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Interview With Micheal Alig & Entourage.
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Holly_Golightly a répondu le Thu 8 Jun, 2006 @ 12:23am |
 Coolness: 158785 | AMANDA LEPORE
"I didn't really change too much. I still work at nightclubs. I do music now. I'm working with a DJ named Gomi. We did a song called 'Amanda (I am)' that was released on the Deeper compilation. I did a perfume line called L'Amor with David LaChapelle. A lot of things really didn't change that much." Michael Alig - nice guy or nut? "Well when I worked for him in the early '90s he was really nice - he was really supportive to us - I never had any problems with him - and he treated us really well." What did you think of him the first time you met? "He was really fun - like he was really good at like picking a wide array of people - he worked really hard - and the parties were really fun - he turned out to be not so nice once the money and..." Not nice to you or to other people? "Well I mean you know - mostly nice at the beginning, but he was on drugs in the middle. He was on all kinds and that that affected his moods. He was hooked on drugs by the end." How have your feelings changed for him since he committed murder? "I mean I can't handle... well yeah my feelings have changed. It's really gross - with the Drano. Morally I have a problem. We knew a lot of people in the same circles. I don't understand why it came to that." What was your relationship to Angel Melendez? "I don't think I ever met him. We were at a lot of the same parties but I don't remember meeting him." Did you ever imagine that Michael could be capable of doing anything like what he did to Angel? "No not really." Have you ever visited him in lock-up? "No." Will you be friends upon his release? "It's really hard to be friends with someone who did that. But I know he was in jail a long time - hopefully he learned a lesson. So I don't think that I would dismiss him but it would be a little weird. It's hard to deal with you know." Party Monster - a work of fact or fiction? "Not all of it is fact. It's fact for some of the people but they didn't get the whole spectrum of it. They made it more druggie than it was at the time. It wasn't that druggie at the beginning." Who loves the spotlight more - James or Michael? "We all did. If you get dressed up and go out and everything - everyone's trying to be in the spotlight. If everyone's trying to get attention there's going to be some tension." Did you read Frank Owen's book "Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture"? "No I haven't read it." LARRY TEE "I started Disco 2000 with Michael and gave it the name Disco 2000. I was a DJ/producer/songwriter at the time." Michael Alig - nice guy or nut? "Nice guy AND nut. When he was high he really only had time for his dealers or the young boys he was chasing." What did you think of him the first time you met? "I liked him because he wasn't so crazy or obnoxious, then. He was ambitious." How close did you get to him? How would you describe your friendship / relationship? "We never were that close but I did hang out at his house occasionally and went to some out of town parties with him. In the later years, I only tolerated him." How have your feelings changed for him since he committed murder? "Not a bit. I have been a recovering drug addict for 6 years and know that it was the drugs that made Michael lose reality." What was your relationship to Angel Melendez? "I took bumps from him and bought drugs from him. He wasn't a bad guy. Just a normal drug dealer." Did you ever imagine that Michael could be capable of doing anything like what he did to Angel? "I would like to say no, but when you are that messed up, anything is possible. He was running several drug addictions at one time." Have you ever visited him in lock-up? "No." Will you be friends upon his release? "Who knows. If he stays clean." What should they give him - 10 or 20 years? "Not my decision." Party Monster - a work of fact or fiction? "It's pretty true to life, oddly enough." Who loves the spotlight more - James or Michael? "Michael Alig was tremendously inpired by James` kiddie drag style. James though was a serious drug addict and hung around Michael because Michael was a tremendous source. It does seem ironic that James judges Michael so severely after he used Michael's murderous infamy to get free dinners and attention long after Michael confessed to him. When Michael wasn't any use to him, James trashed him. I really believe James and Michael Musto were the first two that I saw that used the club kid attitude of "Give me drinks because I am fabulous" and inspired the next generation. What do you think of the other features that have arisen over the Club Kid saga, such as "Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture" by Frank Owen? "Frank Owen's book may truly be brutal but he has rarely written what hasn't been documented completely. I respect him for his shameless love of the culture and all the trimmings. I know Angel dealt to Frank sometimes. I would rather read a dry depiction of the culture and its resulting destruction than a trivialisation of it. It is a classic morality tale for sure." [ www.electroclash.com ] MICHAEL MUSTO Village Voice gossip queen Michael Alig - nice guy or nut? "He was always a bad seed, but humorously challenging social conventions and shaking things up the status quo. Without boundaries, his edge