Casual readers might assume that the content presented here on Flaming Pablum is carefully hand-picked and meticulously crafted by a secretive, international think-tank of intellectuals, hepcats, cultural experts, word-weary urbanists and sneery ex-punk rockers, but that's actually not the case. It's all thought-up, assembled, hastily edited and sloppily produced by one individual, that being me. As such, mistakes happen, oversights occur, typos run rampant, vagaries hold sway, inconsistencies are dubiously reinforced, images are deplorably misidentified and rumors and tarted-up as the god's honest truth. Luckily, there is an outspoken cabal of loyal readers who realize this, forgive my innumerable failures and chime in with the real facts from time to time. Herewith are the merciful fruits of their knowledge regarding some recent posts. Enjoy.
1. In my recent, windy rumination about the possibility of Bryan Gregory of the Cramps having worked at a long-defunct King Karol outlet on the Upper East Side, I dusted off photographer Stephanie Chernikowski's lovely live shot of the Cramps in full, feral swing that originally appeared on the back cover of their debut 12", Gravest Hits. That's the back cover in question up top. In this instance, I speculated that the venue depicted might be the old Ritz on East 11th street. Swifter than eagles, two of my favorite regulars -- former-Missing Foundation-member-turned-photographer Christopher Egan and noted-photographer-and-former-next-door-neighbor Glen E. Friedman weighed in. The venue in question, says Egan, was actually the short-lived CBGB Theatre (formerly The Anderson) on Second Avenue and East 4th Street. I found a nice shot of its exterior here by one Chuck Pulin (check out more of his remarkable shots here). Glen rightly pointed out that it couldn't have been the Ritz, being that there are seats pictured. Well-spotted, gents. Thanks!
2. This past weekend, I posted another epic-length entry about trying to divine the precise location of a photograph by David Gahr of erstwhile New York Doll David Johansen, loitering manfully in front of cryptically-addressed doorway. I spent the better part of an afternoon trotting around Gramercy looking for that doorway, but to no avail. A crucial clue was the signage behind David, which I wrongly assumed spelled out "Gramercy Room." Two readers named RJJNY and Deirdre sharply shut me down with some research that more or less confirmed that it wasn't the Gramercy Room Johansen was standing in front of .... but the Gramercy Gym.
Being that I was working on the wrong assumption (again), it's no wonder that I didn't find it, and I tossed the challenge to PopSpots' Bob Egan (no relation -- I don't think, at least -- to the afore-cited Christopher Egan). Armed with the info that RJJNY and Deirdre had already cited, Bob wrote:
Hi Alex, I visited your site today and saw my name. Then I saw that others had done much of the groundwork, finding Gleason's Gym. I've been looking for a photo of the door, I think it was the building to the right of the Palladium. Will keep working on it. - Bob.
Never wanting to leave a note without supplying some compelling evidence to buffer his argument, Bob thoughtfully included these pics of the gym in question.
Based on all this research, could we then assume that this is the doorway? Or am I too far to the East? Let's stay tuned for Bob's reply, I guess.
3. Back in January, I posted an entry speculating about the location depicted on the cover art to Blondie's 1980 album, Autoamerican. In it, I wondered aloud if the spot upon which Debbie Harry and Messrs. Stein, Burke, Destri et al. were standing was the same building that housed the Clocktower Gallery on Lower Broadway. You can see that post here.
Well, guess what, readers? I was wrong AGAIN. Bob Egan once again got on the case. Here's what he wrote:
HI Alex, Just saw your entry for Autoamerican. Here’s my future entry, which I think works out, as I’ve read from some other source that the photo was taken “on a roof near Broadway and 8th Street. (they were off by a block. ) I used to swim on this roof when we had kids. The part of the roof they were photographed is kind of off limits to the poolgoers. It’s around the back of the elevator. Also, I’m 99% sure Bob Gruen took the photo they based the painting on.
Get the F*$% out!! All this time I thought it took place in TriBeCa, and it was right here but a stone's throw from my own front door?!? As always, Bob supplied visual testimony...click on each to enlarge.
So there you have it! Three posts rife with inaccuracies all brought to factual fruition at last! Thanks, all. Please keep reading. To celebrate, enjoy these topically-timely tunes...
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