Tom Dennis @ Record Collector wrote:
The lower-eastside launch pad honours its punk lineage. Serving as a timely celebration of Hilly Kristal's legendary Bowery venue, this collection also aspires to act as a narrative of US punk's journey from the Stooges' late-60s garage to the 80s hardcore of Bad Brains. As well as expected acts such as Ramones, Blondie and Patti Smith, early Suicide and James Chance's soul-punk cover of I Got You (I Feel Good) underpins what a range of artists passed through the club's doors. Indeed, Kristal's openbooking policy was legendary, and this collection serves the condemned club well.... A live version of Kick Out The Jams and a guest appearance by Kristal with Mad Mordechai proves that while it isn't quite a defining chronicle, it serves as a fitting snapshot of CBGB's rich heritage.
Sunday Times wrote:
...beautifully compiled...
On March 31, 1974, the Bowery bluegrass venue CBGB innocently hosted Tom Verlaine's nascent Television, and inadvertently became the focus of New York's burgeoning punk scene. The Definitive Story of CBGB is beautifully compiled. Famous names such as the Ramones and Blondie sucker in, with Patti Smith's rare debut single, Piss Factory, as a bonus. Bands you should have heard of Television, the unfairly obscure Gun Club and the Cramps - sweeten the package. And fabulous obscurities such as Electric Eels, Bush Tetras and the Waitresses achingly arch I Know What Boys Like make it essential. CBGB is closing because of punishing rents. Remember it this way.
CD 1
1. See No Evil - Television (1)
2. Piss Factory - Smith, Patti
3. Born To Lose - Thunders, Johnny & The Heartbreakers
4. X Offender - Blondie
5. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend - Ramones
6. Soul Twist - Mink DeVille
7. Planet Claire - B-52's
8. I Got You (I Feel Good) - Chance, James & The Contortions
9. Bored - Destroy All Monsters
10. Cool As Ice - Suicide
11. Human Fly - Cramps
12. Sex Beat - Gun Club
13. Butcher Baby - Plasmatics (1)
14. Final Solution - Pere Ubu
15. Helen Fordsdale - Mars
16. Pay To Cum - Bad Brains
17. We Ended Up - Mumps
CD 2
1. Kick Out The Jams - MC5
2. Penetration - Iggy & The Stooges
3. Jet Boy - New York Dolls
4. Run Run Run - Velvet Underground & Nico
5. Orphans - Teenage Jesus & The Jerks
6. Teenage Crutch - Shirts
7. Cherry Bomb - Runaways
8. Jocko Homo - Devo
9. I Know What Boys Like - Waitresses
10. Heartbreak Hotel - Cale, John
11. Never Gonna Kill Myself Again - Rocket From The Tombs
12. Sonic Reducer - Dead Boys
13. Spin Age Blasters - Electric Eels
14. Next Big Thing - Dictators
15. Too Many Creeps - Bush Tetras
16. Fun City - Tuff Darts
17. Mud - Hilly Krystal & Mad Mordechai
18. Dana Tosici - See No Solution
1. See No Evil - Television (1)
2. Piss Factory - Smith, Patti
3. Born To Lose - Thunders, Johnny & The Heartbreakers
4. X Offender - Blondie
5. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend - Ramones
6. Soul Twist - Mink DeVille
7. Planet Claire - B-52's
8. I Got You (I Feel Good) - Chance, James & The Contortions
9. Bored - Destroy All Monsters
10. Cool As Ice - Suicide
11. Human Fly - Cramps
12. Sex Beat - Gun Club
13. Butcher Baby - Plasmatics (1)
14. Final Solution - Pere Ubu
15. Helen Fordsdale - Mars
16. Pay To Cum - Bad Brains
17. We Ended Up - Mumps
CD 2
1. Kick Out The Jams - MC5
2. Penetration - Iggy & The Stooges
3. Jet Boy - New York Dolls
4. Run Run Run - Velvet Underground & Nico
5. Orphans - Teenage Jesus & The Jerks
6. Teenage Crutch - Shirts
7. Cherry Bomb - Runaways
8. Jocko Homo - Devo
9. I Know What Boys Like - Waitresses
10. Heartbreak Hotel - Cale, John
11. Never Gonna Kill Myself Again - Rocket From The Tombs
12. Sonic Reducer - Dead Boys
13. Spin Age Blasters - Electric Eels
14. Next Big Thing - Dictators
15. Too Many Creeps - Bush Tetras
16. Fun City - Tuff Darts
17. Mud - Hilly Krystal & Mad Mordechai
18. Dana Tosici - See No Solution
