CBGB After the Club: From Gritty Bowery Bar to Global Merch Empire

This episode traces how the iconic New York venue that launched punk’s first wave—CBGB—was closed in 2006 and subsequently reinvented as a licensed brand, from apparel lines to festivals, vinyl releases, and digital archives. We explore who owns the name, how the label turned into merchandise deals, the CBGB Fest touring concept, and the modern efforts to keep punk history alive while navigating commercial pressures.

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