Metropolis Video facts for kids
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| Formation | 1975 |
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| Dissolved | 1977 |
| Type | Film and video makers |
| Headquarters | New York City |
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Key people
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Paul Dougherty John Hazard |
Metropolis Video was a group of filmmakers and video makers. They used video cameras to record the early punk rock music scene in New York City. This happened between 1975 and 1977.
They filmed many punk and new wave bands. These bands played at CBGB, a famous music club downtown. CBGB had only been open for two years when they started filming. Much of Metropolis Video's work was shown on public access cable television. In October 1977, they had a two-day show of their videos. This show was at The Kitchen, a major art center in New York.
A music critic from The New York Times, John Rockwell, said their work was important. He wrote that because of Metropolis Video, the exciting New York underground rock scene at CBGB would live on.
Contents
Filming Early Punk Rock
Metropolis Video was formed in 1975. Seven young filmmakers and video makers came together. They were all in their early 20s. Their names were Paul Dougherty, John Hazard, Jeff Hodges, Pat Ivers, Steven Lawrence, Michael Owen, and Tom Zafian.
They wanted to record the new punk rock scene. This scene was happening at CBGB in Manhattan, New York City. The group members met while working at Manhattan Cable TV's public access department.
What is Public Access TV?
Public access television (MCTV) was a special service. Community members could get free training there. They could also borrow video equipment. Then, they could schedule their own shows to be broadcast.
In 1972, a rule was made by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This rule said that big cable TV systems had to offer public access. By 1975, MCTV became a popular place for video experiments. It was like the YouTube of its time.
How They Started Filming
In August 1975, the Metropolis Video team talked to Hilly Kristal. He was the owner of CBGB. They convinced him to let them film the bands. The group brought their video system into the club. It had multiple cameras and live sound mixing.
Even with limited equipment, they filmed a lot. They created some of the best records of the early New York punk rock music scene. Today, these videos are kept by Historic Films Archive.
After Metropolis Video stopped in 1977, Pat Ivers kept filming. She worked with Emily Armstrong on a project called Advanced TV. This project later became known as GoNightclubbing.
Bands They Filmed
Metropolis Video's first big project was in August 1975. It was called CBGB Festival of Unrecorded Bands. They filmed many famous bands.
- Blondie
- Joe and Blake
- The Heartbreakers with Richard Hell (this was only their third live show)
- Talking Heads (when they were still a trio)
Metropolis Video filmed the Talking Heads two more times. These were in October and December 1975. The December concert is even shown in a 2011 film. That film is called Talking Heads: Chronology.
Other bands recorded at CBGBs included:
- The Shirts
- The Tuff Darts (with Robert Gordon)
- Ruby and the Rednecks
- Orchestra Luna
Metropolis Video also filmed Elephant's Memory. This was at a show in New Haven in 1976. It was the last project the group did together.
Showing Their Work
Metropolis Video shared their work in a few ways.
On Cable Television
Rock from CBGB's was a three-part TV series. It aired on Manhattan Cable's Public Access Channel D in 1975. The series showed parts of the band performances they had filmed.
Public Shows
Metropolis Video's work was also shown to the public. They had two sold-out shows. These were called Rock from CBGB's by Metropolis Video. The shows happened at The Kitchen in Lower Manhattan.
They took place on October 6 and 8, 1977. Each show was an hour long. They featured performances by Talking Heads, Tuff Darts, Heartbreakers, and Orchestra Luna.
