1977
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
"Kraftwerk - I don't think they even knew how big they were among the black masses back in 1977 when they came out with 'Trans Europe Express'. When that came out I thought that was one of the best and weirdest damn records I ever heard in my life ..That's an amazing group to see -jus' to see what computers and all that can do."--Afrika Bambaataa, 1984, in Rap Attack by David Toop "Like guns and cars, cameras are fantasy-machines whose use is addictive. However, despite the extravagances of ordinary language and advertising, they are not lethal. In the hyperbole that markets cars like guns, there is at least this much truth: except in wartime, cars kill more people than guns do. The camera/gun does not kill, so the ominous metaphor seems to be all bluff - like a man's fantasy of having a gun, knife, or tool between his legs."On Photography (1977) |
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1977 is the 977th year of the 2nd millennium, the 77th year of the 20th century, and the 8th year of the 1970s decade.
Contents |
Art and culture
Literature
Fiction
- A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
Non-fiction
- Image—Music—Text, an English language anthology of texts by Roland Barthes
- The Language of Post-Modern Architecture by Charles Jencks
- Five Faces of Modernity by Matei Calinescu
- Noise: The Political Economy of Music by Jacques Attali
- The Grotesque in Photography by A. D. Coleman
- Male Fantasies by Klaus Theweleit
- "100 Good Reasons to Kill Myself Right Now by Roland Topor
Film
- Eraserhead by David Lynch
- A Special Day by by Ettore Scola
- Demon Seed by Donald Cammell
- Rabid by David Cronenberg
- Annie Hall by Woody Allen
- Suspiria by Dario Argento
- Outrageous! by Richard Benner
- The American Friend by Wim Wenders
- Citizens Band by Jonathan Demme
- That Obscure Object of Desire by Luis Buñuel
- High Anxiety by Mel Brooks
- Hitler: A Film from Germany by Hans-Jürgen Syberberg
Art
- Jamie Reid artwork for the Sex Pistols
- Hommage a Böcklin by H. R. Giger
Photograpy
- Tennis Girl photo
- American Pictures, a photo book by Danish photographer Jacob Holdt
Music
- The Paradise Garage in New York and The Warehouse in Chicago open
- Kraftwerk and hip hop
- Kraftwerk had an immediate impact on black dance music: as Afrika Bambaataa says in David Toop's Rap Attack, "I don't think they even knew how big they were among the black masses back in '77 when they came out with 'Trans Europe Express.' When that came out, I thought that was one of the best and weirdest records I ever heard in my life." --John Savage, The Village Voice Summer 1993 "Rock & Roll Quarterly" insert.
- Punky Reggae Party by Bob Marley
- While in exile in London [1977], Bob Marley was introduced to punk bands, such as The Clash. Inspired by their efforts to expose various oppressive tactics used against racial minority groups, the fusion between punk and reggae was imminent. The result was the recording of 'Punky Reggae Party' with producer Lee Perry at the helm. A live version was recorded and released on Babylon By Bus.
- Punk's breakthrough
- In the summer of 1977, Time and Newsweek informed their readers of a new subculture, called "punk," that had emerged at a few rock clubs in the United States and Britain. It was a style of exuberant ugliness. Men and women alike wore short hair that had been cut seemingly at random, and dyed unnatural colors. Flesh was pierced in sundry locations, at times with safety pins. Punk bands had names like the Dead Boys or The Clash. The music was very loud, very fast, and seldom involved more than three chords. Dancing was spasmodic. Spitting was common. -- Scott McLemee
- Wackies
- The 1977 opening of a diminutive record shop at 4731 White Plains Rd. in New York City marked the foundation of the first essential reggae studio/label in the United States, Wackie’s House of Music. Founded by Jamaican producer Lloyd “Bullwackie” Barnes, Wackie’s House of Music was a haven for aspiring reggae artists, helping not only to support reggae artists, but also to establish a reggae sentiment in the United States. --Craig Terlino
Singles
- Running Away by Roy Ayers
- Que Tal America by Two Man Sound
- Flash Light by Parliament
- Oh Bondage, Up Yours by X-Ray Spex
- Trans Europe Express by Kraftwerk
- Celebration Suite by Airto Moreira
- Get on the Funk Train by Munich Machine
- Galaxy by War
- La Vie en rose by Grace Jones
- Over and Over by Sylvester
- Turn on the Lights by Kellee Patterson
- Nobody's Got Time / Time Warp by Eddy Grant
- As by Stevie Wonder
- Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Górecki
- Supernature by Cerrone
- We Almost Lost Detroit by Gil Scott-Heron
- Mi Sabrina Tequana by Ingram
- Making Love by Pam Todd & Love Exchange
- Riding High by Faze-O
- Jammin' by Bob Marley
- Doctor Love by First Choice
- Delirium by Francine McGee
- Run Away by Salsoul Orchestra
- Hit and Run by Loleatta Holloway
- You Can't Hide From Yourself by Teddy Pendergrass
- The More I Get, The More I Want by Teddy Pendergrass
- I'm Here Again by Thelma Houston
- Nobu by Herbie Hancock
- It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me by Barry White
- Spread Love by Al Hudson
- Let No Man Put Asunder by First Choice
- By This River by Brian Eno
- My First Mistake by Chi-Lites
- Superstition by Dennis Mobley & Fresh Taste
- God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols
- Melodies by Made in U.S.A.
Albums
- Suicide by Suicide
- Decade by Neil Young
- Chic by Chic
- Sorrow, Tears and Blood by Fela Kuti
- Police and Thieves by Junior Murvin
- Heart of the Congos by The Congos
- Blank Generation by Richard Hell and The Voidoids
- Marquee Moon by Television
- Trans Europe Express by Kraftwerk
- Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols by Sex Pistols
- Dance And Shake Your Tambourine by The Universal Robot Band
- Slave by Slave
- Gravest Hits by The Cramps
- Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Premiere
Births
Deaths
- Henri Langlois (1914 - 1977)
- Jim Thompson (1906-1977)
- Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977)
- Vladimir Nabokov (1899 - 1977)
- Anais Nin (1903 - 1977)
- Roberto Rossellini (1906-1977)