Punk rock’s queer-friendly origins can be traced to the back room at Max’s Kansas City, where The New York Dolls, Jayne County, Iggy Pop, and the cutting edge of punk mingled with Warhol and the artsy crowd. Check out the trailer for Danny Garcia‘s Nightclubbing.

In its first iteration from 1965-1974, Max’s was mainly a scene for artists, particularly sculptors. Andy Warhol and his crowd became regulars, and it soon served as a home base for many of the early glam rock acts.

In 1975, it reopened, and booker Peter Crowley from CBGB and gay Village venue Mother’s started lining up seminal punk acts.

Via Chip Baker:

Featuring rare footage of Iggy & The Stooges, New York Dolls, Sid Vicious and Wayne/Jayne County & classic footage from Johnny Thunders/Heartbreakers, unique archival footage and exclusive interviews with Alice Cooper, Jayne County, Billy Idol, Steve Stevens, music journalist/Patti Smith Band guitarist Lenny Kaye, late New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain, Warhol superstars Penny Arcade & Ruby Lynn Reyner, Suicide’s Alan Vega, Bad Brains H.R. & Dr. Know, Stimulators’ Denise Mercedes, Nick Marden (and their then-12-year-old drummer, future Cro-Mag Harley Flanagan), Twisted Sister’s Jay Jay French, D Generation’s Jesse Malin, Blondie’s Frank Infante, Dead Boys’ Jimmy Zero, Stiv Bators’ girlfriend Cynthia Ross, Mickey Leigh, Shrapnel/Monster Magnet’s Phil Caivano, Punk Magazine founder & Ramones album cover illustrator John Holmstrom, Mink Deville’s Louis X. Erlanger, American Hardcore author Steven Blush and a who’s who of New York’s rock scene of the time, including Elliott Murphy, Bob Gruen, Peter Crowley, Neon Leon, Leee Black Childers, Donna Destri, Sonny Vincent, Phillys Stein and the fabulous Jimi LaLumia.

Image: YouTube / Chip BakerFilms