The SoHo News

The SoHo News was a prominent alternative weekly newspaper that covered the vibrant arts and culture scene in SoHo, New York City, during the early 1980s, featuring writers like Andy Warhol, William S. Burroughs, and Susan Sontag. The newspaper was known for its eclectic mix of articles, reviews, and interviews, showcasing the work of local artists, musicians, and writers, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Lou Reed. With its focus on the downtown Manhattan art scene, The SoHo News became a staple of the community, often featuring pieces on The Ramones, Blondie (band), and Talking Heads (band). The newspaper's influence extended beyond New York City, with contributions from notable figures like David Byrne, Patti Smith, and Robert Mapplethorpe.

● History

The SoHo News was launched in 1980, a time of great creative ferment in SoHo, with the neighborhood serving as a hub for artists, musicians, and writers, including John Cage, Merce Cunningham, and Allen Ginsberg. The newspaper's history is closely tied to the development of the SoHo arts scene, which was characterized by the presence of numerous art galleries, music venues, and performance spaces, such as The Kitchen (New York City), CBGB, and Max's Kansas City. During its two-year run, The SoHo News covered a wide range of topics, from the emergence of punk rock and new wave music to the latest developments in contemporary art, featuring artists like Cy Twombly, Jasper Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg. The newspaper also included reviews of off-Broadway productions, such as those at the Public Theater (New York City) and the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, and covered the work of experimental filmmakers like Stan Brakhage and Andy Warhol.

● Founding and Early Years

The SoHo News was founded by a group of local artists and writers, including Michael Goldstein, who served as the newspaper's first editor, and Sharon Lee, who was responsible for its design, with contributions from notable figures like William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Frank Zappa. The newspaper's early years were marked by a sense of excitement and experimentation, with contributors like Laurie Anderson, Kathy Acker, and Spalding Gray pushing the boundaries of avant-garde writing and art, often referencing the work of Marcel Duchamp, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham. The SoHo News quickly gained a reputation as a platform for innovative and provocative content, featuring interviews with artists like David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, and Claes Oldenburg, and reviews of exhibitions at museums like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Guggenheim Museum.

● Content and Style

The SoHo News was known for its eclectic and often irreverent content, which reflected the diverse interests and perspectives of its contributors, including Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, and Chris Stein. The newspaper featured a wide range of articles, reviews, and interviews, covering topics like music, art, theater, and film, with a focus on the underground and avant-garde scenes, often referencing the work of The Velvet Underground, The New York Dolls, and The Stooges. The SoHo News also included regular columns and features, such as a calendar of events and a classifieds section, which provided a platform for local artists and musicians to promote their work, including performance artists like Linda Montano and Carolee Schneemann. The newspaper's style was characterized by its use of bold graphics and innovative design, which reflected the postmodern and punk aesthetics of the time, often incorporating the work of designers like Milton Glaser and Paula Scher.

● Impact and Legacy

The SoHo News had a significant impact on the development of the SoHo arts scene, providing a platform for local artists and musicians to showcase their work and connect with a wider audience, including galleries like Leo Castelli Gallery and Mary Boone Gallery. The newspaper's influence can be seen in the work of later alternative weeklies, such as The Village Voice and New York Press, which also covered the downtown Manhattan arts scene, featuring writers like Robert Christgau and Village Voice editor Donald Forst. The SoHo News also played a role in promoting the careers of numerous artists, musicians, and writers, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Suzanne Vega, who were featured in the newspaper's pages, often alongside pieces on The Clash, The Sex Pistols, and The Damned. Today, The SoHo News is remembered as an important part of New York City's cultural heritage, with its archives serving as a valuable resource for researchers and scholars, including those at the New York Public Library and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

● Notable Contributors

The SoHo News featured a wide range of notable contributors, including artists like Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly, as well as musicians like Lou Reed, David Byrne, and Patti Smith. The newspaper also included writing from authors like William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Kathy Acker, and featured interviews with celebrities like John Waters, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop. Other notable contributors to The SoHo News included photographers like Robert Mapplethorpe and Cindy Sherman, as well as filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, often referencing the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and Jean-Luc Godard. The newspaper's contributors also included critics and curators, such as John Perreault and Marcia Tucker, who played a significant role in shaping the contemporary art scene, often referencing the work of Harold Rosenberg and Clement Greenberg.

Category:Newspapers published in New York City