CBGB brand was acquired and has since been used for various ventures such as the “CBGB Music & Film Festival” that took place in 2013, and a CBGB-themed restaurant in Newark Airport.
The original CBGB site is now occupied by a John Varvatos boutique, but the legacy of CBGB lives on as a symbol of New York’s punk rock scene. The venue is often credited as the birthplace of punk rock and has had a significant influence on rock music and culture.
LESSONS OBSERVED
CBGB is widely recognized for its contributions to music innovation, particularly within the above mentioned punk and new wave genres. The venue’s significance lies not in technological innovation, but in the way it fostered a unique culture of musical creativity and expression. Here are a few ways CBGB influenced innovation in music:
1. Launching Ground for New Genres: CBGB is often credited as the birthplace of punk rock. It provided a platform for a new generation of musicians who were experimenting with a rawer, edgier sound, diverging from the mainstream rock of the time. This helped to give rise to the punk and new wave movements, which were innovative in their own right, challenging conventions in music and culture.
2. Space for Experimental Bands: Beyond punk and new wave, CBGB was also a home for many other types of experimental and underground music. Bands were encouraged to play their own original music, which led to a wide variety of innovative sounds and styles being showcased. This policy helped to foster creativity and allowed new and unique musical ideas to emerge.
3. DIY Ethos: The DIY (do-it-yourself) ethos of punk rock was very much
alive at CBGB. Bands often created their own promotional materials, booked their own shows, and managed themselves. This attitude towards music production was in itself an innovation, moving away from the highly controlled, commercial music industry and promoting a more direct and authentic connection between artists and their audiences.
4. Influence on Music Culture: The influence of CBGB extended beyond just the music played there. The club’s gritty aesthetic and disregard for mainstream acceptability helped to shape a distinctive punk subculture, complete with its own fashion, visual art, and ethos. This culture has had a lasting impact on music and continues to influence artists today.
5. Fostering Music Scenes: CBGB fostered a sense of community among its bands and regulars. This community helped to create a vibrant music scene that was larger than the sum of its parts. The relationships and collaborations that emerged from this scene led to further innovation and creativity in music.
So while CBGB might not have been a place of technological innovation, it was a hotbed for musical and cultural innovation. The venue and the scene it nurtured had a profound impact on music, influencing the direction of rock and shaping the evolution of popular music in the late 20th century and arguably echoing well into the 21st.
TO-DO LIST
Obviously the contexts of a punk rock club and military operations are quite different, if seems there are some transferable lessons about innovation that can be drawn from the CBGB experience:
1. Encourage Experimentation: Just like CBGB provided a platform for musicians to experiment and create new styles, the military must foster an environment that encourages experimental thinking and the development of new strategies, technologies, and procedures.
2. Embrace Disruption: Punk and new wave were disruptive influences in the music industry. Similarly, in military contexts, it’s important to be open to disruptive technologies and strategies that may initially seem counterintuitive or challenging to existing norms.
3. DIY Ethos: The do-it-yourself ethos of CBGB could translate to a greater emphasis on individual initiative and problem-solving in the military. Encouraging military members to think creatively and take ownership of challenges that could lead to new solutions. Members can not wait for the bureaucracy to GREEN LIGHT every good idea.
4. Community and Collaboration: CBGB fostered a sense of community among different bands, leading to collaborations and a vibrant music scene. Similarly, fostering a sense of community and collaboration within and between members, different branches of the military, as well as with allied forces, can lead to more innovative strategies and operations.
5. Adapt to Change: CBGB thrived in a time of great change in the music industry. The military, too, operates in an ever-changing global landscape. Being adaptable, staying ahead of trends, and being ready to innovate in response to new developments is crucial.
6. Don’t Fear Failure: Many bands that played at CBGB didn’t achieve commercial success, but they pushed boundaries and influenced music. In the military context, not every innovative idea will work, but that shouldn’t deter trying. Even failures can provide valuable lessons and lead to successful adaptations.
FOSTERING A UNIQUE CULTER OF CREATIVITY AND EXPRESSION
Looking at CBGB and the current work we are doing in AUiX—I ponder what we might glean from the above. How might the United States Air Force (USAF) and the AUiX foster a unique culture of creativity and expression by taking inspiration from CBGB and similar environments. Here are some strategies:
1. Encourage Experimentation: Just as CBGB encouraged bands to play their own original music, we can encourage individuals and teams to propose and develop their own original ideas, even if they break from traditional ways of doing things. This could involve creating spaces (physical or digital) where people can freely brainstorm, experiment, and prototype.
2. Open Innovation: CBGB was open to all bands that wanted to play, and this openness led to a diversity of music styles. Similarly, the USAF and AUiX must embrace open innovation by welcoming ideas from all members of the organization, regardless of rank or role. We must also seek input from outside the organization, such as academics, industry experts, and the broader public.
3. Foster a Culture of Risk-Taking: CBGB was a venue where bands could take risks and try out new sounds. We can foster a similar culture by rewarding risk-taking and innovation, and by creating an environment where failure is seen as a learning opportunity rather than a setback.
4. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: CBGB became a hub for musicians, artists, and thinkers from diverse backgrounds. In a similar vein, the we encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration, bringing together people with different areas of expertise to generate innovative solutions.
5. Emphasize Learning and Adaptability: The bands that played at CBGB were constantly learning, adapting, and evolving their music. AUiX promotes a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, where people are encouraged to keep up with the latest developments in their field and to continually reassess and refine their ideas.
6. Celebrate Success: Just as CBGB celebrated the bands that went on to achieve success, AUiX should celebrate and publicize the successful innovations that come out of their program. This not only motivates the individuals involved, but also shows others what is possible and encourages them to innovate as well.
By creating an environment that values experimentation, diversity, risk-taking, collaboration, learning, and success, the USAF and AUiX can foster a vibrant and creative culture of innovation.
CBGB and AUiX—maybe not that far apart, fostering a culture of innovation requires more than just resources and a mandate. It requires creating an environment that values risk-taking, diversity of thought, and continuous learning, much like the atmosphere that CBGB provided for emerging musicians. The United States Air Force and the Air University’s Innovation Accelerator can take inspiration from this iconic music club by encouraging experimentation, embracing open innovation, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, and celebrating success.
However, it is important to remember that each organization and context is unique. While CBGB’s approach worked well in the context of the 1970s New York music scene, the USAF and Innovation Accelerator will need to adapt these principles to suit
Mastermind Century Group 