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RIP, VIP - Chapter 3 (10/21/05++)

daddydaddySage
Sad news from Linda Simpson:

quote:
I'm sad to report that John Serna died earlier this week.
Many of you will remember him as a happy-go-lucky guy who loved hanging out at clubs and parties, roller-blading, laughing, checking out cute guys and dancing. He was a great friend to drag queens (he's pictured with Lurleen), no doubt from having been practically raised at the Pyramid and Boybar and being roommates for a couple of years with Flloyd.
John was from Colombia and his family has arranged a Catholic memorial service on Tuesday.
Adios, John, you were a delight, a bright light in the big city...
Linda Simpson
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hatcheshatchesSage
I am glad that you posted this Daddy, as my server somehow deleted Linda's email to me before I could read more than the subject header (don't ask.)

John was indeed a beauty. A great personality, a perennial smiling face, and quick to support all the beautiful things we do in nightlife. I truly feel blessed that we crossed paths at many many venues over the years.
Anna NicoleAnna NicoleSage
Zapatista Rebel leader - Comandante Ramona, guerilla and activist in Chiapas died last wk. She really was a true revolutionary of the mayan plight.... fighting for greater rights of the indigenous people and protesting at Mexicos involvement in the North American free Trade agreement. It was she who was sent to the first peace talks with the Mexican government. Since she was in San Christobal and the local having to walk 12hrs for hospital treatment poor Ramona didn't survive when her kidneys failed last week.
Todos Somos Marcos y Todos Somos Ramona!
daddydaddySage
Another one gone from our community.
The Baroness was found dead in her apartment today. I don't know how she died.

This is NOT the fetish designer Baroness, this is The Baroness associated with Susanne Bartsch, especially in the glory days of the Copa in the late eighties.
I always thought The Baroness' drag was brilliant. She was always the Grande Damme.
When we toured with Susanne through Europe in the 90's, The Baroness and I were often roomates.
Although she lived her last years as a man I'll always remember her as a great lady.
I have great pictures of her (I have to dig tthem up) but this is The Baroness.

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hatcheshatchesSage
Gene Pitney, 65, American songwriter, found dead in hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. A Hartford, CT native, Pitney was the composer of "Town Without Pity", "He's a Rebel", "Hello Mary Lou" among many other seminal early rock 'n roll songs.
His groundbreaking 1963 song, "Mecca" featured the Indian sitar two full years before the Beatles began exploring the use of that instrument.
Rock on, Rockville Rocket!
daddydaddySage
This From one of the best DJs in New York,
Die J Mars.
(He didn't know about thiis topic and I moved it here).

quote:
John D was my best friend in life and I am really shaken up by his sudden death. He brought me out to spin his Sinners' Ball in San Francisco for the past two summers and I was all excited to see him again this year.

We all had our own relationships with him but let me tell you mine. See, I met John in NYC when I was guest djing some small party with Robert Xian at the Pyramid back around 98 and we hit it off. He was a very hospitable guy with a lot of friends. It seemed like on any given night he could round up at least 8 people after the clubs closed down to go get something to eat in East Village. Anyways, years passed but John and me stayed in touch. I was going through a hellish time in my life up in Toronto with the break up of a big relationship, a fallen business, a bad downwards spiral of drinking and drugs. I was a suicidal wreck and somehow John D convinced me to come to NYC, set me up with a place to live (for free) and hooked me up with dj gigs, friends, etc. He was my angel even back then. I always thought, "what's this guy's catch?" And after knowing him for the past 8 years I can safely say there was no catch, John was just a great guy who cared about his friends. When things got good, he hid in the shadows too because he just wanted to see the scene become alive and he wanted his friends to be happy in whatever it was they wanted. It was John who got me sober, gave me a life and made it all worth it. I remember spinning to a packed audience in The Limelight at the Black and Blue Ball (maybe 5 years ago) and he came up to me and jokingly said "you made it." I had to correct him and say "no dude, we made it" because if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have even come to NYC. He never wanted anything in return for anything either. I can say he always wanted to be a chef and he got the greatest job being one that he ever wanted plus a great apartment, a few motorcylces and a great girlfriend (Jen) who he was with till the end. John D was happy and he'd be happy to know you missed him too. I'm sure there will be some sort of wake in the NYC area and I'll let you know when I do (see www.byte-nyc.com for July). There's not enough words to write about this great guy.

I was ready for a lot but not this. John D, REST IN PEACE my friend. You'll always be missed.

sincerely,


Die J! Mars
(House of Field)
www.diejmars.com
DJ Die J! MarsMotherlover
Hi everyone,

There will be a memorial service for John D. Sade this Sunday at 9 pm at Byte. It will be
held on the rooftop patio of the Delancey Lounge (168 Delancey Street--at the foot of the
Williamburg Bridge, NYC).
http://www.BYTE-NYC.com
Please come out and pay your respects to the man who touched so many and constantly helped our scene (throwing Sin City in NYC and San Francisco, starting up Gomorrah, booking industrial bands like Slick Idiot at
The Bank, working with Neville at the Batcave, throwing parties at Pyramid, assisting Xris
Flam with SMack during fetish marathon week, starting up The San Francisco Marathon week,
giving all his friends like D'Drennan their first live performance gigs, pushing all the local photographers' works internationally, BEING A GREAT FRIEND to all, etc. etc.
etc.). Like I said in a previous post, there is not enough words to praise this guy properly and he will be deeply missed. Hope to see you Sunday!

