OK, I'll try.
"Grey Gardens" was basically Hattie Hathaway (Hatches) and my thing. Hattie thought of the name (Hattie also named "Mother" BTW, it came to her in a wet dream about Jimi Hendrix but that's another story) It was every Saturday night at Irving Plaza, after the rock shows ended. The Irving Plaza staff (who were incredible) cleared out the drunk college kids faster than one of Messy Bonnie's farts. And in about 20 minutes we (about 15 people) transformed the theater into this eery, gothic magical ghost cabaret. There were no lights except for the chandelier very dim. The room was lit by candles. We hung black drapes from the balcony to close off the room, and make it very intimate. We put tables and chairs along both sides of the room with white table cloths and candles turning the room into a cabaret with a little dance floor in the middle. Then the room was draped everywhere with white gauzy fabric to make it REALLY haunted and ghost-like. From the ceiling we hung these "Screens". They were tattered white fabric hanging from 2 by 4s slowly turning around with black and white film loops projected on them. They were gorgeous and really spooky. The loops would change every week with different themes (we were nuts!) We had a black scrim that went across the entire stage with old film loops projected on it as well. (ONLY FILM, NEVER VIDEO!!!!!!) The effect was surreal. You could see whatever went on behind the scrim on stage but it was like looking through a veil. (Because you were looking through a veil!) And on the stage in the center was me DJing. Behind me to the left was a tiny little bar with bartender Clark Render as "Trisket" serving cocktails to the ghosts. We had stairs going up to the stage which became this sort of VIP lounge with couches for the undead. But remember, everything that happened on stage was seen through this black veil and the effect was like watching a black and white movie. And if all this wasn't enough we also had ghostly go go dancers and burlesque shows but always with this unearthly twist. Like the specter of Josephine Baker happily performing her classic numbers (Amy Goodheart). This, of course, pre-dated the "New Burlesque" scene BTW. Hattie Hathaway was the Misstress of Ceremony. A high point in every night was when Hattie would read from an ancient Emily Post book. After she was done she would slam the book closed in a puff of dust (baby powder). As beautiful and Gothic as the decor was though the music was definately NOT "Bella Lagosi's Dead". It was deep house and very dancable. (Just another unexpected twist I guess). I'm very proud of Grey Gardens and I'm sure Hattie is too. It was one of the most beautiful club nights ever. I guess that's why when I hear fledgelings talking about how great "Opaline" was because they had 4 boys dancing on the bar in their underwear I get sad. When I think of how much went into parties like "Click & Drag", "Boy Bar" and "Jackie 60"...
Well, I guess for them 4 boys in their underwear is enough.
Well, this just scratches the surface. We have to talk about all the talented people behind "Grey Gardens" too! Casper, Poison Eve, Marti Domination, Sherry Vine, Wendy Wild.
Oh, and the birth of Sammy Jo!!!!!