Album Notes

Bands of Outsiders, the Japanese pressing only compilation licensed from ROIR by Japanese label Beatink and French designer agnés b, captures the sounds of the seedy underbelly of New York City. It documents what Paper Magazine calls the “sex-drugs-and-rock-'n'-roll" generation”: the cohort of artists from the mid ‘60s to ‘80s once deemed degenerates but now considered legendary figures due to their revolutionary contributions to music. Featuring artists as diverse as Nico and Bad Brains, the compilation paints a complete picture of the gritty New York scene of yesteryear; the very scene that provided the foundations for today’s rock ‘n’ roll.

Bands of Outsiders is the soundtrack to “Bande à Part”, the photo exhibition presented by agnés b in both London and Tokyo. Bringing New York City to the world, the exhibit showcases the works of legendary photographers such as Danny Fields, Roberta Bayley and Leee Black Childers. It’s a visual recording of the cultural icons who made the city great, revealing “a new side to the icons and legends of pop culture” according to Tokyo Art Beat.

ROIR and Beatink do the very same thing with Bands of Outsiders, compiling the best from ROIR’s extensive catalogue of albums, live recordings and demos to aurally recreate each dimension of the New York underground experience.