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6:29 pm - 01/11/2012
Patti Smith selling out? While we'd like to believe it isn't true, some are concerned that Smith may indeed be betraying her Chelsea Hotel roots by playing a private show for the hotel's new developer.
According to the Hotel Chelsea Blog, Smith will be performing this Thursday for Joseph Chetrit, who purchased the legendary hotel last summer for more than $80 million. Guests living in the building were abruptly ordered to leave and soon after, Chetrit made sweeping renovations to the building, ultimately stripping it of its iconic appearance.
Hotel Chelsea is assuming Smith is not fully aware of the controversial host behind the invitation, so the blog has written to Smith, asking her to decline Chetrit's request to perform:
We love Patti and her music, and we would love to see her concert, just not under these circumstances. And so we call on Patti, now that she knows the truth, to cancel this event.
The Chelsea Hotel, once home to Smith, was also home to the likes of Bob Dylan and Charles Bukowski and has been known for its infamous nights that include the mysterious stabbing of Nancy Spungen and the incident where Edie Sedgwick set her room on fire.
My current involvement with the Hotel Chelsea began some months ago when I heard rumors that the hotel would be leveled. I was devastated and entered in a dialogue with the architect, through a mutual friend. He assured me this was not the case and every effort would be made to save and restore the building, which was greatly deteriorating. Having witnessed the demolition and redevelopment of much of our city I was at least hopeful that the hotel would stand.
Since then my few efforts on behalf of the Hotel have been unofficial and uncompensated. My dialogue has continued with the architect. My personal objectives have always been: To offer uncompensated advice as to the aesthetics of the renovation project. To council all concerned to develop positive communication with the rightful tenants. To be available in the future, without fee, in participating in the development and preservation of the artistic cachet of the hotel. To participate in the development of a possible artists-in-residence program.
My small performance for the tenants was my own idea. My hope is that we might have a nice evening and the opportunity to communicate directly. I am an independent person, not owned or directed by anyone. My allegiance is to the Hotel itself, and I have done nothing to tarnish it. It is very difficult for me to embrace change, but my great hope is to witness the Hotel Chelsea find a strong and positive place in the twenty-first century
.
SOURCE
Living With Legends Hotel Chelsea Blog
OK, I've never been to the Chelsea. But I was named after it because my mom was a hardcore Sid Vicious fan, and I've been fascinated by it's history since i was little. I also work for a construction trade mag and I have to say what's being done to this hotel is so sad. Two residents were even attacked by the demolition workers because they were trying to show union reps the work being done. Also, I had no idea what to put for tags on this.
From the Hotel Chelsea blog:
"The demolished rooms, now just empty shells, include, on our floor alone: the room where Madonna filmed her Sex book in 1980; the last residence of Thomas Wolfe, where he wrote You Can’t Go Home Again in 1938; Dee Dee Ramone’s last room at the Chelsea; and the tiny room where Beat writer Herbert Huncke was living when he died in 1996. The room where Arthur Miller lived for ten years in the 1960s, writing his great play "After the Fall, has also been wiped out with no regard for its historical importance."
Patti Smith Turns Back on The Chelsea?
Patti Smith selling out? While we'd like to believe it isn't true, some are concerned that Smith may indeed be betraying her Chelsea Hotel roots by playing a private show for the hotel's new developer.
According to the Hotel Chelsea Blog, Smith will be performing this Thursday for Joseph Chetrit, who purchased the legendary hotel last summer for more than $80 million. Guests living in the building were abruptly ordered to leave and soon after, Chetrit made sweeping renovations to the building, ultimately stripping it of its iconic appearance.
Hotel Chelsea is assuming Smith is not fully aware of the controversial host behind the invitation, so the blog has written to Smith, asking her to decline Chetrit's request to perform:
We love Patti and her music, and we would love to see her concert, just not under these circumstances. And so we call on Patti, now that she knows the truth, to cancel this event.
The Chelsea Hotel, once home to Smith, was also home to the likes of Bob Dylan and Charles Bukowski and has been known for its infamous nights that include the mysterious stabbing of Nancy Spungen and the incident where Edie Sedgwick set her room on fire.
My current involvement with the Hotel Chelsea began some months ago when I heard rumors that the hotel would be leveled. I was devastated and entered in a dialogue with the architect, through a mutual friend. He assured me this was not the case and every effort would be made to save and restore the building, which was greatly deteriorating. Having witnessed the demolition and redevelopment of much of our city I was at least hopeful that the hotel would stand.
