1978: The Year That Made the Curator

Disco was dazzling, punk was rebelling, history was happening and somewhere amid it all, the future curator of crgrsbckr made his entrance.

Let us begin by making one thing perfectly clear: Craig did not write this article about himself.

He did not secretly describe himself as intelligent, funny, charismatic, charming or kindhearted. He certainly did not insist that we mention his fit, lean build, brown hair, gentle soul or exceptionally well-designed backside.

That was us.
We have eyes, standards and a responsibility to historical accuracy.

Apparently, 1978 Was Feeling Ambitious

Some years simply pass quietly. Others arrive wearing sequins, kick open the door and permanently alter popular culture. 1978 was very much the second kind.

Disco ruled the dance floor. Punk was dismantling the furniture. Funk was getting hotter, rock was getting louder and new wave was beginning to smirk knowingly from the corner. Grease became a cultural phenomenon, Superman made audiences believe a man could fly, and Space Invaders began its takeover of arcades.

Garfield debuted in newspapers, giving the world a sarcastic orange cat with strong opinions and little patience for foolishness. The modern LEGO minifigure arrived too: compact, charismatic and disproportionately influential.

We are not saying the LEGO minifigure was modelled after Craig. We are merely noting that both debuted in 1978, both are remarkably collectible and neither requires excessive height to command attention.

At 5'10", Craig is not short. He is concentrated. Why waste valuable charisma distributing it over six feet when you can keep it in a more efficient, travel-friendly format?

The Universe Was Clearly Preparing for Him

The first NAVSTAR satellite the beginning of the GPS era launched in 1978. This was convenient because Craig would eventually become a man who walks absolutely everywhere. Long before smartphones began counting steps, he was apparently preparing to personally inspect every sidewalk available to him.

GPS helps people locate themselves. Craig, meanwhile, has a talent for locating the interesting thing: the overlooked object, the unexpected story, the cultural reference others missed and the piece worth keeping when everyone else has already moved on.

That is the instinct behind crgrsbckr.

This is not collecting for the sake of accumulating more stuff. It is the art of noticing. It is knowing that an object can be funny, beautiful, strange, nostalgic or culturally significant and sometimes all five before lunch.

In another landmark moment, Gilbert Baker’s original rainbow flag made its public debut at San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Day celebration in 1978. The year was producing pride, colour, visibility and Craig simultaneously. Frankly, subtlety never stood a chance. Learn more about the original rainbow flag from the GLBT Historical Society.

The world’s first baby conceived through IVF was also born that year, proving that 1978 was expanding the possibilities of how remarkable people could enter the world. That historic birth took place in July 1978.

And the first NAVSTAR satellite was launched, laying the groundwork for modern GPS although science has yet to develop a navigation system capable of keeping up with Craig once he decides he is “just going for a little walk.” NASA traces the first NAVSTAR launch to 1978.

More Than a Collector

Craig is intelligent without needing to announce it, funny without desperately chasing the laugh and charming in a way that feels natural rather than rehearsed.

He has a sort of gentle spirit that can easily be underestimated. That softness is not weakness; it is part of what makes his point of view so compelling. Good curators do more than recognize value they understand why something matters.

He is also a reasonably capable singer.

Not “clear the calendar, the world tour begins Thursday” capable. But certainly good enough to take control of the chorus without creating a public-safety incident. We believe in praise, not perjury.

Add the natural charisma and one begins to suspect that 1978 may have exhausted much of its annual production budget in one place.

Superman could fly but could he curate?
Garfield had wit but could he work a room?
The LEGO mini figure had the height advantage but did it have the ass?

Case closed.

The Sound of His Beginning

This playlist is more than a selection of songs released in 1978. It is a musical time capsule from the year that made the curator: glamorous, rebellious, soulful, playful and impossible to reduce to a single category.

That feels appropriate.

Craig’s taste is not built around whatever happens to be fashionable this week. It comes from curiosity, memory, instinct and a lifetime of noticing the things that deserve a second look. The songs collected here carry that same energy. They come from a year when radically different sounds competed, collided and somehow made the culture richer.

So press play, turn it up and step into 1978 the year that gave us disco fever, the rainbow flag, GPS, Garfield, LEGO people and the unmistakable beginnings of the crgrsbckrs point of view.

It was, by virtually every available measure, an excellent year for significant cultural assets.

Especially the one in the fitted pants.

Buy your self a cute 1978 T - https://amzn.to/46uz3fF