Video: Live at the John Varvatos' CBGB Opening Party

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The symbolism of a luxury retailer inhabiting the space recently vacated by CBGB (birthplace of punk and all that) is a little unsettling. But John Varvatos is fashion's most rock-obsessed designer, and the opening party for the new space turned into the biggest all-star jam outside of a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. In just the first half of the show Ronnie Spector, Ian Hunter and Joan Jett all tore through their biggest hits with the killer Loser's Lounge house band. The second half was even better: MC5 frontman Wayne Kramer kicked out the jams with Slash, Jerry Cantrell and Tom Morello — and then Perry Farrell appeared (they nailed "Mountain Song," totally the greatest Jane's Addiction tune ever) as did Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, who's still explaining about how he just doesn't give a damn. The Hold Steady closed the party around three — six or so hours of open bar after the doors opened. Click above for video of all the highlights.

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Song Stories

“He Will Break Your Heart”

Jerry Butler | 1960

A lightly swinging Latin-influenced, almost cha-cha groove and close harmonies decorated Jerry Butler's early soul hit "He Will Break Your Heart," delivering a stately warning that his rival would never love his girl like he did. The melody came to Butler as he was driving on the highway from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Philadelphia with Curtis Mayfield, and as Butler told Rolling Stone, "I just sang the melody and Curtis put the chords to it." The song's premise, Butler added, "was something that I'd lived ...The lyric was an experience rather than a revelation. Whereas music is usually a revelation."

More Song Stories entries »

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