Lesson No. 1

In the late 1970s, Branca was a member of no wave band Theoretical Girls. While he was out of town touring with the Static, Max's Kansas City invited Theoretical Girls to perform for a 1979 Easter festival.Todd 209. Branca convinced the venue to book him for a solo gig, and he assembled a group that included Barbara Ess and Christine Hahn.Masters 124–125. The group performed "Instrumental for Six Guitars", and its sound convinced Branca to continue composing for multiple guitars. He began performing solo at rock clubs and avant-garde venues such as The Kitchen. Branca "wanted to make sure [his music] was understood as rock and nothing else."{{cite news |last=Rockwell |first=John |author-link=John Rockwell |date=May 2, 1982 |title=His Forte Is Massive Sonic Grandeur |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/02/arts/his-forte-is-massive-sonic-grandeur.html |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=November 8, 2014 }}

File:Ned Sublette 03.jpg plays guitar on the EP and joined Branca's touring band.]]

Branca knew Ed Bahlman, who sold independent singles at a store run by his girlfriend, and asked Bahlman if he would be interested in starting a label and releasing a record by Branca. Bahlman knew little about recording, pressing, and distributing records, but Branca had some experience with Theoretical Records.Savage and Baker 213. Having seen some of Branca's shows, Bahlman agreed and decided to make Lesson No. 1 the first release by 99 Records.

Branca needed guitar players to form a large guitar orchestra, and he posted fliers at record stores in downtown New York City. He held auditions at his apartment where he conducted guitar players. Thurston Moore, who performs on "Bad Smells", auditioned at the recommendation of his girlfriend Kim Gordon but was rejected.{{cite book |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist)|date=June 2009 |title=Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0-306-81603-1 }} Rhys Chatham of the Gynecologists was initially upset after hearing the new band, feeling that it was reusing his ideas.

Branca's group performed around New York and was invited to perform at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.Masters 127. When three musicians pulled out, he recruited guitarist Lee Ranaldo. Ranaldo had seen Branca's ensemble perform at The Kitchen and lived in the same building as Branca's friend, pianist Anthony Coleman. Branca bought tickets providing unlimited flights for three weeks for what became his first tour. The tour began in December 1980 and included Ranaldo, Ned Sublette, David Rosenbloom, Jeffrey Glenn, and Stephan Wischerth. They traveled the country performing "Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar", "Dissonance", and "Compositions". Ranaldo, who performed with a six-string guitar strung with E₆ strings, emerged as a foil to Branca. The two would playfully butt heads or guitars onstage. Some of the tour's audiences were unfamiliar with art music and heckled the band by calling the work "devil's music".

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Lesson No. 1 applies repetitive techniques that Branca learned from Chatham and Jeff Lohn. It combines these minimal music compositions with the aesthetics of punk rock.{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Stewart |author-link=Stewart Lee |date=May 9, 2004 |title=Glenn Branca |newspaper=The Sunday Times |page=25 }} Branca uses dense overtones and shifting melodies created from repeated electric guitar parts. The guitars build during extended crescendoes.

"Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar" was inspired by the work of composer Steve Reich.Masters 126. It opens with two-note guitar figures similar to Reich's experiments with phasing. It introduces one-note parts on the organ and bass that gives the sense of harmonic progression, and drums enter the arrangement three minutes into the track.{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/glenn-branca/glenn-branca-lesson-no-1-review |title=Glenn Branca – Lesson No 1 |website=Uncut |accessdate=November 8, 2014}} The piece is a structured improvisation where Branca specified the musical and tonal structures, but the strumming technique was improvised.Duckworth 435.

"Dissonance" is performed by Branca and Michael Gross on guitar, F.L. Schröder on bass, Coleman on organ, Wischerth on drums, and Harry Spitz on sledgehammer. Its polyrhythms imitate the constant motion of urban life. "Bad Smells" was originally commissioned by Twyla Tharp for a dance piece but was instead included on a 1982 spoken word record by John Giorno.{{cite web |url=http://www.citypages.com/2004-05-19/music/glenn-branca-lesson-no-1/full/ |title=Glenn Branca: Lesson No. 1 |last=Beta |first=Andy |date=May 19, 2004 |publisher=City Pages |accessdate=November 9, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109105951/http://www.citypages.com/2004-05-19/music/glenn-branca-lesson-no-1/full/ |archivedate=November 9, 2014 }} The song features five guitarists: Branca, Sublette, Rosenbloom, Moore, and Ranaldo.

