When was Lee playing with Branca?
 

I was looking on Branca's website, and there's a video clip on there of Dissonance being played in December 1980. Unfortunately the picture quality is pretty awful, so you can't identify who's in the band, and, more importantly, whether Lee is one of them.

When was he part of the Branca set-up?

Dissonance, 1980 (Real Player required)

LEE RANALDO played on Symphony No.2, Symphony No.3 and The Ascension. He currently plays in Sonic Youth (www.glennbranca.com).

The ascension: 1981
Symphony #2: ??? (released 1991)
Symphony #3:1983

He also played on Symphony #1 (1983)

1981-1983 might be a fairly good guess I think.

Symphony no 1 was recorded in 1981. Lee also produced it.

More details.


The Ascension (1981).

Musicians:

Guitars: Ned Sublette, David Rosenbloom, Lee Ranaldo & Glenn Branca
Bass: Jeffrey Glenn Drums: Stephan Wischerth.


Symphony #1, Tonal plexus (1981).

Musicians:

Glenn Branca - Soprano & steel-wire guitars, Craig Bromberg - Tenor, soprano, bowed & octave guitar, Dave Buk - Trumpet, baritone horn, Ann Demarinis - Keyboards, percussion, Barbara Ess - Baritone & bass guitars, percussion, Robert Harrison - Soprano, tenor & bowed guitars, Thurston Moore - Tenor, soprano & bowed guitars, Lee Renaldo - Soprano & steel-wire guitars, David Rosenbloom - Baritone & steel-wire guitars, Richard Edson - Trumpet, Ned Sublette - Soprano, tenor & steel-wire guitars, Wharton Tiers - Keyboard, soprano & steel-wire guitars, percussion, Gail Vachon - Keyboard, Fritz Van Orden - Tenor saxophone, Stephan Wischerth - Drums, percussion, Margot Zvaleko - French horn
Notes:

Recorded July 18 & 19, 1981 at the Performing Garage, NYC Produced by Lee Renaldo (assisted by David Linton, Wharton Tiers & Ann Demarinis).



Symphony #2, Peak of the sacred (1982).

Musicians:

Glenn Branca - Conductor (and harmonics guitars on tape), Craig Bromberg - Mallet guitars, Al Arthur - Mallet guitars and bass drum, Barbara Ess - Mallet guitars, Jeffrey Glenn - Bass, Sue Hanel - Mallet guitars, Robert Harrison - Mallet guitars, David Linton - Mallet guitars and bass drum, Thurston Moore - Mallet guitars, Lee Ranaldo - Mallet guitars, Stephan Wischerth - Drums, percussion, Z'ev - Concert bass drum and metal
Notes:

Recorded live at St. Mark's Church, NYC on May 14, 1982 Live 2-track recording produced by Wharton Tiers and Lee Ranaldo All metal instruments played by Z'ev are his original creations. His performance as well is based entirely on his own unique concepts. The mallet guitars were designed by Glenn Branca and built specifically for Symphony No.2.

Symphony #3, Gloria (1983).

Musicians:

Craig Bromberg, Margaret Dewys, Barbara Ess, Michael Gira, Axel Gros Jeffrey Glenn, Greg Letson, Amanda Linn, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo Arleen Schloss, Stephen Wischerth, Dan Witz Tuning: Axel Gross Drum arrangements by Stephen Wischerth. Keyboards used in this concert built by David Quinlan.

Notes:

Recorded live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, January 16th, 1983 Produced and recorded by James Farber.

Source: www.glennbranca.com.