Artist

The Contortions

1977-1979·New York City

James Chance built the Contortions around a contradiction: musicians skilled enough to lock into a real funk groove, then deliberately destabilizing it with abrasive saxophone and jagged rhythmic left turns. The lineup could actually play—Jody Harris and Pat Place on guitars, Don Christensen on drums, George Scott III on bass, Adele Bertei on Acetone organ—which made the choice to sabotage the music from within all the more pointed. Their tracks on No New York were recorded live in the studio at Chance's insistence, no separation between instruments, no overdubs, capturing the band exactly as it sounded in a room.

At a glance

Active
1977–1979
From
New York City, USA

Listen

Spotify

In the issues

  • NYC No Wave
    Principal · 1977-1984

    NYC No Wave is a music scene from Lower Manhattan, New York City, 1977–1984. Its principal artists include Suicide, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Sonic Youth and The Contortions. This issue covers 10 essential albums and 14 dated events.

Places

  • CBGB
    New York City · 1973-2006 · NYC No Wave

    Though primarily associated with punk rock, CBGB provided an early venue for no wave bands like Teenage Jesus and the Contortions, even as they rejected punk's commercial trajectory.