New Books in LGBTQ+ Studies · New Books Network

S1.E1. Gender Crisis N.Y.C.

·48 min·4 clips

A Warhol superstar posed with a collage penis in 1970s New York, horrifying her friends.

This episode of "Soundscapes" explores the intersection of punk rock, gender, and urban decay in 1970s New York City through a conversation between host Ryan Purcell and writer Lucy Sante. Sante is a celebrated author and cultural critic known for works like "Low Life" and her recent memoir "I Heard Her Call My Name." The discussion centers on how the city's fiscal crisis and crumbling infrastructure fostered a vibrant underground music and art scene. Purcell and Sante examine the early punk and "no wave" movements, using specific artists and venues as case studies. They analyze the role of gender-bending performers and transgender visibility within this cultural moment. A significant portion focuses on transgender Warhol superstar Candy Darling, analyzing a provocative collage of her by Richard Bernstein published in the avant-garde magazine "Newspaper." Sante recounts how this image, which depicted Darling with a superimposed penis, shocked her friends for violating her carefully crafted glamorous persona. The conversation details Darling's life, from her Long Island upbringing to her rise as a Factory icon and her death from cancer likely linked to illicit hormone treatments. Sante contrasts the New York punk scene, which she calls "proto-punk," with the more overtly angry punk movements in London and Los Angeles. She argues New York's scene was cushioned by cheap living and college access, lacking the same social fury. The host and guest distinguish between the CBGB bands and the more conceptual "no wave" artists like James Chance and the Contortions, who often played at Max's Kansas City. Sante identifies the Dead Boys as New York's only "legit" punk band but admits finding them boring. She recalls the small, incestuous nature of the mid-70s scene, where you could recognize fellow attendees on the subway. The dialogue reveals how images of transgender people were largely forbidden in mainstream media, making discoveries like the Candy Darling collage personally revolutionary for Sante. Memorable venues like Club 57, the Mercer Arts Center, and a rooftop spot called The Nickel Bag are highlighted for their roles in the scene. Sante describes the violent yet culturally fertile environment at a one-time show at La MaMa Theatre Annex. The tone is conversational, educational, and deeply personal, weaving historical analysis with Sante's firsthand memories and literary insights. Listeners interested in the gritty history of 1970s New York, the origins of punk, and LGBTQ+ cultural history will find this episode richly detailed. Those seeking a purely music-focused narrative or a discussion of contemporary scenes may find the historical and personal tangents less engaging.

As heard by us

A city crisis story that puts underground nightlife and proto-punk in the same frame.

The episode treats 1970s New York as a city under strain, with trash, crime, budget cuts, and the near-bankruptcy moment running alongside subway graffiti, experimental theater, gay bars, and loose musical scenes.

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Why you'd press play

For when you want 1970s New York history that starts in crisis and ends in clubs.

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