grew bigger and overtook him to the point where he lost track of right or wrong." What did you think of him the first time you met? "I thought he was fresh-faced, aggressive, and in your face, someone without a lot of guile--who would go after what he wanted and get it." How close did you get to him? How would you describe your friendship / relationship? "We weren't really friends on a personal level. We wouldn't call each other and get together to see a movie. But with our constant interaction on the club scene, we got to know each other pretty well. I judged his contests, attended his parties, did TV talk shows with him, and so on. In the Voice, I did a beauty makeover on him, interviewed him many times, covered his events, and exposed both the zany fun and the constant disregard for restraint." How have your feelings changed for him since he committed murder? "Naturally, I was horrified. It's a situation where someone you knew and whose scene you contributed to goes over the line and destroys a human life. Some people might have made the leap from spiking the punch bowl to killing someone, but I really don't think anyone saw that coming. Still, he definitely had dark roots inside him. The circumstances--his desperation as the club kid scene peaked--might have helped bring that out." What was your relationship to Angel Melendez? "I only knew him vaguely because he was on one of the Geraldo Rivera shows I was on about club kids." Have you ever visited him in lock-up? "I went there once to do an interview for the Voice. He seemed repentant and said Angel came to him in dreams. He blamed drugs for a lot of his woes and said he'd started out as a nice kid from the Midwest." Will you be friends upon his release? "I really doubt it. I stopped corresponding with him a while ago." What should they give him - 10 or 20 years? "I'd say 20." What do you think of the friendship between Michael and James St James? "I always thought it was weird since I thought James was more sophisticated than that. He was one of my best friends before jumping on the club kid thing, and he'd been a celebutante with a lot of wit and smarts. But as I've pointed out, I also was attracted to what was exciting about Alig, so I can't find fault." Who loves the spotlight more? "I think Alig loves the spotlight more than James. I actually think part of his decline came about when he realized the club kid scene was peaking and he freaked and became more desperate." [ www.villagevoice.com ] WALTPAPER "I worked with Michael at Building, Limelight, USA, Palladium, Tunnel, etc....now I live in London and take pictures. I am currently curating a show of Kenneth Anger's work with Anita Pallenberg for September 2004." Michael Alig - nice guy or nut? "Michael is like most of the club kids from the inner circle, myself included. We all grew up on punk morals in one form or another...either through hardcore, industrial or goth music...these morals taught us that we could live in a self created society, outside of the mainstream. Our loyalties were to each other and the people in our scene. We were incredibly nice and loyal to the people we felt were our peers, and everyone else didn't really matter. We were all from middle class rural backgrounds, but moved to New York around the age of 18, generally under the guise of going to college, but essentially to escape oppressive rural environments. The inner circle at that time owed a lot to punk rock and hardcore...not '70s punk, but later....like California punk and DC hardcore...Black Flag, Germs, Minor Threat, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys...this led into more industrial kinda stuff....like Skinny Puppy, Psychic TV, Throbbing Gristle, The Swans and goth, such as Bauhaus and Dead Can Dance....which evolved into more dance kinda stuff...like My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult and Meat Beat Manifesto...which then led us to early techno...which is what was played at The Building on Fridays nights, and the more dance kinda stuff at the Building on Saturday nights ( Keoki's party, "Groove Thing"). I would say the core group, the ones that became so closely aligned with Michael and his parties... came together at the Building. This group included Michael, Keoki, Sophia, Amanda, Desi Monster, Christopher Comp, Ernie Glam, Sacred Boy, Astro, Pebbles, Chris Couture, Aphrodita, and myself....and there was the older crew that were working Michael's parties like Kenny Kenny, Olympia, Larry Tee and Lahoma but they didn't hang much with the core group outside of working. I am sure they have their own stories. The group later grew to include Richie Rich, Little Keni, Tobell , Kabuki, Jennytalia and Karliin ...there was a third wave too that included Gitsy, who was the only one from that third group that really shined, by the time she came around it was really just about drugs and keeping your head above water....not much else..... There were people before us, like James St. James and Julie Jewels and Michael Tron... but the club kids really crystalised and became a recognisable group at the Building in my opinion. This is the group that would reach its peak at Club USA, and ride it out with Michael through the murder, the heroin and the K.....The core group did not invent "the Club Kids", but we defined it and brought it the most notoriety." How did you meet and what did you think of Michael the first time you met? "My earliest memory of Michael was him drinking beer