Since their inception, ESG has affected post-punk, no wave, dance-punk, hip-hop, and various styles of dance music such as house. They fell in with the late '70s and early '80s NYC no wave and post-punk scene, they had their music sampled countless times, and they became a playlist staple at '70s and early '80s dance clubs like the Paradise Garage and the Music Box. ESG (Emerald, Sapphire and Gold) formed in 1978 in the South Bronx.
Hailing from Endicott, NY, Gary Wilson is an archetypal figure in the "outsider music" movement with other artists like The Shaggs and Jandek as its most notable members. Gary Wilson first came onto the scene in 1977 with "You Think You Really Know Me," which he recorded alone in his parents' basement. Using synthesizers and spinning disturbing tales of obsession with different women, Wilson's record had no effect on the mainstream but its cold detachment and electro-funk aesthetic was a hit with the college radio stations.