CBGB was more than just a New York City club, the place was where punk got its name, fame, and was home to some of the most iconic and storied bands in rock history.
Opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal and his ex-wife Karen Kristal, the club was located in the East Village in Manhattan, as a biker bar. The name was the initials that spelled out Country, Bluegrass, Blues, which is what Kristal originally wanted the club to be, but in New York that was not the case as it became the venue for evolution of Punk Rock and the creation of New Wave. The Ramones, Dead Boys, Television, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Patti Smith Group, Blondie, and Talking Heads all got their start at CBGB's and spread the influence of punk rock in their wake.
Through the years the club and its next door storefront the "CBGB Record Canteen", helped cultivate many indie genres and gave an east coast launching pad to those who had a style and sound of their own.
In the 2000’s, CBGB entered a dispute over unpaid rent amounts that their landlords, Bowery Residents' Committee, sued for in 2005. The club lost the case and Kristal would have to leave by October 31, 2006. CBGB would close its door on October 16, 2006, after Patti Smith, played for 3 1/2 hours until 1 a.m., closing with her song "Elegie".
In 2010, CBGB Radio would launch on iHeartRadio, and the company would put on CBGB music festivals in 2012. No matter what anyone from outside the US wants to tell you, punk rock is American and its name and fame came from The Bowery where CBGB’s lived loud and proud!