out of a bowl like a dog at an after hours party behind the Palladium. At the time there were two types of people: Michael people and Keoki people. I started out a Keoki person. A lot of the Pat Fields queens and people like Dimitry and Kier from Deeelite....the more "serious" people...seemed to gravitate to Keoki.....as he didn't fall down, or pee or any of that, he was a little more mello. Michael liked people to follow him at that time, literally walk around with him through the clubs, like a chain gang...and I never got into following anyone...so I got close to Michael later....it was a slow warm...I always liked Michael, and still do." How close did you get to him? How would you describe your friendship / relationship? "I eventually became Michael's assistant, because my pay kept getting fucked up...so I thought the best way to ensure I would be paid, was to take the job of the person doing budgets. Originally it was Chris Comp, who was really good, but then we all got into heroin and Christopher couldn't do it....then Michael had this really bad assistant at Tunnel.....and I just offered to take over to get it all cleaned up. We saw each other everyday and then at nights. I was more responsible than he, at that time. I remained his assistant until the end. I was the one who checked him into rehab. I carried him to the hospital, and they first denied him as there were too many people wanting to detox. His hands were swollen like a baseball glove and he was shaking and beginning to go through withdrawl, sores and cuts everywhere.....I lied and said he was my boyfriend and gave them all my papers so he could get in. It was a really tough time. He was basically on the verge of death. This was not too long after the murder. At that time there were only a couple people that knew what was really going down. At the time he was insulated by drug dealers like Brooke and Freeze....they didn't want him to get well because that would mean they couldn't make money off him anymore. It was Brooke who lied to him and told him Peter was going to get rid of his apartment while he was in rehab. This was a lie, and essentially destroyed everything we had done to get him well. Peter and I just wanted to help him get clean. Then deal with all his problems, like the murder. It's a long long complicated story...but I would say...that if you could blame anyone for Michael's downfall, besides himself....I would say it would be Brooke and James St. James. James, while he paints himself as this moral counterpart, was always bitter and jealous of Michael for his success and the credit of creating the club kids. James never had any moral concerns until the book deals came around. There was a point where Michael could have pulled himself out of this mess....but because of Brooke....he just spiralled further and further down." How have your feelings changed for him since he killed Angel? "Not at all...I don't blame Michael for what happened...I blame drugs. Angel was a dealer and an addict, and was also a hustler, not exactly the safest career choices. Michael was so saturated with various drugs for so many years, I know the insanity that state of mind brings...we were all in it...any one of us could have ended up in that scenario, but it just happened to be Michael and Angel." What was your relationship to Angel? "I met Angel through Andy Freeze. He had a Mohawk, and I was told he was around at CBGB's first (this is late CB's, not the infamous punk scene of the '70s) and then later adapted the club kid look. I got drugs off him, when there was no other source. His drugs were generally not the best in quality, but he was always available if there was nothing else around...sort of a last resort. The thing about Angel too...is that he was cheap...he never gave things away, but he would front you drugs. This is where all the trouble with Michael, Angel and Peter started......is with drug loans. Angel was put on the club budgets to pay off borrowed drug debts created by Michael and sometimes Peter. Angel thought he was being paid as a club kid and a host like the rest of us....but he was just being paid to give drugs to Michael and for previous supplies to Peter's drug parties. Angel was never taken seriously as a club kid. Just like Brooke and Freeze were never taken seriously. You find most drug dealers become dealers because it's a way into some inner circle, a circle they could never get into just with their personalities or style. Most of the drug dealers had bad looks and boring personalities....you were usually just friends with them to get drugs....sounds awful, but it was the truth at the time. I would have never had anything to do with Brooke, Angel, Junky Jonathon, Freeze and Mavis or the It Twins had they not had drugs. I think most people, if they were honest would say the same. Anyway...Angel was drug dealer and that was all...to me." Did you ever imagine that Michael could be capable of doing anything like that? "Everyone is capable of killing, whether they admit it our not. I hate cell phones. If I was to kill, I would be a cell phone killer.......kill people who talk loud on cell phones while in public." Have you ever visited him in lock-up? "Yes." Will you be friends upon his release? "Yes, I invited him to stay with me in London." What should they give him - 10 or 20 years? "I think he should have been in an institution other than prison...his problem was essentially drugs....so rehab would have been more appropriate. You