Pictures from the Stereo Society launch party
We have had our heads down working most of the time, but we did enjoy a good launch party all those years ago on April 15, 1999.
Our launch was on April 15, 1999. We indulged ourselves on tax day with a party in the Basement under CBGB’s club, in Downtown New York. As you can see, the crowd was very well-behaved. We were delighted to see the broadest cross-section of people:
from computer programmers to online company directors
from classical virtuoso instrumentalists to punk guitarists
from corporate record company execs to DJs
from seven years old to seventy years old.
Since it wasn’t exactly Hollywood, darlings, we left everyone to photograph each other with disposable cameras. Hello. Someone out there still has three of them. These are the pictures fit to print. We kept others as hard physical evidence.
Off-duty JR Rost, feels awkward at a party if he isn’t taking snaps. We collected a few of his, see below. Funny how people have different favorites.
Social Corner: Disposable Camera Archive
Wondering where the next drink is coming (from left to right): Bob Funk (Uptown Horns), Kit Hain (artist and writer), Mike Thorne (artist and producer), Hilly Kristal (artist and CBGB’s owner), Jeanette Buckley (the Stereo Society) and James Biondolillo (the Stereo Society)
The ground zero of microtonal intensity (from left): Andrew Bolotowsky (flute soloist in Chaco Canyon), unidentified person in nice red shirt, Paul Savior (actor, voice in Raven), Johnny Reinhard (composer and bassoon virtuoso), and friends.
Carol Lipnik, writer of Ships That Pass In The Night, adjusts her personal internet reality.
Another perfect Billboard magazine shot. From left: Katheryn Russell (vocalist and multi-instrumentalist); Sherrie Siegel (video and communications doyenne) and BJ Nelson (artist and writer, featured on Cry Tomorrow).
At some time in the evening, someone must have said something interesting. (from left) Sarah Jane Morris (artist and writer), Amy Ziff (BETTY)
Keeping the speech mercifully short. Mike Thorne (artist, producer, Stereo Society President)
The off-duty-but-serious corner (from left to right): Jordan Rost (Senior Vice President, New Technology, Warner Music Group), and Mike Thorne (artist and producer).
Barry Reynolds, co-writer with Marianne Faithfull of many of her great songs from Broken English to Sexual Terrorist.
Getting very late for Elizabeth Ziff of BETTY.
Rob Rives (artist, remixer, producer).
Traditionally interactive pints. From left: Jeremy Kagan (President and CEO, ezcd.com), Hilly Kristal (artist and owner of CBGB’s)
Social Corner: Off Duty JR Rost
The special neon sign for the occasion. Many wasted shots when it flashed too soon or too late
How late it got, how soon. The Basement Under CBGB
Thinking quietly of bursting into song, artist and writer Kit Hain
And a classic Billboard pose from Leila Shakkour (friend of the Stereo Society) and Mike Thorne (artist, producer, Stereo Society President)
How late it got, how soon. The Basement Under CBGB
Arno Hecht of the Uptown Horns and New York master drummer Allan Schwartzberg