Max's Kansas City: Art, Glamour, Rock and Roll
Tap It!
By Emily Kropp
in Culture Features
on September 22, 2010
A hotbed for New York City counterculture from the mid-1960s to the early 80s, Max's Kansas City is now being celebrated with a new book featuring contributions from Lou Reed and more.
New York is a city that thrives on nostalgia – lifers and transplants alike are constantly looking back on the good old days of what NYC used to be. But even if you never made it to Max’s Kansas City during the 10+ years it was a veritable who’s who of New York artists, musicians, fashion icons and punks, chances are you’ve heard of it. With a new book out now called Max’s Kansas City: Art, Glamour, Rock and Roll by Steven Kasher (Abrams Image 2010), you can experience the nitty gritty thrill of what William S. Burroughs referred to as “the intersection of everything,” all from the comfort of your couch.
Frequented by the likes of Andy Warhol, Richard Avedon, Chuck Close, Betsey Johnson, and many more, Max’s was the epicenter of some incredible cultural movements and episodes, where Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley and Madonna all played shows early on in their respective careers. With photos from Bob Gruen, Anton Perich and Billy Name, and with contributions from Lou Reed and Danny Fields among others, take a trip down memory lane with this fascinating look at what New York City used to be. Just try not to get too nostalgic.
Do look back fondly on decades you didn't live through? Which ones?
Also, be sure to check out the Max's Kansas City exhibit on now at Steven Kasher Gallery, and stay tuned for a Max's documentary film to be released later this year.
Photo at top right: Debbie Harry, 1976, Courtesy Nicky L/Lower Third Enterprise and Steven Kasher Gallery, NYC.
Photo at bottom: Unidentified and Bebe Buell, ca. 1974, Courtesy Anton Perich and Steven Kasher Gallery, NYC.