Hilly Kristal dies from lung cancer

Sierra Mikain

I'm sure the topic headline is making most people who visit this forum say "who???" and that's a shame.

Hilly Kristal was the founder of CBGB's, a music club in Manhattan that closed last year due to some greedy bastards. While the club closing was a tragedy to say the least, they had plans to relocate to Las Vegas. I wasn't exactly thrilled to hear about that because I figured you'd get some rich guy simply cloning everything from the joint, but Kristal actually intended to move ever single piece of the venue, including the bathroom walls and urinals. ^_^

Alas, now Kristal won't get to see the club he started and owned for 35 some odd years that is the birthplace of the punk movement and home to thousands of shows from popular bands and underground rock re-open. The club started to lose out to newer and nicer venues ten years ago or so, but it still got a variety of popular artists who were aware of its history. From what I heard on the radio, his daughter plans to continue to try to re-open in Vegas, that I don't so much care about.

In the few times I've actually been to New York, I made sure that I visited CBGBs and twice went there specifically to see a show. And if the place happens to make it back in another town, it won't be the same but I don't think I could make it through the rest of my life without seeing it again. The sad thing is that Kristal won't be there as he was 7 days a week. You could walk in and shake his hand, shoot the ish about music, whatever. He was a regular guy that just happened to be a legend.

Kristal was a true music fan and helped shaped the careers of so many influential artists. I don't know what else to say besides "bleh."
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Sniper_Zegai · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:05 am Post subject:

I have actually heard about this man and this club on a documentary about Green Day, Nirvana or Sonic Youth, cant remember which? Probably Sonic Youth becuase they started in New York.

Its a shame that the roots of music which were planted in places like this manage to shrink in the face of greed, a damn shame.
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Geddoe · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:16 am Post subject:

I saw this yesterday and remembered how messed up it was that he was being sued and everything. Weren't they in talks to open up a branch in Las Vegas? You can't ever replace the original, I know, but being out in Vegas I'm sure wouldn't have hurt.
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Sierra Mikain · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:58 am Post subject:

They weren't talking about opening a branch, but actually relocating. They were going to move all of the original pieces... basically everything besides the exterior walls. One of the bigger attractions to the place, in a tourist sense, was the bathroom walls. Not only did famous people sign the crap out of them, but they were rather colorful too. Here's a pic for you. Unfortunately, this particular section was donated to Hard Rock Park, that's a rock and roll theme park in Myrtle Beach.

From what they said on the radio, his daughter is still planning on getting the new place up and running but that is the first I heard that they were still considering it since the original place closed down.
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Sniper_Zegai · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 6:18 am Post subject:

Why exactly was this club shut down in the first place?
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Sierra Mikain · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:38 am Post subject:

I guess you kinda gotta know the history of the place. It wasn't ever a nice place to say the least. It was a serious dump. They never owned their building and instead were leasing it from a landlord that refused to maintain upkeep. Often the place was running without heat or plumbing. 2 years ago they decided to push Kristal out by claiming he hadn't paid full rent in 3 years (like any landlord in new york city would put up with that... ) and owed them some large six figure amount.

That's as much as I know.

Instead of trying to come up with the funds, he tried to get the club made a historical landmark of the city, but that didn't work. I know that Kristal was offered donations from a lot of famous artists that wanted to help out, but ultimately the landlord refused to renew his lease and pushed him out.
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Sniper_Zegai · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:49 am Post subject:

He clearly planned to keep it for himself and try and cash in then. Lol I guess he did'nt expect them to literally take eveything with them.
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Masaya · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:04 am Post subject:

Oh come on, I think a lot more people know who he is than you think. Though I can only think of maybe 1 or 2 of my friends who will know who this guy is.

Although he's dead and gone. I would still love to go check this place out. I never went to New York so of coarse I've never been able to check it out. But next year my friends have a road trip from WI to Vegas. Though I doubt it would be open by then. *crosses figures*

But his place has to re-open now. Somebody needs to keep his legacy through that venue alive.
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