ZE Records

ZE Records was started in 1978 by Michael Zilkha and Michel Esteban in NYC at a time when the music scene was mixed up, artsy, amateur, creative, and beyond fun. ZE's "Mutant Disco" roster included many of my favorite funky no/new-wave buddies including James Chance, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Suicide, Ohio's The Waitresses, Lydia Lunch, and Cristina.

Fun fact: Michel Esteban was dating Anna Wintour around this time. Her friend, Chris Blackwell of Island Records, helped ZE get worldwide distribution with a licensing deal.

The label closed in 1984, but was re-established by Esteban in 2003.

Cristina, Cristina, ZE Records US LP, 1980

This is the cover for the US version only.

Lio, Pop Model, Polydor France LP, 1986

Not technically on ZE, but produced by Esteban.

Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Best Off, ZE Records France CD, 2006

Various, Zevolution - ZE Records Re-Edited, Strut UK 2xLP Compilation, 2009

Also not technically on ZE, but produced by Esteban. The taxi illustration is what's used on ZE's generic sleeves

Material ‎with Nona Hendryx, Bustin' Out, Celluloid/ZE France 12", 1981

This cover is not exactly the same as this release, but it's closest to it. I'm not entirely sure which specific release this image is of.

Like a moron, I forgot that I already made a post featuring a bunch of ZE covers, so feel free to check out more.

James Chance

I'm on a James Chance kick lately. He's one of the coolest sax-playing No-Wave heroes of late 70's NYC (Yes, there are actually more than one.) He was in Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Contortions, and James White and the Blacks. His music is aggressive, funky disco-punk mixed with free form jazz. YES!

Brian Eno likes it. 

With the late Anya Phillips who was his girlfriend, manager, and muse. She's a super cool No-Wave hero too.
She died too early in life, in 1981 of cancer.

With Richard Hell.

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Ok, now time to watch videos and hear the songs:

James Chance & The Contortions - Contort Yourself  live at the M-80 Festival, Minneapolis, 09/23/1979. Wish I could have been there!!

James White & The Blacks - Sax Maniac

James Chance & the Contortions - I Can't Stand Myself 

James White & The Blacks - Contort Yourself  This version is different than The Contortions version, more disco and funky.

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James Chance's website

Miscellaneous Babes

From Helmut Newton's Pirelli calendar, 1985

Susan (no last name) and Debbie Harry, 1977, shot by Swiss photographer and filmmaker, Edo Bertoglio. 

Bertoglio was a regular on the downtown NY art scene in the late 70's and early 80's. He made Downtown 81 (aka New York Beat Movie) with Maripol, starring Jean Michel Basquiat (and tons of my other favorites: James Chance, Kid Creole, Tish & Snooky, Roberta Bayley, John Lurie...the list goes on and on). It was shot in 1981, but wasn't released until 2000.

A 1970's makeup ad. I don't think they make it any more, but I seem to remember my mom having this brand around when I was a little kid.

My inclination is that this is a French new wave band called the Modernes, but I am really having a hard time verifying that.  JohnnyM let me know that this is an '80s French synthpop duo, Elli & Jacno, and that the photo is by Pierre René-Worms from 1981. Here is their MySpace page.

It says all that in the caption, and I tried to look up what I thought it might say, but it was too small to read!

Olde New York

I haven't listened to this early 80's, all-girl, no wave band yet, but they have all the ingredients that make me fall in love. Here's an article about them published earlier this year in the Village Voice

New York subway, shot by Erik Calonius, May 1973

CBGB, NYC, 1977; © Bob Gruen. Looks fun!

No Wave all-stars hanging out on the Bowery. Shot by Godlis, summer 1978.
I'm not cool enough to be able to identify all of these people, but I do see Diego Cortez, Anya Phillips, Lydia Lunch, and James Chance.

Skins on Ave A. Looks mid-80's

Miscellaneous

The Beatles' feet; Photograph © Lynn Goldsmith

Siouxsie, from the Spellbound video. It's been kind of hard to find it online lately (it has been recently removed from YouTube). Here is a link to the video.

Lydia Lunch and James Chance at Max's Kansas City, 1978, by Marcia Resnick

An Irinia Ionesco photograph, featuring Eva on the left.