If there was a mecca of indie rock, it wasn’t Manhattan’s CBGB or Minneapolis’ First Avenue or Chapel Hill’s Cat’s Cradle or Al’s Bar in L.A. It was Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey, just across the river from New York City — and you could almost guarantee that if a band like Nirvana, the Replacements, R.E.M., Soundgarden, Sonic Youth, Hüsker Dü or Hoboken locals Yo La Tengo was playing shows both in the city and Maxwell’s, the latter would be better.
Why? Because it was smaller and more welcoming than the usual gritty rock bar, industry types rarely made the trek so the audience was mostly genuine fans, and a major reason why the bands loved it was because it was also a restaurant, so they’d get a good meal. You’d walk or find a place to park somewhere near the nearby Maxwell House Coffee Plant (hence the name), with the smell of coffee beans heavy in the air, walked down Washington Street, entered through the restaurant and, from 1978 through 2013, headed to the 200-capacity, low-ceilinged back room and could often find rock history being made.
The story of this legendary venue is being told in a new feature documentary called “No Backstage at Maxwell’s,” featuring interviews with Hüsker Dü’s Bob Mould, Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, Jack Antonoff (who played there with his early band Steel Train), founder Steve Fallon (pictured above), later owner Todd Abramson and many of the bartenders, fans, and musicians who played there. (Watch the trailer below.)
According to the announcement, the production is “actively seeking fan photos and video footage from fans, former patrons, and bands who played Maxwell’s across its storied run. Any and all submissions are welcome — nothing is considered too raw or unprofessional — it’s all part of history.” (To contribute material, contact the producers at info@maxwellsmovie.com.)
The doc is directed by Paul Rachman (“American Hardcore”), and produced by former music executive Claudia Sullivan, a long-time fan and patron.
“Maxwell’s wasn’t just a club — it was a community. It was a proving ground,” said Rachman. “It was where music scenes collided, friendships were forged, and bands found both their audience and their soul.”
Sullivan added, “Your memories could help preserve the legacy of this legendary space for generations to come. We’re asking for help from those who lived it.”
