Legends of the Chelsea Hotel

November Events

I’ll be reading from “Legends of the Chelsea Hotel: Living with the Artists and Outlaws of New York’s Rebel Mecca,” on Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Louisville’s greatest indy record store, Ear X-tacy located at 1534 Bardstown Rd., Louisville KY.

The line up includes:

6:00 -- THE END OF THE WORLD -- Brooklyn-based indie-rock from Flameshovel records. Distributed by Touch and Go.  Their new album "French Exit" is out now. 
http://www.prettyactivity.com/bigrage

6:45 -- D R COUNTRY -- (Featuring Darren Rappa of the legendary Noise Pollution records band VRTKM, not to mention KING KONG and PUNK SKULLS)
http://www.myspace.com/verktum

On Saturday, Nov. 15 I’ll be signing books at the Kentucky Book Fair at the Frankfort Convention Center, 405 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY. Hours are 9 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.  Hope to see you there!

Fall Readings

You can catch me reading from Legends of the Chelsea Hotel: Living with the Artists and Outlaws of New York's Rebel Mecca at the following venues over the next few months:

7:00 p.m., Fri., Sept. 19
Bluestockings Books & Café

172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington, NYC

7:30 p.m., Wed.,  Sept. 24
Guerilla Lit
BAR on A - 170 Ave A @ 11th Street, NYC

7:00 p.m, Thurs. Oct. 16
Drunken! Careening !Writers!
KGB Bar, 85 East 4th St. , NYC

Chelsea Hotel: Past, Present and Future: 125 Years as a Haven for the Arts

On April 3, the Museum of the City of New York will host a reading and panel discussion to commemorate New York ’s famed Chelsea Hotel, home over the years to stars ranging from Dylan Thomas and Arthur Miller to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.  The public will have a unique opportunity to grill the experts on the past, present and future of the iconic landmark, including the recent corporate takeover that threatens the hotel’s historic role as a haven for the arts.  I will read from, and sign copies of Legends of the Chelsea Hotel: Living with the Artists and Outlaws of New York’s Rebel Mecca (Thunder’s Mouth Press).  Panelists for the discussion to follow will include preservationist Edward Kirkland and author/Chelsea Hotel historian Sherrill Tippins.  Former Chelsea Now editor Lawrence Lerner will moderate the discussion.
            As an additional treat, a recent video interview of former hotel manager Stanley Bard, making one of his first public statements since his ouster in June of last year, will be shown.  Some of the questions that Stanley may address include: How is he handling his forced retirement?  Does he plan to continue the fight to regain control of the hotel?  What’s in store for the future of the Chelsea Hotel?
     I’ll provide the inside scoop about how it was to live through the hotel’s recent transformation from a wild and wooly artistic flophouse into something that’s increasingly coming to resemble a fancy boutique hotel.  In addition, I’ll handle all questions about how to keep junkies out of your bathroom.

Noted author and historian Sherrill Tippins (February House), who is presently at work on a history of the Chelsea Hotel (Dream Palace: The Extraordinary Life of the Chelsea Hotel), will discuss the Chelsea’s origin as an arts coop and how it has persisted as a cultural institution and haven for the arts throughout its 125 years.  Will she break our hearts by telling us that Sarah Bernhardt and Mark Twain never really stayed at the Chelsea?  Any questions about ghosts at the Chelsea should also be referred to her.
      Edward Kirkland, Chair Emeritus of the CB 4 Chelsea Preservation and Planning Committee, will be on hand to answer any questions about the Chelsea’s landmark status.  Will the new corporate management company be able to tear down the famous staircase? What was the Chelsea like when it was originally landmarked? Kirkland is the man to ask.
     Former Chelsea Now editor Lawrence Lerner, who in his time at that paper expanded coverage of education, illegal hotels, real estate development, affordable housing, the LBGT community and myriad other issues, was present at the Chelsea Hotel’s recent takeover, providing in-depth coverage of the issues surrounding the Bard family’s ouster. 
            Seniors and students get in for $5.00.  Everybody else pays $9.00. The Museum is located at 1220 Fifth Avenue(@104^th St), New York NY 10029. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting Two Legends of the Airwaves

