A Punk Entrepreneur Passes

Hilly Kristal, founder of the legendary punk rock club CBGB OMFUG, died of lung cancer Tuesday at the Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan. He was 75.

In 1973, Kristal opened what he thought would be a venue for country, bluegrass, and blues music—the source of the initials in the club's name—but CBGB instead evolved into the home for 1970s punk rock.

Musicians flocked to his dark little venue on the Bowery in Manhattan for its cheap drinks and because Kristal let them use his stage.

Bands like The Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, and Blondie, got their starts there, and turned it into a Mecca of the punk movement.

CBGB closed last October over a rent dispute with the buildings owners, the Bowery Residents' Committee.

After it closed, Kristal vowed to tear out its grafitied walls and ship them to Las Vegas where he planned to relocate CBGBs and expand it into a franchise. It's not clear if his heirs will pursue that idea.

For now, CBGB is a popular fashion brand known for its T-shirts, commonly worn on stage by musicians and fans around the world. On its closing night alone, the club sold $18,000 worth of T-shirts. They are still available on the CBGB web site.

Kristal was born in Highstown, New Jersey, in 1932. He moved to New York City when he was 18 with dreams of becoming a singer and performing in Radio City Music Hall.

He is survived by son Mark Dana Kristal; daughter Lisa Kristal Burgman and her husband Ger; and two grandchildren.

by Andrea Chalupa