Sincerely,

Die J! Mars


John D. 1969-2006 R.I.P.
http://www.SMack-Fetish.com/john-d.html
Anna NicoleAnna NicoleSage
STEVE IRWIN - the crocodile hunter -
My son was rather shocked by the tragic death of the fave kids tv animal conservationist Steve Irvin, whom I believe really and truly loved animals and had a real passion to teach that to the kids.
My kid thought for a moment and said, "But mum it's good cos we have lots of recordings of him so we can remember him" He then pauses for a moment and said " Do you have any recordings of your friend who just died (Adam Goldstone) so you can remember him too??" and it made me really smile
"Yes!... yes i do... he made mummy loads of great CDs and actually recorded his own stuff to. So yes you are right it's not so sad after all as they left us so much"
Right on! Out of the mouth of babes!
daddydaddySage
This from Pops Steiner:

I'm sad to report that legendary performer Craig Vandenburg passed away from liver cancer last night. Craig did his hilarious, boozy, washed up lounge singer schtick at every downtown club, often appearing with John Sex as his show biz father. In fact, there is a video of John and Craig at the Pyramid by Nelson Sullivan on the Funtone website.
John Sex Videos at Funtone

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joshuajoshuaRaconteur
He was known as The Adonis From Paramis. John made it crystal clear that Craig was an essential inspiration. I worked sound the (only?) night that Craig did a solo at Pyramid. The build up was terrific, largely because of John. And CV was amazing, walking several tightropes at once, so good at being so-bad-it's-good, yet if you watched closely, incredibly well-grounded in showbiz-ship. I have thought of this night many times over the years and talked of it.

Sad.

Do we know more--how old? Was he living okay in recent years?
hatcheshatchesSage
I am saddened about Craig, a showbiz genius, who I knew and adored. He left some mighty big and sparkling footprints as his legacy.

I am also saddened by this report:

Local Activist/Reporter/Filmmaker Killed In Oaxaca, Mexico

Bradley Will,36, died on October 27th, after being shot in the chest by government forces in Ciudad Oaxaca while covering the uprising as an independent journalist.

As of this writing, the Oaxaca rebellion threatens to escalate and spread to other Mexican states.

Some of the East Village denizens on these boards may remember him for his involvement in the famous Fifth Street Squat Rebellion in the late 90's which ultimately secured eleven buildings neglected by the City for their sweat equity tenants. He was also a member of the More Gardens group which helped save many of the vestpocket gardens in Alphabet City. Will was not only a local activist, but also had a deep-seated interest in Latin American political situation. He truly lived-- and died-- for what he believed in, and I tip my hat to him.
Anna NicoleAnna NicoleSage
It was sad I thought that Robert Altman died, thought he was quite an interesting director and character. I particularly loved The Player which came out in the year that I was in a career that sent me out to LA each month to pitch the studio heads... i HATED IT and that movie really resonated on how stupid and fake it all was!
Another RIP VIP this wk was the wonderful Perry Henzell, a man I had met in Jamaica a number of times - a real bright iconoclast. Director of the legendary cult classic The Harder They Come (a movie that put Jimmy Cliff on the map). Perry was 70, died of cancer in his Jamaican home, on the eve of his showing his latest film at a Toronto Film Festival. 'Nuff Respect mi lion!
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20061201/ent/ent2.html
sevensevenSage
The uprising that Bradly Will got caught in in Oaxaca has been very little covered in any press in the States. It is a classic Mexican event pitting the local population against the city, state and federal government that has no real interest in the local citizens. It has been a struggle lasting over 70 years at this point. The recent violence has been some of the worst, on the largest scale in quite a while, and pervades the whole city. Occasionally you may hear something about it on WBAI but practically no where else.

From Indymedia.com:

Oaxaca is a contentious state, with conflicts in towns, on public and communal lands. Assassinations each year number between 20 and 30. The state has 570 municipalities, but in 2004, 750 cases of agrarian conflict.

Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (URO)-the state governor who is reputed to have won election via illegal means- has united the people of Oaxaca – in opposition to him, and to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI, in its Spanish initials), which has maintained a strangle-hold on Oaxaca for more than seventy years, maintaining caciquismo (the power of local political bosses) and aggravating the agrarian conflicts to divide the people. Selling their votes to the PRI is how towns obtain what should be rightfully theirs, including schools and educational supplies.

The uprising has drawn together a wide and loose coalition of students, teachers unions, workers organizations, anarchists and a large contingent of disenfranchized youths. They face special federal riot police, federal troops and right wing paramilitary private armed bands financed by the state governor. The recent violence is citywide and very deadly.

_________________________________________

I really wonder how much Will knew about the depth and degree of violence he was walking in to.
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