Harold Hunter: Two years Gone, Not Forgotten.

When we met, Harold was a 16 years old Skater who lived with a relative three blocks from my East Village apartment. Over the years we had many little urban, nightlife adventures together. He put a lot of trust in me and I feel that as a friend I proved worthy of his trust. We drifted in different directions a bit later on but frequently crossed paths on the lower east side. Strangely, one of my last nights in New York City, I ran into Harold and then later, his Kids co-star, Chloe Sevigny about 20 minutes later.

When I left New York City I knew he wasn’t in a good place but I always held out hope for him. When a mutual friend hit me on myspace and told me of his sudden death in ‘06, I was stunned. The scene stealer from Kids did a lot, seen a lot and traveled coast-to-coast in his short life. He inspired thousands of young skateboarders, had a clothing line, a skateboards line and fans around the globe. His viewing lasted 5 days. He was loved that much. Two years gone but not forgotten, rest in peace Harold.

Primal parties.

This is another small glimpse into my nightlife past. After my bit as a doorman at New York nightclubs like The Limelight, The Bank, The Palladium, Webster Hall and The Pyramid, I decided to start throwing parties instead of just working for people that threw them. The first party I ever threw was a one-off. It was an after hours on a rooftop in midtown, about four blocks south of Macy’s; Primal was my first weekly and although I never made much doing it, it will always be close to my heart. I had no clue, really, what I was doing. I was ignorant, innocent and blissful. I started Primal in a little bar in the East Village close to the NYU & Parson’s dorms. Probably the only smart thing I did back then. Eventually, we got to move it into the back room at Limelight. After that, as a promoter I started to, as they say, blow up. At that point, the innocence would forever fade away.

Paul Van Dyk Coming To Club Unit In Tokyo

New Year’s Eve, 1995 I had thrown one of the biggest parties New York City had ever seen. Thirteen Thousand people had come from as far away as Osaka, Paris, Puerto Rico and Mexico for the party. A couple even got married on the dance floor. True story. Some of the world’s greatest DJs were on the bill, Felix Da Housecat, Doc Martin, Tiga, Juan Atkins and Paul Van Dyk.

I was just pulling up at about 2Am with Paul Van Dyk when I saw almost as many police and firemen as there were patrons standing outside my Queens warehouse. Not a good sign. Long story short, four months of worldwide promotion had landed me squarely on Mayor Guliani’s ish-list. Last week when his party came to an end I felt like Karma was coming back to him for raining on mine. I only worked with Paulonce after that, but I can tell you the man is as wonderful a human being as he is a DJ. A very talented person who’s musical interests are as wide and grand as his smile.

If you are in Tokyo or plan to be on February 21st, head over to Club Unit in chic Daikanyama and hear Paul Van Dyk weave those influences through techno beats while he flashes that big smile across the dance floor. It’s the Tokyo stop for Paul's In Between Album Tour. Doors open at 11:30PM and it will cost you ¥4000 to get in. info:03-5459-8630.

Club Unit.

Natural Selection Speed Date II: Sugar Mamas and Boy Toys.

What is this world coming to? We have all heard of Speed Dating parties. Basically, a live action match.com session for professionals who don’t do the internet. On the one hand it’s kinda cool because people can’t B.S. you. You know how women say stuff like “I’m full figured” when they mean I’m bigger than Mo’Nique Imes or us guys say stuff like “I’m rich and successful”, when in reality, we drive an ‘87 Ford and flip burgers. Nothing against big girls, flipping burgers or ‘87 Fords (well… there’s actually not a lot of good that can be said about an ‘87 ford), but you get my point, people tend to camouflage whatever perceived flaws the have on cyberspace.

So that’s why we have speed dating in the world. Enter Jeremy Abelson of Pocket Change. Mr. Abelson has been throwing, and taking a lot of heat for, his Natural Selection Speed Date: Rich Guys & Hot Girls events that pair wealthy geezers with Supermodel-type gold diggers. I mean wealthy like “Forbes list” wealthy. Old guys sitting on millions who dream of sticking it to Scarlett Johansson. Hey, this type of thing happens all the time, just look at Jack Nicholson or the President of France.

Exactly what I’m talking about. I mean, we even have ish like The Millionaire Matchmaker on TV (which I am simultaneously addicted to and repulsed by). There’s just no two ways about it, if you’re a rich guy, culturally speaking, it’s alright for you to do a woman half your age. Double standard? No question.