I was on the Joey Reynolds show Tuesday night promoting my book, Legends of the Chelsea.  It was great meeting Joey and his friend Cha Cha, who was on the Sopranos and acted in a couple of Abel Ferrara movies, in addition to owning a restaurant on Mulberry Street.  Joey and Cha Cha are two genuine New York characters of a kind that are, unfortunately, a vanishing breed.  They just talked about their day-to-day life in New York —about dieting and going to the diner and such--but managed to make it interesting just by the force of their personalities.  (A rare quality these days, as they pointed out: the guys on TV talk shows apparently need a team of dozens of writers.)  It was a pleasure to watch them work, and I wish I could be as entertaining as they are.
     In fact, I guess I was worried about that.  In the studio before the show we were talking about the great director (and living Chelsea Legend) Abel Ferrara and his upcoming documentary about the Chelsea Hotel.  Joey asked me if I was going to be in the film.  “Well,” I said, “He interviewed me for it, so maybe.  Though for all I know he may decide I’m too boring and cut my part out of it.”
          “Please don’t tell me you’re boring right before I put you on the air,” Joey sagely advised.

My fellow guest was a performance artist named Lilly who was inviting all New Yorkers to gather with her and watch the sunset on Thursday, November 8.  Neither Joey nor Cha Cha seemed to be able to quite get on board with this program—in fact I remember them asking Lilly more than once, “What’s the point?”  (They asked nicely, however.)  But I think Lilly just didn’t want to give away exactly what she was planning to do.

We talked mostly about what it was like to live in a hotel: they wanted to know if I got the sheets changed (definitely not); how it was having a bathroom down the hall (junkies get in, but at least the maid cleans it); and what it’s like having a procession of transients coming in and out (a mixed bag, though some fantastic musicians have stayed in the room next door).  Joey said he’d rent me a room for less than I was paying.

Anyway, Joey and Cha Cha’s questioning was great for me, because I didn’t have to make anything up on my own.  (I did manage to get in my speil about the injustice that has been done to the Bard family.)  But after the interview was over I started thinking that maybe I hadn’t described the book very well.  “Did I even remember to mention the title?” I asked the production assistant.  “Yeah, don’t worry, you did,” he assured me.

Well, that’s a relief.  The next guest after my hour was up was a guy who was going to talk about investing in gold.  Thank heavens I didn’t have to go on with him, because I know I can’t compete with that.  The gold we have here at the Chelsea may not quite be fool’s gold, but it is somewhat immaterial at best. -- Ed Hamilton

I was on the Joey Reynolds show Tuesday night promoting my book, Legends of the Chelsea.  It was great meeting Joey and his friend Cha Cha, who was on the Sopranos and acted in a couple of Abel Ferrara movies, in addition to owning a restaurant on Mulberry Street.  Joey and Cha Cha are two genuine New York characters of a kind that are, unfortunately, a vanishing breed.  They just talked about their day-to-day life in New York —about dieting and going to the diner and such--but managed to make it interesting just by the force of their personalities.  (A rare quality these days, as they pointed out: the guys on TV talk shows apparently need a team of dozens of writers.)  It was a pleasure to watch them work, and I wish I could be as entertaining as they are.
     In fact, I guess I was worried about that.  In the studio before the show we were talking about the great director (and living Chelsea Legend) Abel Ferrara and his upcoming documentary about the Chelsea Hotel.  Joey asked me if I was going to be in the film.  “Well,” I said, “He interviewed me for it, so maybe.  Though for all I know he may decide I’m too boring and cut my part out of it.”
          “Please don’t tell me you’re boring right before I put you on the air,” Joey sagely advised.

My fellow guest was a performance artist named Lilly who was inviting all New Yorkers to gather with her and watch the sunset on Thursday, November 8.  Neither Joey nor Cha Cha seemed to be able to quite get on board with this program—in fact I remember them asking Lilly more than once, “What’s the point?”  (They asked nicely, however.)  But I think Lilly just didn’t want to give away exactly what she was planning to do.

We talked mostly about what it was like to live in a hotel: they wanted to know if I got the sheets changed (definitely not); how it was having a bathroom down the hall (junkies get in, but at least the maid cleans it); and what it’s like having a procession of transients coming in and out (a mixed bag, though some fantastic musicians have stayed in the room next door).  Joey said he’d rent me a room for less than I was paying.

Anyway, Joey and Cha Cha’s questioning was great for me, because I didn’t have to make anything up on my own.  (I did manage to get in my speil about the injustice that has been done to the Bard family.)  But after the interview was over I started thinking that maybe I hadn’t described the book very well.  “Did I even remember to mention the title?” I asked the production assistant.  “Yeah, don’t worry, you did,” he assured me.

