BY CLAYTON PATTERSON  |  Documenting the streets and the people of New York City, in my case, mostly the Lower East Side, can yield rewards as well as have its drawbacks. Most of the negative incidents happen because people are high on drugs or drunk, or have something to hide, or because the people are [...]

[media-credit name="Photos by Clayton Patterson " align="aligncenter" width="600"][/media-credit] Steven Tyler performing at RIFF 313, with RIFF designer Charles Andrew (without hat) on guitar. BY CLAYTON PATTERSON  |  There are hopes and rumors and thoughts of possibilities centered around the idea of CBGB & OMFUG (Country Bluegrass Blues and Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers), better known [...]

BY CLAYTON PATTERSON  |  By the end of the 1980s the Lower East Side felt like it had suffered more than its fair share of failed government politics. The homeless crisis was reaching a critical mass. In 1990 there were 70,000 to 80,000 homeless in New York, and 250,000 people were at risk of losing [...]

BY CLAYTON PATTERSON  |  In the mid-1980s I discovered a very active and vital Lower East Side independent underground film scene. In 1985, Leslie Lowe and Jack Waters, both filmmakers, produced a screening series called “Naked Eye Cinema” that concentrated on showing these far-out filmmakers. “Naked Eye Cinema”’s home base was ABC No Rio. I [...]

By CLAYTON PATTERSON  |  Up until Aug. 6 to 7, 1988, my main focus was making art, Clayton Caps and documenting different Lower East Side cultural scenes and people who interested me. The night of Aug 6. into the morning of Aug. 7 dramatically shifted the direction of my concentration and my life. The 3-hour-33-minute [...]

BY CLAYTON PATTERSON  | John Ottaviano, I appreciate your taking the time to respond to my column (“Going overseas was the only option for our company,” talking point, by John Ottaviano, Dec. 8). First, I want to state that I have a great respect for Milton Somberg, who founded and built Rothco company. I strongly [...]

By DAVID AUSTIN  |  Representing the ultimate correlation between hard work and hard fun, and bridging the gap between youth and age, “Legends Of The Lower East Side” seeks to highlight both the diversity of the neighborhood as well as the multifaceted and truly timeless characters that dot the streets between 14th St. and the [...]