find that once you get past the immediate crimes people commit...the real issues become apparent....whether it's abuse, or poverty or drugs. He did commit a crime though, so I think 10 years is suitable." Party Monster - a work of fact or fiction? Thoughts on the movie? "Completely fictional, not to mention poorly made. James St. James is represented by World of Wonder, and Party Monster was made as a promotional tool for James. The documentary is accurate. The film...total bullshit. James book...accurate for him, I guess, but by no means a gauge for the whole scene. That's his story.....there are probably about 4-5 good books that could come out about different aspects of that scene at the time." What do you think of the friendship between Michael and James St James? "I've always found James to be a bit of a loser. I think Michael felt pity for James, because he fell off very early on from a K overdose, and moved back to the Midwest to live off his trust fund. He came back to NY after the club kids really broke big.....while he was there in the beginning....he could never really catch back up upon his return to NY....but Michael and the rest of us, gave him respect for being around at the beginning...but his time was more '80s than '90s...he was a trust fund kid...very different breed to the club kids that were of my time." Who loves the spotlight more - Michael or James? "Everyone loves a spotlight." What do you think of the other features that have arisen over the Club Kid saga, such as "Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture" by Frank Owen? "Is that a book? I haven't read it, but I remember Frank Owen....awful speaking voice...he never had access to what was going on...whenever he has spoken or written...it has always been based on vague speculation....there is a core group who really know what went down. None of them have written anything as of yet." Did you attend the Party Monster premiere, what were your thoughts, what was the vibe, and were you sad that Michael wasn't there? "I have boycotted all things having to do with World of Wonder since the release of Party Monster. Most of the club kids have moved on to better things.....Desi is a sculptor, Richie does Heatherette, I curate and do the art gallery thing, Jennytalia works with underprivileged girls on the lower east side...and on and on...but no one wants to hear that most of the club kids moved on to do some really great stuff...they just want to hear about who died, who is addicted to drugs or who is in jail...." How do you find NY nightlife has changed since the end of the CK's? "I thought some 18 year olds would come along and start something new...but it doesn't seem like much has developed, unfortunately." SHAZZAAM "Like they say: read the book it's better." Michael Alig - Nice Guy Or Nut? "Nutty. Junky but funky." What were your first impressions of Michael? "Like a step child in need of her meds." How close did you get to him? How would you describe your friendship / relationship? "The first time I met him was at his after parties called The Crib and then maybe brief contacts at Disco 2000. I was still living in Los Angeles at the time." How have your feelings changed for him since he committed murder? "I understand certain party favours (well, all) can put you in a certain state but I also understand how people can be "set-up". Jealous people can be evil. Whether he did or didn't, doesn't justify my friendship with Michael. I still talk to him. I like to separate the two issues." What was your relationship to Angel Melendez? "None." Did you ever imagine that Michael could be capable of doing anything like what he did to Angel? "No." Have you ever visited him in lock-up? "No." Will you be friends upon his release? "Yes but that's up to him. I still have the opportunity to fly to NY twice a month and a lot of people don't like him." What should they give him - 10 or 20 years? "I think he needs a better lawyer. Look at the way the documentary was filmed. Doesn't anybody read between the lines." Party Monster - a work of fact or fiction? "No comment." What do you think of the friendship between Michael and James St James? "No comment." Who loves the spotlight more? |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» DrGonzo a répondu le Thu 8 Jun, 2006 @ 12:26am |
 Coolness: 266005 | clubkids! |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» juju a répondu le Fri 9 Jun, 2006 @ 4:59pm |
 Coolness: 60410 | Michael's story makes me wanna be a gay man and go to jail. And btw, he's soo not a killer. Now that he's sober, it's obvious that drugs were responsible for his behavior |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Holly_Golightly a répondu le Fri 9 Jun, 2006 @ 5:15pm |
| Coolness: 158785 | yeah but i know a lot of people who did hard drugs on the past and they didn't kill anybody !
in my opinion,micheal alig is a sociopathe. if you are normal,even on drugs,it's not supose to take you all this time before you feel guilty. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Dark_Angel_2 a répondu le Fri 9 Jun, 2006 @ 8:01pm |
 Coolness: 69450 | i agree, to chop up ur bud is some fucked up shit!!!
i downloaded Money, Success, Fame, Glamour once and i felt like vomiting just listening to such a savage beast. And then i deleted that garbage. But the movie is good, and the book is a little better. |
Interview With Micheal Alig & Entourage.
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