Now I can’t say if it’s in the essence of fair play or that he realizes he can double his money, but Mr. Abelson has turned the tables. He’s holding a Natural Selection Speed Date II: Sugar mamas and Boy Toys event to pair rich broads how are probably the divorced wives of his male clients, with guys that are just one bad break away from hustling Midnight Cowboy style. The ladies start at 35 and go up to 60, and are sitting on a minimum $4 million in assets and bring in $500,000 annually. For them this is really well-timed, with fashion week and all, it’s great for the ladies. It’s almost like one stop shopping. You just can’t beat that.

The big sale, uhh… I mean event will be on February 7th at 230 Fifth avenue from 8Pm - 10PM. Already 5,000 boy toys have signed up and the weeding process has begun. So fellas, if you want in you’ll have to wait until next time, or better yet, get a job. Sorry.

For more on this check out The Gothamist, which is fast becoming my favorite read and Jeremy Abelson’s Pocket Change. Hit this link for an application if you’re a rich mama or a boy toy, some more details or to get a look at some of the Sugar Mamas attending. Get your groove on Mrs. Robinson, I’m not mad at you.

Sixteen Year Old Boy Gets His Freak On In A Saitama Hostess bar.

Man, I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. I was just going through today’s latest news in my NetNewsWire reader when I came across this funny tale of a Japanese lad running up an outrageous bar tab at, what sounds like, one of those cheezy Japanese hostess bars where all the salaryman type go after work to get buck wild before going home to their wives & families.

This youngster, all of sixteen years old - what? a high school sophomore - went to said hostess-type bar in Niiza, Saitama, just outside Tokyo, and ran up a P. Diddy-sized tab of ¥370,000 ($3,460.21/€2,369.94) on bottles of top shelf champagne, 60 cocktails and “four or five hostesses”. He walked in the joint at 10:30 PM and at 4:30 in the morning, when presented with his bill, told them he didn’t have any money to pay. I’m amazed he didn’t get his ass kicked.

They called the police and after they arrived, it was revealed that the suspect (name withheld because of age) was a mere child, that now only applies in the chronological sense. The young man certainly has gone were no Japanese teen has gone before, but it certainly cost him. I find it particularly interesting that this kid knew how to order drinks & hold a conversation with several grown women.

Talk about swag. Two things I am willing to bet, one - he is now the king of his daigaku and two - he probably did get that ass-whuppin’ when he got home because somebody had to pay for that. However, I am pretty sure dad’s pride held him in check a bit.

Source: Japan Today.

Blood On The Dancefloor: NYC's Stereo Nightclub Closed Down.

I was just reading in the Gothamist that NYC nightclub, Stereo has been shut down by the NYPD. I had been hoping to check it out one day since it has had a variety of old friend’s names attached to it. From DJ/producer Angel Moraes who designed the sound system to Mark Ronson’s kid sister, fashion designer Samantha Ronson who had a hand in designing the interior, to Matteo and Jus Ske who frequently manned the decks. According to news reports there was a shooting death there two days ago and that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

There were the obvious drug violations (duh, New York City, nightclub…), you’ve heard it all before - busted coke dealers, owed taxes, violated ordinances, quality of life, blah, blah, blah. Same old song and dance. I want to cue up Mark’s Smith’s cover, “Stop Me (if You Think that you’ve Heard This One Before)”. It’s like a Peter Gatien/Twilo/Sound Factory/Studio 54 merry-go-round. That is the one constant in New York Nightlife; old clubs close, new ones open. However, it’s quite the buzz kill when they close prematurely like this. There are only two things people ever notice in nightclubs, when the record skips a beat or when someone dies. Same cycle in all aspects of life. The only difference is this one has a soundtrack.

It’s a shame, though. It always is when someone loses their life, and when it happens in a world that tries to cut itself off from all of life’s harsh realities, it can be particularly stunning. Clubland is where people go to lose themselves and disconnect from pain and sorrow and the harsh reality that this could be their last night on earth. When that facade is pulled away and the illusion shattered, just as it was when club promotor Michael Alig murdered Angel, a nice kid who got involved with drug dealing, back in 1996. Unfortunately, when the shock fades away and the disturbance becomes a faded memory, everyone just slips back into their trance. Lessons go unlearned and history repeats itself. Another one of life’s little cycles.

Stereo.

Source: The Gothamist.