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=w118163|pure_url=yes}} |title=Lesson No. 1 – Glenn Branca |last=Jurek |first=Thom |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=January 11, 2012}}

|rev2 = Pitchfork Media

|rev2score = (8.7/10){{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/910-lesson-no-1/ |title=Glenn Branca: Lesson No. 1 |last=Singer |first=Liam |date=July 15, 2004 |publisher=Pitchfork Media |accessdate=January 11, 2012}}

|rev3 = Stylus Magazine

|rev3score = C{{cite web |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/glenn-branca/lesson-no-1.htm |title=Glenn Branca – Lesson No. 1 |last=Howard |first=Ed |date=May 25, 2004 |website=Stylus Magazine |accessdate=November 9, 2014}}

}}

Upon Lesson No. 1{{'}}s original release, John Rockwell wrote for The New York Times that "the effects and textures Mr. Branca achieves are really remarkable, and the sound…is unlike anything in music." AllMusic called the EP "a powerful, wrenching, transcendent piece of rock guitar classicism". Slant Magazine said that the EP is "primarily interesting as a historical curiosity that provides deeper insight into the genesis of Branca's music". Pitchfork Media commented that "the sound remains close enough to grab hold of you and lift you into Branca's intense world." The publication included "Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar" in its collection of The Pitchfork 500.

Despite only selling a few thousand copies, Lesson No. 1 became a seminal work in New York City's no wave movement.{{cite web |url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704104104575622842549966642 |title=A No-Wave Voyager Unveils His Fun Side |last=Dollar |first=Steve |date=November 19, 2010 |website=The Wall Street Journal |accessdate=November 9, 2014}} It became an influence on Moore and Ranaldo's work as members of alternative rock band Sonic Youth, and it paved the way for other experimental rock bands such as Swans. "Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar" is included in Soul Jazz Records' 2003 compilation New York Noise.{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1989-new-york-noise/ |title=Various Artists: New York Noise |last=Beta |first=Andy |date=July 14, 2003 |publisher=Pitchfork Media |accessdate=November 9, 2014}}

1. "Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar" – 8:17
2. "Dissonance" – 11:37
3. "Bad Smells" – 16:30
4. * 2004 bonus track, recorded in 1982

• Glenn Branca – guitar, assistant producer (1,2)
• Anthony Coleman – organ, keyboards
• Michael Gross – guitar
• F.L. Schröder (aka Frank Schroder) – bass
• Stephan Wischerth – drums
• Harry Spitz – sledgehammer
• Thurston Moore – guitar (3)
• Lee Ranaldo – guitar (3)
• David Rosenbloom – guitar
• Ned Sublette – guitar
• Jeffrey Glenn – bass
• Mark Bingham – producer (1,2)
• Ed Bahlman – assistant producer (1,2)
• Craig Bishop – engineer (1,2)
• Jim Bonnefond – mixing engineer (1,2)
• Howie Weinberg – master engineer (1,2)
• James Farber – producer (3)
• Don Hünerberg – recording & mixing engineer (3)

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book |last=Duckworth |first=William |author-link=William Duckworth (composer) |year=1995 |title=Talking Music |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-0-02-870823-2 }}
• {{cite book |last=Masters |first=Marc |year=2007 |title=No Wave |publisher=Black Dog Publishing |isbn=978-1-906-155-02-5 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Savage |first1=Jon |authorlink1=Jon Savage |last2=Baker |first2=Stuart |date=October 31, 2013 |title=Punk 45: Original Punk Rock Singles Cover Art |publisher=Soul Jazz Records Publishing |isbn=978-0-9572600-0-9 }}
• {{cite book |last=Todd |first=David |year=2012 |title=Feeding Back |publisher=Chicago Review Press |isbn=978-1-61374-059-0 }}

• {{Discogs master|32070|Lesson No. 1|type=album}}

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Category:Glenn Branca albums

Category:1980 debut EPs

Category:99 Records EPs