friday, june 29
FUN! The True Story of Patti Astor
Couple years ago, when I was working on Autograf: New York City’s Graffiti Writers, I was walking around Brooklyn with a friend, pointing out a the tags of a couple of people I met through the project. My friend kindly remarked, “You’re like The Patti Astor of Today,”* to which I preened.
Well, world is a lil smaller then I had ever imagined. While at the New Museum for the launch of their East Village art show (Martha Cooper asked me to be her date), Miss Astor herself made an entrance: all in pink, with white gloves. The entire room turned to stare. The queen herself had arrived.
Patrick McMullan grabbed me by the hand and introduced me. I was like, well damn; Patti (who had lost her voice) elegantly croaked: I have a book. She held on to my hand while we talked—or rather, she allowed me to hold her hand. We made an appointment to meet the next day; and when we did, it was all love.
FUN! The True Story of Patti Astor will be released when the movie comes out. What movie you ask? This one. In the meantime, check out FUN!, now being serialized in powerHouse Magazine Issue 1 and 2.
* I couldn’t resist telling Patti this story; to which she replied: “Well maybe I was like The Miss Rosen of The 80s.” I figure, now that I got my epitaph, I can die happy.
Homeboy checks out Patti Astor at the Sugarhill Convention. Photo by Charlie Ahearn.
wednesday, june 27 Nieratko does Chicago! Skinema Hits the Midwest
Chris Nieratko, famed star of page and porn, was a guest on Mancow, who is apparently the nation’s answer to Howard Stern tho honey gets no play in New York City. Well, word is Macow was awkward and scattered but Nieratko held his own and despite Mancow's manic interview style, it came off good. Apparently millions listen, so there you go (Mancow said "Skinema, the book!" a lot).
Chris also was live in the flesh for a talk at Quimby's, which went was great. There was a good crowd—apparently some women entertaining the thought they could steal my man. I mean, Mrs. Nieratko’s man. Right. Honey was his usual charming self, and people even seemed to like him. It’s a wonder what sobriety will do for a man’s appeal. He even had stragglers for signings and a good amount of the audience came over to Rodan for the after party. Apparently, he even wowed his publicist, who finally understands why we truly love us some Chris.
tuesday, june 26
Wild Style Party
This is how we do it Wild Style Silver Anniversary Style: Afrika Bambaataa! Fab 5 Freddy! Frost Freeze! Ken Swift! Doze Green! EZ AD! Waterbed Kevie Kev! Martha Cooper! Joe Conzo! Let em know: Disco Wiz and GrandWizzard Theodore on the wheels of steel, Grandmaster Caz, Busy Bee, Rodney Cee freestylin on the mic, b-boys and b-girls rockin the floor. Night of a thousand legends. Pure hip-hop heaven. God bless em.
friday, june 22
Shepard Fairey
Damn son! Shepard Fairey (of OBEY GIANT fame) transformed an empty DUMBO store front into a pretty swank art installation last night. The installation runs now through July 7th and runs concurrently w/ Shepard's exhibit at the Jonathan Levine gallery in the city. Also on hand were a couple folks slated to appear in powerHouse magazine's 3rd issue - The Hustle. Roger Gastman (Fairey's partner in SWINDLE magazine) and Ron English (billboard pirate extradanaire). Chopped it up w/ them for a second managing to get Ron's opinion on Bloomberg's run for president (he's kinda not into it - that whole RNC lockdown thing - stupes!) and Roger talked a little about his plans for a Powerhouse Arena exhibit later this summer. So yeah, next time your at the PH Arena (hint - tonight for the Wild Style jump-off!!!!) stop by Shepard's thing, the Dewar's is gone but the art remains.
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Here’s a little story that must be told...
You know I didn’t see Wild Style til like 2004. I was at Ricky Powell’s palace, and I noticed he had two VHS tapes on top of his TV: Wild Style and Style Wars. “You think I can grab those?” I asked him. “I never seen them.” Ricky bellowed: WHAAAAAAAT???!??!? “I’m not cool,” I told him. “I don’t follow shit.” So I took those tapes, watched em, and it was like my life in reverse. I’ve heard the samples for decades, totally clueless to their source; I’ve met Lee Quinones, Lady Pink, Fab 5 Freddy, Patti Astor, Glenn O’Brien—and there it was, in one film, all coming together for me. Finally.
