No Wave was an art, cinema, and music movement of the late 70s and early
80s that intended to counter the excessive commercialism and popularity
of the New Wave genre. Rather than big beats and big hair, No Wave
rejected fashion model poseurs and slick production values in favor of
do-it-yourself amateurism, dissonance, and quirky eclecticism. And
despite sharing some of these values with Punk, No Wave distinguished
itself from Punk Rock by avoiding tired old guitar hooks and rock and
roll cliches. No Wave originated in New York City, and was meant to
reflect the industrial desolation and hopelessness of those times. Its
adherents included musical groups James Chance and the Contortions, DNA,
Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, and Lydia Lunch. The most successful No
Wave filmmaker is the inestimable Jim Jarmusch.Wikipedia article: No Wave