Well, that’s a relief.  The next guest after my hour was up was a guy who was going to talk about investing in gold.  Thank heavens I didn’t have to go on with him, because I know I can’t compete with that.  The gold we have here at the Chelsea may not quite be fool’s gold, but it is somewhat immaterial at best. -- Ed Hamilton

Book Mentioned on Howard Stern as Goof

     It came as a strange but pleasant surprise when a friend from San Francisco told me that my book had been mentioned on the Howard Stern Show.  The occasion was that Artie Lange had given it to Richard Christy as a Halloween present.  (Thanks, Artie)
     Though they didn’t mention my name, they discussed Sid & Nancy and Dylan Thomas and the 17 whiskeys, and so the book got over a minute of air time – whoo hoo!  One thing that disturbed me, however, was that Howard said the gift wasn’t a goof.  Let me assure you that my book is indeed a goof!
     In a sense anyway.  The book is filled with humor and I’m sure the Howard Stern show is responsible for at least some of it.  I listened to the show quite frequently when all this madness was going on, and I only stopped listening in later years because I couldn’t get any work done with it on.  Maybe with my royalties I’ll get a Sirius radio and listen again – though I doubt they’ll pay me enough.

New York Observer Covers B&N Event

     Though Chris Shott has written several articles about the Chelsea Hotel of late, when he introduced himself after the reading, I didn’t recognize his name – so I thought he was just someone who was really concerned about ghosts!  Anyway, it was nice of him to cover the event. 
     While I’m at it, I’d also like to thank Sam Bassett – who’s producing a documentary about the Chelsea – and his crew for filming the reading. 
     One correction:  Hank Alfredson, a fine Chelsea Hotel artist, has his name misspelled in the article.
     Oh, and I don’t know what everybody’s complaining about: that was a brand new Banana Republic shirt I was wearing! 

     A big thanks to all of the trippy bohemians who showed up!  And thanks to Linda Troeller for sending over the photos.

Ghosts at the Chelsea?

Here's my favorite question from the interview I did with  Anna Katterjohn of the Library Journal.  Her question was probably inspired by the ghost stories in Legends of the Chelsea.  

Do you believe in ghosts?
Philosophically, I'm a strict materialist who holds, with Ludwig Wittgenstein, that “the world is all that is the case.” On the other hand, even Wittgenstein believed that all the really interesting things that we talk about are outside the physical world, strictly defined. Even if ghosts are all in the mind, does that make them any less real? If any place will make you believe in ghosts, it's the Chelsea, where the presence of the old writers and artists is something that all of us here live with daily. Though I don't exactly feel myself to be haunted by these spirits (in my case Thomas Wolfe and Jack Kerouac), as that has such a negative connotation, I know that many of my fellow residents do feel that way, and I think it would be facile to simply dismiss their beliefs as delusion or hallucination.

Sid's Room

Watch what happens with Dee Dee Ramone checks into Sid's room for a night.

Credits: Legends of the Chelsea, Snap Films
Check out more videos at www.youtube.com/chelseahotellegends

Bloggin' Bohemia

Recently, I was privileged to work with award-winning Australian filmmaker Michael Maher on a documentary about the changing character of New York in general and of the Chelsea neighborhood in particular.  The film, part of Maher’s Foreign Correspondent series for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, focuses on how the McBurney YMCA on West 23 Street was converted into condos for the wealthy, and asks, will the Chelsea Hotel be next? Unfortunately, about a month after Michael's documentary was aired we learned that the Bard family had been ousted from their management role at the Hotel.  In the documentary, Stanley discusses the pressure he's under from the Board of Directors.

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Dan's Chelsea Guitars Remains A Relic Of the Golden Age

On a hand-painted sign atop an old storefront in New York’s famed Chelsea Hotel, a character in a long white beard and flowing robe reminiscent of Michelangelo’s God on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel holds a guitar by the neck, ready to hand it down from heaven into the arms of some lucky mortal. Such a sentiment rather tidily sums up the attitude of the owner, the employees and a large part of the customer base at Dan’s Chelsea Guitars, a store devoted to the sale, repair and near-worship of Vintage guitars from the golden age of the instrument. (READ MORE)