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Noise Fest was an event put together by a friend Thurston Moore that was one of the founding members of the band Sonic Youth. The event was held at White Columns in which is New York’s oldest alternative art space. It was founded in 1970 by Jeffrey Lew and Gordon Matta-Clark as an experimental platform for artists. Originally located in SoHo, the organization was renamed White Columns when it moved to Spring Street in 1979. Thurston invited over 26 bands and solo artist’s to play at the event over the course, if i’m not mistaken 9 days. Our sound system company Centour Sound (Bill Veldran and Myself) provided and donated the PA system and the staff to hook the event up and provide the live engineering. It was an event of many artist’s musicians in the underground music scene in New York. Click on link to see who played there, also there is a bunch of thumbnail audio’s of most of the bands that played at the event. The Lampshades played on one of the last day’s of the Fest. Also another band that played there was IMA in later years the guitarist Joe “Zworld” became a member of the Vinyl Flesh Band. Check out the link below – You can hear some of the bands that are on the cassette that was produced from the event. The Lampshades was the last band and song on the cassette, it was listed as Banana in essence it is Banana Rock in which you can see the video (produced by me) and hear the song from the band on this blog (go to Lampshades Video and Music drop-down).

https://www.discog s.com/Various-Noise-Fest/release/3604850

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After playing the Bar scene for a few years we finally had enough cash to start on the 45′. Andy Blinx a good friend, fellow musician and artist had an in at Radio City Music hall with the engineer Don Hunnerburg. So we took some of the bar cash equity to record 4 songs at the Radio City studio’s shooting to do a 45 record on our own. We invited John Kessler along to help with the production on the mix. We had the mindset to record 4 songs and pick the best 2 to put on the 45 and release. Out of our repertoire of about 12 originals at the time, we picked the best 4. They were, Kangaroo, Space Trot, Banana Rock and Situation. The recording sessions began albeit from 12 midnight until 4 am. That’s the time we could get for about next to nothing in cost as the studio was vacant at that time slot.

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Pete playing Vibes -Gary & Andy Blinx (in the back) watches

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We started playing the Long Island Bar circuit in the late 70’s. We did cover’s of just about everything and a few originals here and there. Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Car’s, Elvis Costello, Devo, Doors, The Knack and anything that was new and hot on the radio at the time. You know, what people were into at that moment in time to make us relevant playing to the Friday and Saturday bar folks having a night out and to a lot of drunks. As previously blogged, it paid the bar tab and we started to squirrel some cash aside as our goal was to produce our own 45 record to release and see where it would go. Some of the places on Long Island we played at were Wooden Ships, Good Times, Camelot Inn, The Belmont Inn, Uncle Bobs, The Little Club are just a few of the many bar/clubs I can remember playing – there was so many back in the late 70’s early 80’s.

Post cards sent out by Long Island Bar Uncle Bobs

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Searching the world wide web for bands called the lampshades was eye opening! How many bands over time were called the Lampshades and will the true first band called The Lampshades please stand up! I found Lu Lu and the Lampshades out of England formed in or about 2009 – The Lampshades out of Altoona, PA started in or about 2003 – The Lampshades lounge comedy act sprang up, looks like around 2010 –  The Lampshades in Halifax, CA came into it’s own about 1998 – The Fabulous Lampshades out of Scotland look like 2011 – Lampshade out of Denmark Circa 2000 to 2009 – Aimee Mann and the Lampshades in 1988 – I have to assume there are more as I stopped searching after about 20 Google pages.

I will have to say that all The Lampshades out there have something in common – a quirky name that stands for outlandish deviant and creative behavior. I would say we are all in good company!

Our Band The Lampshades was out of the NEW YORK New wave Alternative Rock scene and started in 1978

Chime in all you Lampshades where-ever you are!

Looks like there is 8 in total named the Lampshades!

 

 

 

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Where’s the money in playing clubs? Simply answer, there is none. Unless you are in demand or had a record deal or in our case for a while playing the bar scene doing cover songs. At least we got a little cash and paid the bar tab.

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There must be many of our fellow musicians out there that can comment of this –Let’s hear some war stories!!! – Comments Please