Events

Chris Alker has been throwing monthly at Le Poisson Rouge for some time now and he's been digging up some of New York's No Wave and Post Punk legends to help him out. A couple months back he had Sal P of Liquid Liquid on the decks and this month he's giving you Stuart Argabright of the seminal No Wave band, Ike Yard. It should be a good one. He's got quite the bio which you should read below.

Stuart Argabright is a Producer and Director who has been working in music and multimedia in NYC since 1978. Between 1979 -1989 Stuart formed The Futants, Ike Yard, Dominatrix, DCC aka Death Comet Crew, The Voodooists, black rain.

In addition, Stuart has been working in Music Video, and with Artists such as Gretchen Bender, Robert Longo, Bill T Jones, and author William Gibson, including the 1994 "Neuromancer" Audio Book and "Hip Tech High Lit" in 1987 with Judy Nylon and Sean Young. Stuart and Co.'s music appear as soundtracks on movies by Directors Nicholas Roeg, Johnathan Demme and others.

"The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" music video (directed by Beth B) appeared in MOMA's

"Music Part 2" show in 2009 and resides in MOMA's permanent Collection.

Stuart and co composer Chuck Hammer recieved Emmy nomination in 2001 for their Sdtk work for NY Times TV's popular Cable TV series "Trauma: Life In The ER" on TLC.

In 2005, Stuart formed new group Dystopians and in 2008 Outpost was formed with Mark C from Live Skull.

Argabright also producing The Rammellzee's "Bi Conicals Of The Rammellzee" Album for the Munich indie Gomma and remixed DFA's LCD SoundSystem ( unreleased) and Tussle (SF) for Troubleman 2006 and is currently preparing to work on a remix with Scott R of SF's early electro group the UNITS, as well as a collaboration with Mirror Mirror for Rving. Int. 2010.

and also now running his new label REC ( Rapid Expansion Corp )

Ike Yard:

Although IKE YARD dissolved by the beginning of 1983, the band reformed as a three piece unit with original members Stuart Argabright, Kenneth Compton, and Michael Diekmann in 2007.

In NYC Spring 1980 Stuart Argabright, founder/drummer/vocalist of the FUTANTS, began sessions with Kenneth Compton on bass/vocals at Kristian Hoffman's rehearsal Studio on the edge of Chinatown. The group was completed when Fred Szymanski (synthesizers/ programming /treatments) and Michael Diekmann (guitar, synthesizer), with their interest in experimental electronic music and techniques, joined in August 1980.

Although NO WAVE as a musical aesthetic had just peaked in NYC before the formation of IKE YARD, the initial influences were more European: British post-punk and Krautrock. Soon after, non-rock genres such as funk, nascent hip-hop, and experimental electronic were evident in the stylistic approach to composition.

IKE YARD began with a lineup that included guitar, synthesizer, bass, drums and percussion. The additional percussion was often ‘found’ scrap metal: brake drums, sheet metal, and other debris from the streets and vacant lots of the Lower East Side. During 1982, with the guitar and finally bass being replaced fully by a four-piece synthesizer set up, IKE YARD’s sound transformed into a music bleached of flesh, reduced to a glistening skeleton – the music of machines haunted by ghosts.

The band’s modular analog synthesizer set up included gear by Korg (MS-20, MS-50, SQ-10, VC-10), Roland (TR-909, TR-606, TR 808, TB-303, MC-202, CSQ-600), Arp (Solus, Axxe), the EMS Synthi-AKS, and the Buchla Modular 112 keyboard controller. IKE YARD's stark soundscapes were engendered through a combination of the unique contributions of the band members and the availability of new music-making instruments and emerging technologies of that time.

In Spring 1981, IKE YARD recorded an EP for Belgium’s Crepuscule records (which was named single of the week in Melody Maker upon its release in November 1981). IKE YARD was the first US group to record for the Manchester UK’s prestigious Factory label; an album “A FACT A SECOND” was released on Factory America in September 1982. The band performed with NEW ORDER at Ukrainian National Home, SECTION 25 at Peppermint Lounge & Maxwell’s, SUICIDE and 13:13 (w/Lydia Lunch) at Chase Park, and with the DEL BZYZENTEENS (w/Jim Jarmusch) at CBGB’s and the Music for Millions festival. In addition, the band played at Danceteria, the Mudd Club, the Pyramid Club and Tier 3.

Does No Ordinary Monkey make the best flyers? Definitely.

Photos via Typogabor & Cooper Union

Lubalin Now is an exhibition currently at Cooper Union showcasing selections from their collection of Herb Lubalin's graphic design work. His logos, typeface design, and art direction for Avant Garde, Fact, and Eros Magazine get special attention but the bulk of the show is dedicated to the influence his legacy has on contemporary designers (most notably, that of Justin Thomas Kay). If you miss this exhibition, fear not, the flat files of Lubalin's complete collection is on view by appointment and is available to the public.

Lubalin Now @ The Herb Lubalin Study Center of Design and Typography
Exhibition On View November 5, 2009 – December 8, 2009
Gallery Hours Monday–Thursdays 12–7 pm, Saturday 12–5 pm
Closed Fridays and Sundays
Closed November 26, 2009–November 29, 2009
Free

Acute Records is a record label that's been putting out some excellent No Wave & Post Punk classics so you can expect a night of rhythmic fuzz. Below are some of the label's recent releases:

glenn branca | Lesson No. 1 For Electric Guitar