CROCKETT, Art and Marty Wohl. Blackout ’77: A Night to Remember.

(New York, NY): Stories, Layouts and press, Inc., 1977. First edition. Quarto. 66 pages. Claims to be “The Official U.S. Collector’s Edition” but in fact a cool looting sploitation magazine published by notorious New York City magazine publisher / schlockmeister Myron Kass and his brother Irving. Filled with looting images, and sensualised text. The electricity blackout hit the whole of New York City sparing only two boroughs: Southern Queens and the Rockaways. At 8.37pm on July 13th the first of three massive lightning strikes hit a sub-station, the second hit power lines and the third struck transmission lines. This combined with a number of procedural failures on the part of Con Edison, the electricity supplier, caused an unprecedented knock-on effect creating a complete blackout It took a full 24 hours before power was completely restored throughout the city. The backdrop to the blackout was a significant financial crisis affecting the whole of the US an unusually hot and humid summer allied with the fact that New Yorkers were extremely worried about the ongoing Son of Sam murders which had seen six people killed in the previous 12 months by a lone gunman, David Berkowitz who claimed, when later arrested, that he was instructed to kill by a demon who possessed his neighbour’s dog. The blackout resulted in significant looting and violence. Over 3700 people were arrested and some 550 police officers were injured. Chaos reigned and the police were almost helpless in the face of unprecedented scenes. 50 cars were stolen from a Pontiac dealership in the Bronx and over 1600 stores were looted and damaged in the ensuing rioting and over 1000 fires started. Many electronic stores were targeted during the looting spree and the DJ equipment stolen, the result being that the next day there were a hundred new DJs, many seeing this as the tipping point that saw hip-hop expanding from its roots and started it growing into the behemoth we know today. A good copy in stapled wrappers, heavy wear with tears at spine.