Since then my few efforts on behalf of the Hotel have been unofficial and uncompensated. My dialogue has continued with the architect. My personal objectives have always been: To offer uncompensated advice as to the aesthetics of the renovation project. To council all concerned to develop positive communication with the rightful tenants. To be available in the future, without fee, in participating in the development and preservation of the artistic cachet of the hotel. To participate in the development of a possible artists-in-residence program.
My small performance for the tenants was my own idea. My hope is that we might have a nice evening and the opportunity to communicate directly. I am an independent person, not owned or directed by anyone. My allegiance is to the Hotel itself, and I have done nothing to tarnish it. It is very difficult for me to embrace change, but my great hope is to witness the Hotel Chelsea find a strong and positive place in the twenty-first century
.
SOURCE
Living With Legends Hotel Chelsea Blog
OK, I've never been to the Chelsea. But I was named after it because my mom was a hardcore Sid Vicious fan, and I've been fascinated by it's history since i was little. I also work for a construction trade mag and I have to say what's being done to this hotel is so sad. Two residents were even attacked by the demolition workers because they were trying to show union reps the work being done. Also, I had no idea what to put for tags on this.
From the Hotel Chelsea blog:
"The demolished rooms, now just empty shells, include, on our floor alone: the room where Madonna filmed her Sex book in 1980; the last residence of Thomas Wolfe, where he wrote You Can’t Go Home Again in 1938; Dee Dee Ramone’s last room at the Chelsea; and the tiny room where Beat writer Herbert Huncke was living when he died in 1996. The room where Arthur Miller lived for ten years in the 1960s, writing his great play "After the Fall, has also been wiped out with no regard for its historical importance."
I saw a really great documentary on the Chelsea Hotel and it really was legendary. It's still silly to blame Patti for playing a show there. The hotel had been dying for over a decade. In NYC, you'll be kicked out regardless of how famous a business is. If the Chelsea didn't make a change, then it would have just vanished.
At the same time, The Chelsea was such a mess idk if it could have been pieced back together from a financial standpoint. It was let go for too long I think. I hate that all that history is gone and I hope when it opens back up they have done something to commemorate the rich and varied history it had related to the arts. Beyond a plaque here and there.
they've also evicted tons of life-long residents and are trying to evict another thirty.
I think there's about 70 left.
Madonna's Sex book came out around 1990...just sayin...
I also worked the door one random night in like 2008 but by then it was all bridge and tunnel kids with fake IDs trying to get in haha!
However I met a few residents, have kept in touch and had a couple of awesome nights there so my heart goes out to them and I pray they won't be evicted. It's such an interesting atmosphere/plae to live.
I'm not surprised this is happening tbh. I went to Cooper Union across from St. Marks from 1999-03 and watched them turn Coney Island High, Electric Ladyland, and basically the whole street into a Gap and Quiznos. Luckily that shit got pushed out and at least now it is all Japanese joints which is much better but I still get a tear in my when I think about all the history that was destroyed wantonly. I also worked at CBGBs in 2001 and it was dying fast back then. THAT is a real shame (John Varvatos FML)
Aw, thank you!!
omg ... you worked at CBGB? Because my mom was a punk & i was raised with a ramones bobble head in our kitchen .. it was my dream to go there someday and then they closed it in 06 and i never got my chance.
I was in new york in 04 w my family after i graduated hs and wanted to go but oh no my family wanted to go to china town and get rip off purses. haha I'm still bitter.
They only opened the gallery side during the day to sell TSHIRTS and would never let anyone in to even see the club unless there was a show and they paid full cover. It really sucked having to break that to dozens of disappointed tourists every day who trudged out there to see the club and then couldn't even peek inside. I literally saw a couple teenage kids CRY when they realized they wouldn't get to go inside and their parents were more than annoyed.. "All I got was this $40 Tshirt from the joint next door to the real thing.."
If they had a proper manager and had made even the smallest of effort to treat the place like the landmark it was it probably could have survived.. I mean they could have made so much money if they had the club bar open afternoons or at least allowed people in to see the place for $5 admission or something..
Basically I'm saying you shouldn't feel too bad as you didn't miss much in 04 unfortunately!
It is sad but what can you do? (Oh, visit the VEGAS version of CBs and buy another shitty overpriced Tshirt?!) Lol..