I first met Charlie Ahearn when he was desperately trying to get information from Ricky for an essay he was writing for Public Access. I still remember the tension at 68 Charlton: Ricky rambling about nothing; Charlie desperately trying to get him to focus. Lord it was ridiculous, never have two more opposite types been in a room together, unless you count me and Ricky, but he loved me to yell at him, which flips it all up just a bit.
Well, that was the second essay Charlie had contributed to powerHouse; he had also written a piece for Jamel Shabazz’s A Time Before Crack. And it got me thinking, Damn, Charlie’s doing all this for us. We need to do something with him. So in his immortal words on the thank you page of his new book, Wild Style The Sampler, he recalled, “Miss Sara Rosen sidled up to me at a party.”
You know I snorted, right. Because, well, it’s true. I do, and have been known to, sidle. So I wont doubt that I did it. But better than my semi-suave moves to lure authors into the fold is the fact that they agree to work with me! It’s truly surreal, really. I mean, I wasn’t even 10 when the movie launched. I was on the wrong side of the Bronx when they were filming it. Hell, I didn’t even see it til 20 years later.
But here I am, in 2007, launching Wild Style The Sampler, a tribute to the 25th anniversary of the film that launched hip hop to the world with a blockbuster book, a touring exhibition, a star-studded party, and untold madness to come. That’s right. Mark my words. There are BIG things in store for Wild Style in 2007. So get your book, get your print, get your DVD, and let me know when the CD releases because I love me them songs.
Ed Schmidt's Dumbolio 5 proved to be a rowdy ass-slappin' night—literally. The evening began with the sweet ukelele strummin' of Kelli Rae Powell. Then hula-hoopin' extraordinaire, Miss Saturn, took the stage to spice things up. She was begging to have her red-ruffled clad tush be slapped by an audience member. Though said audience member was too shy. Richard Bolster was a joke-telling hoot. Cardone the Magician had an impromptu séance to summon the spirit of the King...Elvis Presley. And the King was here! Accordion and theremin masters, One Ring Zero, closed the night, proving that the accordion is just as bad ass as a guitar, bass, or drums. One Ring Zero will also be featured in upcoming powerHouse title, The Brooklynites, out this fall!
friday, june 15 The Living Proof throwdown was last night and good times were had by all. It was an odd combination of Leicaphiles and rappers, who knew those two worlds would get down so well? And after the party it was the after party... DAH has the best view in town.
thursday, june 14 Danny Lyon in texas
Danny Lyon moved to a texas prison town when he was 25 to document a few intriguing inmates: committed... with total submersion he relates it as he sees it. but don't take my word for it,
pg 9 ... It was my habbit, when inside the Walls, to wander down the ramparts along the cells. If I ran into someone I wanted to photograph I would strike up conversation with him. Renton [pictured on the cover] was alone in his cell when I passed by, and I stepped inside. He was then about half way through serving up an eleven-year sentence for a burglary in Houston. Twenty-eight years old, about three years older than I at the time. He spoke with a dripping east Texas drawl that he had picked up in Port Arthur, the same town Janice Japlin, then at the height of her career, was from.
pg 10 ... The picture of Jimmy [Renton] that I cared for the most was a mug shot, made in 1966 after his most recent fall... With his freshly shaved head and his handsome, defiant stare, I thought the picture gave him the immortal gaze of a Greek Bronze.
wednesday, june 13 Chris Nieratko is gold, check out his blog to get rich.
Made In The UK...in LA
Fred Segal Flair hosted a little fete for powerHouse author Janette Beckman's Made in the UK.
From Janette: "There were British DJs playing punky tunes and customers drinking shandy and Pimms while munching on crisps and Twiglets. Jeannine Braden the gorgeous owner of the store decorated the mannequins with safety pins through their noses and Union Jack bandanas to go with the Marc Jacobs handbags."
