Pure Punk Picks
New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones – Fear
“New York’s alright if you wanna get pushed in front of the subway
New York’s alright if you like tuberculosis
New York’s alright if you like art and jazz
New York’s alright if you’re a homosexual
New York’s alright (3x), if you like saxophones”
I guess the most significant moment of British punk rock on television was when The Sex Pistols were swearing live on British TV. Namely, when Steve Jones was calling Bill Grundy, “a fucking rotter.”
But I believe the most significant moment for American punk rock on television would be when Fear appeared live on Saturday Night Live in 1981.
John Belushi asked and convinced SNL to have Fear play on this popular, nationwide show- they foolishly accepted.
This was when hardcore was brand new and moshing, it was called slam dancing then, was new too.
The bands brought along some fans to “dance” while they played three and a half songs in a row. Their last song was cut shot due to the mayhem that ensued causing 20,000 dollars worth of damage to television equipment.
Needless to say, they were banned from the show.
And one of the songs they played was “New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones,” and this televised show took place in New York.
Starting out with some galloping drums, the vocals bellow in with “New York’s Alright” several times, in a grim tone that’s almost operatic, similar to Jello Biafra of The Dead Kennedy’s.
And then the last part of the line comes in “If you like saxophones” causing a saxophone to seemingly burst into flames with missile rockets shooting out of its’ horn colliding into the side of your head while destroying everything you felt safe about before.
It sounds like someone attempting to tune their transistor radio into a station but not quite succeeding, sending static energy and noise sprawling out everywhere while then, someone spills coffee into the radio causing it to short circuit along with your nervous system.
Shrieks and honks and all out obnoxious noise emits from said saxophone but in a totally cool and expressive, brutally artistic sort of way.
This song plows ahead with bristling energy if not quite hardcore speed, always setting up breaks for the over the top saxophone to come soaring in once more, to chop the top of our skulls away, spilling the guts of our brains, unceremoniously on top of our newly, shampooed rug.
This tune is a perfect meeting and meshing of hardcore punk with avant-garde jazz and maybe the best thing about that, is that it shows they’re really not miles apart but actually, from the same source. Namely, uncompromising, unrestrained, unconventional expression.
“New York’s alright if you like drunks in your doorway
New York’s alright if you wanna freeze to death
New York’s alright if you wanna get mugged or murdered
New York’s alright if you like saxophones”
I love New York, along with San Francisco, where this retching, revolting band is from- they are my two favorite cities.
I also love gay people, art and jazz.
And saxophone is my favorite instrument that is next to the pliers.
But I also love Fear and I love this song.
If you think punk was made to be politically correct then I’m afraid you are mistaken. You are incorrect. But if you think it was made to be sarcastic, cynical and funny- to disturb people’s expectations then you are right, even if you are politically correctly wrong.
I love how the lyrics disparage saxophones and jazz and then they have a rippin’, wailin’ out there jazz sax solo!
And I love how this band would rail against “homosexuals” while their guitarist would perform in a dress.
Society gives us a life that is so sanctimoniously perverted where lies are truth, hate is love and worthlessness is treasured- No wonder we create art that is absurd, irreverent and outlandish.
(I would suggest you check out the Dada art movement to get a clearer perspective of punk).
And Fear?
Hell, they’re alright if you like ferociously, wild prog/punk music played over anti-social, nonconformist, realist city life lyrics that may strike fear in the hearts of the established white male patriarchy, but only instill pure joy and love in mine.
(Slimedog)
