Hilly Kristal, founder of punk staple, CBGB's, died yesterday at the age of 75 following a battle with lung cancer.
Almost one year ago, Kristal was forced to close the infamous dive due to rent hikes and other disagreements with the landlord. CB's first opened in 1973 and served as the stage for acts such as the Ramone's, Sonic Youth, and Blondie. As happens so often, given the easy connection between music and art, CBGB's expanded into a gallery space hosting some of the art world's most unique up-and-comers, as well as the annual Terrible Toy Fair.
As Patti Smith says in today's New York Times:
“There was no real venue in 1973 for people like us,” Ms. Smith said on Wednesday. “We didn’t fit into the cabarets or the folk clubs. Hilly wanted the people that nobody else wanted. He wanted us.”
In honor of Kristal, we're wearing our favorite skinny jeans, grey Jimmy jeans, named after CBGB's fixture, Jimmy Web, of Trash & Vaudeville. We suggest you do the same and watch the Ramone's at CB's from 1977:
For more: The New York Times
Recent Comments