Category Archives: RIP

Never MIA My Friends

Barney Johnson, David Russell, Philippe Brook et moi. 1990s. The years were rough on this band. Barney I knew from Hurrah nightclub in the 1970s and and Philippe from Paris in the 1980s gone. Two years ago I came close to joining them and leaving David Russell, the youngest of us all, the only one […]

A L’Enfer Baby Doc -2014

In 1971 Baby Doc Duvalier inherited his father’s dictatorship over Haiti. At twenty years old Jean-Claude was the youngest ruler in the world. His power was enforced by the dreaded Ton-Ton Macoute. The cadres of these sunglassed henchmen tortured and killed thousands of people over the decades with the support of America, Land of the […]

Ghost MacDonalds West 3rd Street

On January 5, 2021 the franchise owner of the infamous McDonalds across from the West 4th Street sold the building to an entrepeneur seeking to open a nightclub. Covid was in full force and the investors did nothing. Three years later the site remains a ghost, but it will never again be the 3am hotspot […]

HARRY BELAFONTE RIP

My mother loved to sing this 1957 hit song although we knew as YELLOW BIRD. Harry Belafonte introduced us to another way of life and fought for equality and justice. A true hero. RIP. To hear DON’T EVER LOVE ME – YELLOW BIRD click on the following URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm1DA0yqcdc

BORN TO LOSE

The last time I saw Johnny Thunders was in Paris. He was appearing at Gibus outside of Republique. It was 1985. We spoke about CBGBs, where he had been a star. I was a worshiper. His manager was a New York coke dealer of dubious German connections. I owed him $50. Johnny said, “Stiff him.” […]